Why give a sacred icon: an heirloom passed from father to son

In the Byzantine world and later in the Russian, Greek and Balkan worlds, the icon was the most precious possession of the home. It had a place of honour, the «beautiful corner» facing east; it accompanied the decisive moments of life; it appeared in dowries and in wills. The icons with which parents blessed a couple became the family icons of the new home, and one day would pass to their children.

This tradition is still alive today in Orthodox families and in many Catholic ones: an icon is received, kept and handed to the next generation together with its story.

An icon is not worn out by use: the more it is prayed before, the more precious it becomes to those who keep it. The prayers of a family in joy and in trial have gathered before it, and so each generation receives it as more than an object. It is a heritage of faith that can be seen and touched.

A hand-painted icon is made to last: a seasoned wooden panel with a gesso ground, 23¾ karat gold that does not tarnish, natural pigments, egg tempera protected by olifa. The ancient icons kept in museums today prove that these materials span centuries.

It is a unique work by a recognisable iconographer, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity on real parchment with photographs and recorded time of every stage of work. This documentation, together with the quality of the materials, gives it a value that does not depend on fashion and that the children will be able to prove and preserve.

• ◆Choose a subject that speaks to the family: the Mother of God, Christ, the Holy Family, the saint of the family name or of its founder.
• ◆Have the giver's and recipient's names and the date written on the back of the panel or in the booklet: it is the beginning of the icon's story.
• ◆Keep the certificate of authenticity on real parchment and the photographs of each stage together with the icon.
• ◆Place it away from direct light, damp and heat: it will last for centuries.