No, don’t toss an icon in the trash. But if it’s damaged beyond repair, you can dispose of it reverently.
Here’s what that means. Icons aren’t just religious artwork or decorations. They’re sacramentals, objects set apart for prayer and veneration. Once you’ve prayed before an icon, once it’s been part of your spiritual life, it deserves respect even when it’s broken or worn out. You wouldn’t throw a Bible in the garbage next to coffee grounds and junk mail. Same principle.
What To Do With a Damaged Icon
The traditional method is burning and burial. If your icon is paper or wood, you can burn it yourself and bury the ashes somewhere they won’t be walked on. A garden works. Under a tree in your yard. Some people bury them near the graves of loved ones. The point is returning the sacred object to the elements in a way that prevents profanation.
If you can’t burn it, maybe it’s got metal, glass, or other materials that won’t burn safely, you need to destroy it so it can’t be misused. Disassemble it. Break it down. Then bury what’s left. Again, somewhere respectful.
But honestly? The easiest thing is bringing it to the parish. Tell Father you’ve got an icon that’s beyond repair and ask what he’d like you to do. Many priests will accept old icons and handle their disposal. Some parishes collect them and dispose of them together. Your priest might have a specific local practice or might say a prayer over the icon before it’s burned or buried.
Why This Matters
This isn’t superstition or some kind of magical thinking. It’s about consistency. We believe icons are windows to heaven, that when we venerate the icon of Christ we’re venerating Christ himself. We kiss these images. We light candles before them. We pray. So when an icon is damaged or worn out, we can’t just treat it like any other piece of trash. That would contradict everything we’ve said about what icons are.
Think of it this way. If you had a letter from your grandmother who’s passed away, you wouldn’t throw it in the garbage even if it got torn or water-damaged. You’d handle it carefully. Maybe you’d keep it in a box, or if it was really destroyed, you might burn it privately. Icons are like that, except more so, because they’ve been part of your communion with the saints.
There’s no formal “unblessing” ceremony that’s universal across Orthodoxy. Some priests have short prayers they say when disposing of sacred objects. Others don’t. Local custom varies. But the principle doesn’t change, reverence, not casual disposal.
What If It’s Just Dirty or Slightly Damaged?
Consider repair first. A good frame shop can often help. You can place a damaged icon under glass. If it’s just dusty or the colors have faded, that’s not necessarily a reason to get rid of it. Icons in churches are often centuries old and show their age. That’s not irreverence, it’s history.
But if the image is truly destroyed, if it’s been through a hurricane (and here in Southeast Texas, that’s not hypothetical), if water damage or mold has made it unusable, then yes, it’s time for reverent disposal.
A Practical Note
If you’re not sure whether an icon is too damaged to keep, ask. Bring it to coffee hour and show Father. He’s seen this before. He’ll tell you whether it can be salvaged or whether it’s time to let it go.
And if you’re new to Orthodoxy and you’ve got old religious items from your previous church background, maybe a picture of Jesus from your Baptist grandmother’s house, maybe a rosary from a Catholic relative, the same principle applies if those items have been blessed or used in prayer. When in doubt, ask your priest. He can help you figure out what needs reverent disposal and what doesn’t.
The bottom line is simple. Icons aren’t trash, even when they’re broken. Treat them with the same reverence in disposal that you showed them in prayer, and you’ll be fine.
