What is a Prayer Corner?

One of the distinctive features of an Orthodox home is the “prayer corner.” The first thing to note is the name. It is expressed somewhat differently in the various languages of majority-Orthodox nations, but is usually some variation of corner, described as either “beautiful,” “holy,” “icon,” or “God’s.” In the Russian tradition, you may hear “red corner,” though that is only because the old word for “beautiful” has become the modern word for “red.” Although red lamps are commonly used, resulting in a red hue, that is not the origin of the term.

In Greek, the prayer corner is called eikonostási, just like the iconostasis at church. This is an important first clue as to the function of the prayer corner: namely, it is a continuation of church in your home. The household is your “little church,” as we are Christians all of the time, whether at home or in church. Our prayerful relationship with God does not end after Liturgy each Sunday.