Question first
appeared on February 3, 2002
In the Islamic faith, any piece
of paper with the name of God (Allah) on it shall not be treated
irreverently or thrown away. In
this spirit, should we not throw away church bulletins since they have
icons on the cover?
The images on the
cover of our Sunday church bulletins are indeed reproductions or
photocopies of real icons, but they have not been blessed by a bishop or
priest. A true icon is Awritten@ following strict adherence to guidelines set down over the centuries.
It is then taken into a sanctuary and blessed by a bishop or
priest through prayer and the sprinkling of Holy Water.
In some Orthodox traditions, the icon must remain on the altar
for a full thirty days.
Today many icon prints are available on paper stock which can also be
decoupaged onto wood. These
prints, although not Ahand-written,@
can also be blessed such that they may be used in Orthodox prayer and
worship.
It is the Ablessing@
of the Church, therefore, that makes the icon, either hand-written or
print, a Aholy@
image that must be treated with respect.
İVery
Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, February 3, 2002
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