How to Choose and Take Care of Silver Icons?

Everyone knows how important it is for Orthodox believers to have, at least, one religious icon at home. It is widely accepted that icons can protect homes from trouble and ungodly people. These relics are given to loved ones or bought to become the keepers of the hearth and health of all family members. Silver icons are a particularly popular type of religious icons that people keep in their homes, their cars, and wear on the neck as well. That is what our today’s blog post is about.

Why are silver icons so valuable?

Religious icons made of silver have long enjoyed a special place in the hearts of the Orthodox faithful. People believe that such icons can protect them from evil spirits, negative thoughts, and bad people. Besides, the silver setting protects the image from damage, which explains the fact why silver icons are a preferred option for cars and why people buy them to wear in daily life.

Silver is associated with spiritual purity and faith in God, therefore this metal remains essential in iconography.

How to choose a silver icon? 

First of all, it should be recalled that you should always buy the image that is close to you. The most traditional silver icons purchased for homes are, certainly, the icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary. As for the small icons that people wear on the neck, the most popular ones are icons of Seraphim of Sarov, the Holy Trinity, and Saint Matrona. It is interesting that to wear pendants with icons on the neck is an ancient tradition that has been preserved to this day. The first people who wore such icons were warriors and travelers. They believed that icon pendants protected them while they were away from home.

You can buy icons as a gift or for personal use at specialty stores and churches.

How to take care of the icons made of silver?

Religious icons made of silver are often at risk of being damaged through exposure to various factors. Silver may easily become tarnished and lose its luster due to dust, dirt, and high humidity in your home. To remedy the situation or prevent it, you should polish silver from time to time with a piece of chamois and a soapy water solution with shampoo and alcohol. If you are not confident enough to safely clean the silver icons yourself, contact a professional.

Hopefully, this post was helpful, and now you know a bit more about how to choose and take care of holy icons made of silver.