Tuesday

The Blessing of an Icon

The final ritual in the writing of an icon is having it blessed. The iconographer sets the finished icon on the altar and prays before it.  Then it is blessed by the priest.  Below is the Orthodox Ceremony for the Blessing of an Icon.


The Blessing and Hallowing of Icons

Priest:
Blessed is our God always, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages:
Chanter:
Amen, The Trisagion Prayers. O All holy Trinity. Our Father
Priest:
For Yours is the Kingdom ...
Chanter:
Amen. Kyrie eleison. O come, let us worship and fall down. . .
Priest:
O Lord our God, Who created us after Your own Image and Likeness; Who redeems us from our former corruption of the ancient curse through Your manbefriending Christ, Who took upon Himself the form of a servant and became man; Who having taken upon Himself our likeness remade Your Saints of the first dispensation, and through Whom also we are refashioned in the Image of Your pure blessedness;
Your Saints we venerate as being in Your Image and Likeness, and we adore and glorify You as our Creator;
Wherefore we pray You, send forth Your blessing upon this Icon, and with the sprinkling of hallowed water
Bless and make holy this Icon unto Your glory, in honor and remembrance of Your Saint (N);
And grant that this sanctification will be to all who venerate this Icon of Saint (N), and send up their prayer unto You standing before it;
Through the grace and bounties and love of Your Only-Begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed together with Your All-Holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Chanter:
Amen.
Sprinkling cross fashion the Icon with Holy Water, he says:
Hallowed and blessed is this Icon of St. (N) by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, through the sprinkling of Holy Water: in the Name of the Father (+), and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (+), Amen.
Immediately is sung the Troparion and Kontakion of the Saint limned on the Icon, and we all reverence and kiss the all pure Icon. Then follows the little Apolysis including the name of the Saint.
Prayer When One is to Take Up Abode in a New House
Priest:
Let us pray to the Lord.
Chanter:
Kyrie eleison.
Priest:
O God our Savior, Who did deign to enter under the roof of Zacchaeus, unto salvation of the same and of all that were in the house;
Do you, the same Lord, keep safe also from harm them who now desire to dwell here,
And who, together with us unworthy ones, do offer unto You prayer and supplication:
Bless this (+) their home and dwelling, and preserve their life free from all adversity;
For unto You are due all glory, honor and worship, as also unto Your Eternal Father, and Your All Holy, Good and life-creating Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages:
Chanter:
Amen.


Several sources had this same service, I copied this one from  http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/icon_blessing

I have not had my icon blessed.  I may do this, but likely not in an Orthodox Church, as I am not Orthodox.