Icon and everyday life

 Although the icon’s place is in the church, icons also belong to everyday life and to every Orthodox Believer’s home.  Every Orthodox house has its icon corner with the "small Deesis" and the patron saint or name patron of the family along with candlelight (“Jesus Christ, light of the world” – reference to the so-called “Herrgottswinkel” (The Lord’s Corner) in the homes of devout Roman-Catholic families.  It greets the arriving guest before addressing the hosts. All children receive at their christening an icon of their name patron.  At weddings, the father of the bride blesses the wedding couple with an icon, which is later presented to the couple as a gift.  At funerals, the icon is carried in front of the coffin. People swear their oaths by the icon. In the home it is often customary to fit out the icon with curtains.  (refer: Jewish temples).  These curtains are drawn in the event that things are taking place in the room which the icon should rather not witness.  Church doctrine and people’s piety do not always fully agree.   
 

Deesis (Greek: Intercession, Prayer) Icon
The icon representation “Intercession on the Day of Judgment” is of Byzantine origin and the central piece of the iconostasis.  Here the " small Deesis " is restricted to Jesus Christ, as Omnipotent Ruler (Pantokrator) and adjudicator of the universe, towards whom Mary, Mother of God on the left and John the Baptist ("precursor" of God's son) on the right are inclined in a praying pose – as intercessors of mankind.

The "Big Deesis" extends the intercession to a whole row, on both sides of which the number of intercessors are joined by archangels, apostles and saints of the Mother of God and John the Baptist in a pleading gesture.  Their actions are intended to induce the beholder to do likewise; this suggests that the icon is also meant to have an educational effect. 

Core of the iconostasis,
The Order with Christ in the centre     (Mary Jesus-John the Baptist)