Andcross Orthodox online store offers a wide range of Orthodox products - gift sets, icons, icon cases, books, monastery candles, jewelry and much more. Some of the products of our own production, as well as from other suppliers - monasteries, temples, masters of the entire Orthodox world.
Andcross Orthodox Online Store - Established in 1999
The first evening after being received into the Orthodox Church can make a simple question feel weighty: what belongs in a Christian home now? The essential items for Orthodox converts are not a collection to acquire quickly or display perfectly. They are humble aids for prayer, remembrance, and participation in the life of the Church. Begin with what will actually be used, and let your priest’s guidance, your parish tradition, and your means shape each choice.
Orthodoxy does not ask a new Christian to build a private museum of religious objects. Sacred articles have their place because they direct the heart toward Christ, His holy Mother, and the saints. A modest icon corner, a prayer book opened faithfully, and a candle lit with attention can serve a person more deeply than many unused purchases.
Some customs vary among Greek, Russian, Antiochian, Serbian, Romanian, and other Orthodox communities. Your parish may have preferred prayer books, hymn texts, fasting practices, or forms of the Cross. When uncertain, ask. Receiving counsel is itself part of learning an Orthodox way of life.
For many converts, the first essential article is the cross worn after baptism or chrismation. It is not merely jewelry. Worn close to the heart, it is a daily confession that Christ has conquered death and that the Christian belongs to Him.
Choose a cross that can be worn comfortably every day. Silver is a durable and traditional choice; gold or gold-plated pieces may be especially fitting for a baptismal gift or an heirloom. The familiar eight-pointed Russian Orthodox cross carries rich symbolism, while four-pointed and other canonical forms are also used throughout the Orthodox world. If the cross has not been blessed at baptism, ask your priest about having it blessed.
An icon of our Lord Jesus Christ is the center of an Orthodox prayer corner. The image is not treated as ordinary decoration. Before it, the faithful offer reverence to Christ Himself, asking for mercy and learning to keep His presence before their eyes.
Christ Pantocrator is a beloved and fitting choice for a first icon. Seek canonical imagery with clear craftsmanship rather than an image selected only for its frame or color. A carefully made wood icon, a silver-plated icon, or a traditional printed icon can each serve prayer well. The material matters less than the reverent use of the image.
Beside the icon of Christ, Orthodox homes commonly place an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. She is honored as the Mother of God and as the first among the saints, always directing the faithful to her Son.
There are many cherished types: the Kazan Mother of God, the Vladimir Mother of God, the Tenderness icon, and others. A convert need not feel pressure to know every iconographic title at once. Choose an image that is canonical, prayerfully made, and meaningful to your parish tradition or personal spiritual life.
At baptism or reception into the Church, many Orthodox Christians receive the name of a saint. An icon of that heavenly patron is a personal and lasting gift. It reminds the new Christian that salvation is not an isolated project: the saints pray with us and show, in their own lives, what faithfulness can look like.
A small travel icon may be useful for a desk or bedside, while a larger icon can take its place in the home prayer corner. Named saint icons also make thoughtful gifts from godparents, family members, and parish friends.
A prayer book gives shape to the prayers that may otherwise feel difficult to begin. Morning and evening prayers, prayers before meals, prayers for the departed, and preparations for Holy Communion teach the language of the Church over time.
The best edition depends on jurisdiction and parish usage. Some prayer books use older English, while others use contemporary translations. Neither is automatically better. What matters is that the text is trustworthy, understandable enough for regular use, and blessed by the practice of your parish. A priest may recommend beginning with only a few prayers rather than attempting a full rule immediately.
The Psalms give words to repentance, gratitude, grief, fear, and hope. A Psalter is especially valuable for those learning how the Church prays in every season of life. Reading even one kathisma or a few psalms with consistency is a serious beginning.
A Gospel book or a well-made New Testament is equally worthy of a place in the home. The Gospels should be read slowly, not treated as a task to finish. Many converts find that reading the appointed Sunday Gospel before Liturgy helps the words heard in church take deeper root.
A small supply of church candles can make home prayer more attentive. Light is offered before an icon as a sign of faith and as a quiet reminder of Christ, the Light of the world. Natural beeswax candles, including those made in monasteries, are valued for their simple beauty and traditional character.
Use a stable candleholder and never leave a flame unattended. In homes where open flame is unsafe because of children, pets, or housing rules, prayer should continue without it. The candle is an aid, not a requirement or a measure of devotion.
A prayer rope is a practical companion for the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Wool prayer ropes are traditionally simple and durable, available in sizes that suit a pocket, wrist, or prayer corner.
The prayer rope is not a device for counting spiritual achievement. It helps gather an often scattered mind. A new Orthodox Christian should use it with humility and without adopting a complicated personal rule apart from pastoral direction. A few attentive repetitions are better than many said hurriedly.
Incense has a venerable place in Orthodox worship and can be used reverently at home. A small hand censer, quality charcoal, and natural incense may enrich family prayers, feast-day observance, or the blessing of a home prayer corner.
Yet this is one item that truly depends on circumstances. Apartments, smoke alarms, asthma, and fire restrictions may make home incense impractical. It is never necessary to imitate every element of parish worship in the home. If you use incense, keep it modest, safe, and prayerful.
The final essential item is not a product but a place. A shelf, wall space, or small table facing east where possible can become an icon corner. Place the icons with care, keep the area clean, and avoid mixing sacred images with clutter or purely decorative objects.
A simple cloth, an oil lamp where safely permitted, and a place for a prayer book may be added over time. The purpose is not to create a perfect arrangement. It is to make prayer easier to return to when life is busy, sorrowful, or distracted.
Authenticity matters, particularly when selecting icons, crosses, and devotional gifts. Look for canonical iconography, honest descriptions of materials, and craftsmanship that treats sacred images with respect. Handmade crosses, monastery candles, and icons produced by skilled Orthodox craftspeople can carry a visible sense of care, but no object should be confused with a charm or guarantee against hardship.
It is also wise to buy gradually. A well-made silver cross, a Christ icon, an icon of the Theotokos, and a prayer book are enough for a strong beginning. More specialized articles, such as icon gift sets, a brass censer, or precious-metal devotional jewelry, can be chosen later for feast days, anniversaries, baptisms, or meaningful family gifts.
If an item is described as blessed or consecrated, receive that description reverently and follow any guidance provided by your parish. For ordinary religious articles, a priest can bless them when appropriate. The Church’s blessing is not a retail feature. It is prayer offered to God for the faithful use of what has been set before Him.
The deepest value of an Orthodox cross, icon, candle, or Psalter appears through faithful use. Kiss the icon before leaving home. Read one psalm when words fail. Make the sign of the Cross before sleep. Stand quietly for a moment before Christ and ask for mercy.
A prayer corner will grow with the years, shaped by patron saints, feast days, family memories, and gifts received in love. Let it grow slowly. The goal is not to possess every beautiful Orthodox article, but to make room in the home and heart for a life turned toward God.
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