The traditional answer is the east wall. But don’t panic if that won’t work in your home.
Orthodox Christians have faced east to pray since the early centuries. The rising sun points to Christ’s Resurrection and His Second Coming. When we pray, we’re orienting ourselves toward that hope. So the icon corner, that place in your home where you keep your icons and gather to pray, ideally goes on an eastern wall in a main room where your family spends time together. Living room, dining room, somewhere central. Not tucked away in a back bedroom where nobody sees it.
But here’s the thing. Most of us in Southeast Texas live in houses or apartments that weren’t designed with Orthodox prayer in mind. Your east wall might have a massive picture window looking out at your neighbor’s fence. Or it’s where the TV has to go because that’s where the cable hookup is. Or you’re renting and that wall already has someone else’s family photos nailed into it.
It’s okay.
The point of the icon corner isn’t to pass some cosmic orientation test. It’s to create a place in your home where you and your family can pray together, where the icons remind you that you’re surrounded by Christ and His saints, where your home becomes a little church. If you can’t face east, face another direction. Put your icons on a shelf or a small table. Use a bookcase if that’s what you’ve got. The Church has always been pastoral about this. We’re not legalists.
What Actually Matters
Placement matters more than direction. Your icon corner should be somewhere prominent, somewhere you’ll actually use it. Not hidden in a closet or shoved behind a stack of mail. You want it visible, accessible, at a height where you can stand or sit comfortably to pray. Some families put theirs in the living room. Others prefer the dining room or even a main hallway. Wherever your family naturally gathers works.
Keep it clean and uncluttered. This isn’t the place for your Astros bobblehead or last year’s church directory or a stack of unpaid bills. Icons aren’t decor. They’re windows into heaven, and the space around them should reflect that. A simple cloth covering the shelf or table, a candle or oil lamp if you want one, maybe a prayer book. That’s enough.
The arrangement of the icons themselves follows a pattern. Christ goes on the right as you face the corner, because He holds the place of honor. The Theotokos goes on His left. If you have a cross, it often goes between them or above. Other saints, your patron saint, St. Michael if you’re part of this parish, whoever else you love, go below or to the sides. Never above Christ and the Theotokos. The hierarchy matters. It teaches us something about worship and veneration every time we look at it.
When You’re Just Starting
Maybe you’re a catechumen and you’ve just bought your first icon. You don’t need a whole elaborate setup right away. Start simple. An icon of Christ, maybe one of the Theotokos. Find a spot, even if it’s temporary. You can always move things later or add to your collection as you grow in the faith.
And if you’re uncertain about any of this, whether your placement is appropriate, which icons to include, how to arrange them, talk to Fr. Nicholas or one of the other priests at St. Michael. That’s what we’re here for. Every home is different. Every family’s situation is different. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and your priest can help you figure out what makes sense for your particular circumstances.
The icon corner isn’t about perfection. It’s about prayer. Set it up, use it, let it draw you and your family toward God. That’s the whole point.
