How to venerate the icon

For applying (kissing) to the Holy gospel, Holy relics, the Cross and any icons should be approached quietly and reverently, saying mentally a prayer, twice to cross, take two deep bow before kissing. Attached to the icon. After re-cross and bow. Bows it is better to make the waist, touching the hand of the earth.

Follow the pious rule while applying for the festive icon to the Cross: women are required to skip ahead of the children, then men and older people. Leave the area surround coats and bags before you approach the iconostasis.

Deeply faithful kiss the icon of the lips, thereby expressing love and respect to someone who is on the icon depicted. The touch of lips is a sign of deep faith and love, humility and reverence. Touch the icon's forehead literally means "hug". Everyone chooses his own way, loved him. Attachment to the icon - it's a celebration that rewarded the faithful the iconis built-to-face, it depicts the mental and touching that person.

On the icon of the Savior kiss only the legs (with the half-length image - hand) icon of the Mother of God and icons of all saints. If you applied to the icon of the miraculous image of the Savior - the edge of the Board, which outlined the face. Approaching the icon of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, kiss the image of the hair.

If the icon shows several saints, prokladyvalas to the handle of one of them only once (so you won't delay other prayers.

Do not kiss themselves the faces of Christ, the virgin Mary and the saints depicted on the icon.

To venerate the Holy relics should also be after the two prostrations, and thoughtful prayers. Once should be applied to the feet and to the head of a Saint or to a single head. Moving away so as not to disturb others, to make a third prostration.