Critical days, menstruation or, as they are called in the Orthodox environment, uncleanness days are an obstacle for women who want to participate in church life. But each representative of the fair sex of childbearing age has a hope that there is still a chance to participate in Orthodox rites, if such days fall out of place. Let's look at what is permissible and what is strictly prohibited. The text contains the answers of priests to women to the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation.
What is given by nature
Often, women talk about injustice because of the ban on visiting the temple and participating in the sacraments, because menstruation is what is given by nature. But you should still adhere to the established rules. Why? First, it’s best to start with the fall of the Old Testament. Let us recall what God said to Adam and Eve when they disobeyed and tasted the forbidden fruit. And the Lord said something like this: "From now on you will live on earth in sickness, labor, give birth in agony." Eve first disobeyed the Lord and was seduced by the words of the serpent, so since then the woman has been the one who should be obedient to her husband, man. In addition, she was also given periods of purification in the form of menstruation.
Secondly, in the Orthodox church there should be no blood other than the blood of Christ, which is served to people during the sacrament of the Eucharist in the form of wine (cahors). Of course, in this case we are talking not only about women in the days of uncleanness, but also about those, for example, who suddenly began nosebleeds.
As you can see, we are talking about human blood in the temple in general, and about the purification of women. That is why modern priests often each in their own way explains whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation.
One more nuance follows from this: in past centuries there were no hygiene products, women with critical days could inadvertently desecrate the holy floor of the temple. That is why they in such periods refrained from visiting him. Therefore, the tradition of the complete absence of women in the holy place still exists.
If reliable hygiene protection is provided
Thanks to modern technologies for the manufacture of hygiene products, every woman can be calm. But is it possible to go to the temple? Priests are often asked this question over and over again. In fact, it is possible, but you can’t only touch the shrines, it is also forbidden to participate in any Sacraments. You should also not touch the priest’s hand, take a blessing from him, kiss the cross at the end of the service.
But if the representative of the weaker sex is forgetful, can inadvertently touch the shrine, then it is better to refrain from visiting the temple even on a big holiday. That is why, answering the question: “Is it possible to go to church with menstruation?”, We will be honest: “It is undesirable.”
What can and cannot be in the temple?
Let's now take a closer look at what women are not forbidden to do in the church:
- pray, participate in chants;
- buy and put candles;
- be in the narthex of the temple.
As you can see, you can only stay spiritually in the church. But bodily do nothing.
There are many more bans. We list what you can not do:
- to participate in any sacraments (confession, communion, baptism of one’s own or godson / godchild, wedding, bare blessing);
- touch icons, cross, relics;
- drink holy water;
- take consecrated objects (oil, pictures, consecrated objects);
- touch the gospel.
These rules apply not only to temple visitors, but also to those who are outside the shrine at home, on a trip, at work, and so on. So, is it possible to go to church with menstruation? Yes, but you need to be careful.
When should you not go to church at all?
But it also happens that it is undesirable to go to the temple at all. For example, in a small church there is only one way out, but at the end of the service, the priest stands in the narthex at the door itself. Exit without kissing the cross, or fail, or there is a risk of touching the shrine. In this case, the priests say something like this: “Stay at home, you can skip Sunday or public holidays for such a good reason. But the prayer attitude for the future will be good. Pray at home as if you were at a liturgy. ”
But is it possible to go to church with menstruation if there are no obstacles? Of course you can. It is only advisable to be in the narthex (at the entrance to the temple) in order not to accidentally forget about unclean days and not to follow the icons.
What to do if you touch the shrine?
Sometimes, nevertheless, out of ignorance or carelessness, a woman touches a shrine. What to do? It must be said in confession to the priest that she kissed the icon / cross or drank holy water during menstruation. Is it possible to go to church during menstruation, even if they have almost stopped? The answer is short: "Undesirable."
If menstruation is a disease
There is a gospel story that speaks of the healing of a bleeding woman by Jesus Christ. The Lord did not scold the woman, but said something like this: "Faith has healed you, go and continue without sinning."
Is it possible to go to church with a period that lasts longer than a normal period and is considered a disease? In this case, yes.
When is a woman forbidden to go to the temple?
Even in the early Christian period, it was established that a woman should not attend a temple at all for 40 days after giving birth. A child can be brought by a father or relative, close friends. But mother needs to abstain.
We figured out whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation. In conclusion, it should be noted that it is also impossible to apply to the shrines on the street, to plunge into the holy spring and to participate in the water sanctuary.
Such temporary bans are not a reason for despair for believing women, but this is a good reason to strengthen their faith and be more serious in prayer.