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If any of those who do not venerate holy icons took the trouble to be a witness to our present Divine services and to see what is happening now in our churches in honor of the holy icons, then, probably, he would not hesitate to admit that it is impossible to show them more respect than we show. For we not only now sing many songs of praise in honor of the holy icons, not only wear them in triumph on the church grounds and perform reverent worship before them, but we also proclaim, finally, a formidable anathema against those who, foolishly, dare to compare the holy icons with pagan idols. But, my brothers, in the midst of our celebration in honor of the holy icons, I hear a certain complaint against us from these same holy icons. It ascends, however, not from churches, but from houses, and not all of them; but the complaint of the holy icons, no matter where it comes from, must be heard, especially on this day. What does it consist of? “The fact,” the holy icons answer, “is that we have already been completely expelled from some Christian homes; and in some, although we remain for the time being, we are brought into such a cramped position that it is almost better for us not to be in them, in order to save ourselves from humiliation, and the owner of the house from the burden that we constitute for him. Although a complaint from the holy icons could be accepted and respected without any special preliminary investigation, in order to show complete impartiality, let’s go to these houses - let’s enter, for example, this one. But here, it seems, the opposite must be true, for the landlord loves images; All the walls are covered with them; even the imaginary victories of the Gauls over us found a place for themselves there, and not a small one. Is there really no one here for at least one holy icon? Alas, I look at all sides and can’t find a single one! What would that mean? Has the owner of the house changed his faith? No, it is still written by an Orthodox Christian. So, perhaps he lacks icons... But whoever acquired ten Napoleons could have acquired one Savior or His Mother... I make an inquiry: it turns out that the owner of the house was provided with many icons by the piety of his ancestors. Where did they go? Sold or hidden. Why and for what? Because recently there was a strict ban on having, much less showing, holy icons in the house. From whom? From the new mistress - fashion... She, the omnipotent one, does not want to see icons in houses; - and they are gone! Woe to this house of fashion! It won’t take long for it to bloom and stand firm with her mottled face!.. Let's go to another yard, for example, this one. Are there any holy icons in this house? – There are quite a few. Tell me where they are? - Over there. - But they are not visible. “Come closer, take a closer look, and you’ll see.” Exactly, this is an icon: but what does such smallness mean? The poverty of the home owner's methods? Less in total; his house looks like an owner's palace. Lack of indoor space? But there would clearly be more than one icon. The secret is different: they want to have icons so as not to seem completely behind the holy custom of their ancestors, but to have them in such a form that, as they say, it does not catch the eye. But what's the harm if the holy icon is noticeable? Oh, you don't know, that would mean being exposed to extreme danger. From whom? From the same all-powerful mistress - fashion. She can still tolerate a small, inconspicuous icon and cover it with her generosity, but a large, noticeable, respected icon - she will never forgive this crime. Anyone who has such an icon will immediately, without trial or certificate, be considered and proclaimed a person of bad taste, who does not know taste, who does not know how to live in the world. Why think for a long time after this? Away with the old, large, visible icons! Let's make small, invisible ones! We are educated people!.. After this, judge for yourself, my brothers, whether there is any reason to suspect that we, too, are not without some kind of persecution of the holy icons. It is not difficult to see where its source is, and who we should call the enemy of the holy icons. This is not some kind of person, as happened before, during the times of iconoclasm, but one empty and idle name, idle, but terrible in its effect on those who do not have so much, we do not say zeal for the faith and the Holy Church, but simple and ordinary firmness of spirit, so as not to be afraid to go against fashion!.. Since now is the day of church judgment, then, calling on common sense to help, we will not hesitate to pronounce at least a brief judgment regarding this subject - not in order to condemn or reproach anyone, but to provide an opportunity for some, not completely blinded by fashion, to return from its voluntary, and therefore even more shameful, captivity. Tell us, omnipotent mistress of fashion, what have the holy icons done to you that you are so hostile to them? Did they take away from you in the housing of Orthodox Christians a place intended by you for something you needed? But the place that was occupied by icons, despite all your ingenuity, still remains empty, and you cannot occupy it with anything with decency. This means that you are fighting against holy icons in vain. Or, perhaps, the presence of holy icons in their place would take away some of the perfection from your room decorations, invented according to the latest taste? But what prevents this same taste from being reverently applied to the placement and decoration of holy icons? Then, in addition to edification, they would also serve to complete the splendor about which you care so much. Or perhaps you, the householder, are afraid that some non-Christian will conclude from the icons in your house that you venerate holy icons and belong to the Orthodox Church? And which of the Gentiles does not already know about this? To avoid this danger (if it already exists for you), it was necessary to leave not the icons, but the faith and the Church itself. Or, finally, aren’t you afraid that, among the amusements that take place in your palaces, someone will not fix his gaze on the holy icon, and then lower his eyes to the ground? But doesn’t this also happen for other reasons? No matter how much you multiply the trumpets and tympanums, you cannot remove these causes from the human soul. Be patient, along with others, with the good impression from the holy icons, which, perhaps, in such a case will invisibly protect your son or daughter from spiritual decline. How about you, brethren, but to me, no matter how much I think, it seems that there is no reason to remove or even diminish the holy icons in our homes; on the other hand, how many incentives there are to restore them to their former proper form! For tell us again, fashion, how long ago were you born and captured the scepter of domestic autocracy in your unclean hands? Your whole life is calculated in a few tens of years, and holy icons have existed with us since the beginning of Christianity. How can you, a young and illiterate child, not be ashamed of the sacred gray hair of a thousand-year old man? And aren’t you feigning a love for antiquity of all kinds, especially domestic ones, rummaging with exemplary patience under the earth in order to retrieve, like a treasure, what for several centuries was, perhaps, thrown to the ground as unfit for use? Shouldn’t you, for this reason alone, reverently preserve the holy icons, before which our fathers and forefathers prayed, both in hours of happiness and in times of temptation? Next, fashion, tell us, who did you save when and from what danger did you save? Where is the kingdom you established? Where is the house that prospered from you? Many, on the contrary, died, and probably many more will die, from your whims. Look what the holy icons have done? The Icon of the Last Judgment turned Grand Duke Vladimir, and with him all of Russia, from idols to the true God; the icon of the Savior brought Andrei Bogolyubsky victory over the Bulgarians; the icon of the “Sign” of the Mother of God protected defenseless Novgorod; the icon of the Mother of God “Vladimir” turned back Tamerlane and his army; The icon of Our Lady of Kazan delivered the reigning city of Moscow from Lithuanian captivity and saved Russia. Do you see, fashion, what the holy icons have done? They contain history, they contain the salvation of our Fatherland. Tell us what you did? And we can immediately point out to you houses that were once flourishing, but now, by your mercy, covered with shame and poverty; on families that were previously peaceful and blessed, but now, from slavery to you, they have reached the point where the son rebels against the father, the brother cannot see the sister. But why argue with a soulless word and convince the wind? Let's turn to the ruler of the house. So, you, beloved, are ashamed to show a holy icon in your house, but your mother was not ashamed when, giving birth to you, to alleviate the torments of mortals, she looked at the holy icon and entrusted you to its protection for the rest of your life. You are now ashamed to show a holy icon in your house, and at that very moment when everything left you and you seemed to be perishing, weren’t you on your knees before it, with tears asking God for help and making vows to behave like a Christian? You are ashamed to show a holy icon in your house, isn’t it this icon, now abandoned in darkness, that will stand guard at your head when you lie in the tomb - dead and lifeless? We will not continue the debate - the point is clear! The certificate is correct; witnesses on both sides have been heard; the objections have been considered: all that remains is to pronounce the judgment. Where is your opinion going? On the side of fashion or holy icons? Choose what you want. He who cannot escape the captivity of fashion, let him kiss its bonds, and we will begin now to worship with reverence the holy icons and kiss with love the images of our Savior and His Most Pure Mother. Amen. You might be interested in: