“Do not be glad, however, because you have power over spirits, but because your names are recorded in heaven.” /Luke. 10,20/
The Orthodoxy respects private names very much. A name reflects sacrament of unique and precious personality, it assumes personal contact with God. When a baby is baptized, an Orthodox name is given to him. The church accepts a new soul in its midst, ties it through personal name to God’s name. The one who is called after a saint always keeps an image of his Patron, “helper”.
A personalized icon – is an icon with an image of a saint patron, whose name was given at baptize. Almost every Christian has got such icon. They do not have a strict size, the main is the Patron’s image. Eyes of the Patron are painted especially precisely for to fill the person’s soul with wisdom and power.
Reverence of a saint is in imitation of his exploits and faith. Because the person’s saint Patron is not just a protector and prayer, but a role model.