06/19/2026
Which icons should we venerate first when entering an Orthodox church?
After lighting a candle, the faithful traditionally venerate the icons in the narthex in a reverent order: Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, the icon of the feast day, the church’s patron saint, and then the remaining icons according to local custom.
Make the Sign of the Cross, offer a small metanoia if able, and approach each holy icon with humility, prayer, and love.
“The honor paid to the image passes to the prototype.”
St. Basil the Great
