Can the shells of blessed eggs be disposed of? 0 14

Can the shells of blessed Easter eggs be thrown away?

Many believers have concerns about throwing away the shells of blessed eggs. This arises from a misunderstanding of the essence of blessing. Priest Mikhail Ulanov explains that the egg itself does not become a sacred object, so there is no need to keep the shell or take it to church for disposal.

“The egg is a symbol of Easter. It is blessed so that we can connect with God through it. The shell itself does not matter; it can simply be thrown away,” the priest asserts.

Is it permissible to stick images of saints on eggs and Easter cakes?

“Stickers with Christian symbols, crosses, and icons are not quite right. I really liked the practice of the Solovetsky Monastery. When they prepared Easter boxes there, they removed all the crosses and icons so that people could throw away such items without fear,” shared Mikhail Ulanov.

How should items with Orthodox symbolism be properly disposed of?

According to the priest, if there is a need, such items can be disposed of. There are three main methods.

The first is to throw them into flowing river water. This is where many stories about how an icon “came” by water originated. This tradition goes back to the lives of the saints and scriptures, when an icon was lowered into the water, and the current could carry it far away. Later, it could appear somewhere, as if it had “come” by itself.

The second method is burning. The ashes should be scattered in a place that is not trampled, meaning where people and animals do not walk and where there are no toilets. It is also possible to take unusable icons to a church that has what is called a “dry well.”

The third option is to bury them in a calm and secluded place.

“If it is necessary to dispose of a broken cross, an old icon, or a moldy prosphora, they can be burned or thrown into the river. These are the simplest methods,” Father Mikhail explained.