Why can't you go to church while on your period? Can a woman attend church during her period?

Every woman knows what menstruation is. But most people don’t even know why you can’t go to church while on your period. We will look into this issue.

Visiting a temple is a spiritual need for every person, so few people think about any prohibitions on this matter. The time to attend church is the choice of every believer.

Many people believe that when a woman has her period, as well as in the first month after giving birth, she should not attend church. But why? Where do such speculations come from?

During menstruation, women are considered “unclean.” Such beliefs also exist among the Indians. Women left the tribe until they became pure. And men were forbidden to give even the slightest sexy signs attention to her.

The church prohibition does not have any supernatural properties for female representatives, but it is generally accepted that they can desecrate God’s temple.

Old Testament: why shouldn’t women on their period go to temple?

It explains that shed blood is a symbol of death. And menstrual blood is doubly a sign of death, since it contains particles of the uterus.

For this reason, it is believed that in this way the woman is reminded of the great human sin that Adam and Eve committed. Also in the Old Testament there is a ban on visiting the temple:

for various diseases;
unusual discharge from the male genital organs;
purulent discharge;
during the cleansing period of women in labor (up to 40 days for the birth of a boy, up to 80 days for the birth of a girl).

And also any other pathological discharge. At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to touch the patient if he is festering or decomposing.

Such phenomena refer to sin and unpleasant consequences, but today doctors have proven that discharge is not considered something sinful.

Why it is forbidden to go to church when bleeding: Christianity

In Christianity, such a prohibition is profound. As discussed above, the Old Testament speaks of “uncleanness” as death; when Adam and Eve were cast out, they became mortal.

It turns out that absolutely any disease, eruption of blood, semen, is considered the elimination of a living embryo, which means that people should not forget that they are mortal and they have no privileges to live forever and not get sick.

What the New Testament says about “unclean women”

The New Testament no longer contains the definitions that were in the Old Testament. An episode was described when a woman who was bleeding from her vagina touched Christ’s robe and was miraculously healed. The Son of God did not reject it, but, on the contrary, accepted it and preached: “Everything created by nature was given by God, and therefore natural.”

It is noted that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles gave any definition of the “uncleanness” of a woman during bleeding.

When the New Testament prohibitions were compiled, the church established the following prohibitions for the female sex:

it is forbidden to attend church while menstruating;
after labor activity You can’t go to church for 40 days.

Why you can’t go to church during your period: reasons

How did the church motivate its prohibitions? Let's look at the reasons.

Hygiene during this period is the most important and significant reason. Long ago, women had no way these days to hold back the flow of blood, so it was believed that it was spilled on the floor. And the church cannot be the place where blood is shed.

Moreover, the cleaners in the temples did not want to clean up someone’s blood, since any touching it was also considered a sin, and at that time there were not even disposable gloves.

That is why today tampons and pads will help a woman solve this problem and she can safely attend church. The cleaners do not need to clean anything and other people will not come into contact with the “evil spirits”.

Are there any bans today?

Why you can’t go to church during your period worries believers who care about spiritual purity rather than physical purity. IN modern world There are no restrictions on visiting church during the period of critical days.

Women can go to church, but some sacraments cannot be performed:

confession;
baptism.

Particularly related to hygiene requirements.

Confession- These are moral ideas about innocence, this includes spiritual and physical purity. During the process of confession, a person is cleansed, so his body must also be clean.

Despite all these arguments, many priests are confident that women with menstruation can light candles, pray and visit church if they think it is necessary.

We can summarize that there are no strict prohibitions regarding the physiological and physical needs of a person in order to go to church. The main thing is to have pure and good thoughts.

But many women independently decide not to go to church after childbirth or on “these” days. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the woman must physically be near the child. After 40 days, you can go to church even with a child and have a baptism ceremony.

Conclusion: is it still “for” or “against”

There are no strict prohibitions, so women can attend church in critical days. Physiological processes should not influence spiritual values in any way. Pregnant women can also visit the temple and take part in the sacraments.

Each person has his own ideas, so if some people think that these days you should not visit Holy place, then it is not necessary, but you cannot impose your opinion on others.

Therefore, it is up to each person to decide whether to go to church or not, why it is impossible or possible. The main thing is that he goes to the temple with spiritual purity and pure thoughts.

There are many different opinions on this topic. Some clergy say that you can go to church during your period. But most of them claim that this is prohibited. Many women are interested in knowing at what time during menstruation they can attend church, and whether it is possible at all. From the time of Old Testament a lot has changed, now almost no one blames a woman for the presence of such a natural process as regulation. But many churches have restrictions and rules of behavior for women who decide to attend church during menstruation.

Is it possible to go to church while on your period?

Many women are interested in the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. Nowadays, more and more clergy agree that women who are on their menstrual periods are allowed to enter church. However, some rituals are recommended to be postponed until the end of menstruation. These include baptism and wedding. Also, many priests do not recommend touching icons, crosses and other church attributes during this period. This rule is only a recommendation and not a strict prohibition. The woman herself has the right to decide what exactly to do. In some churches, the clergyman may refuse to conduct confession or a wedding, but a woman has the right, if she wishes, to go to another church, where the priest will not refuse her this. This is not considered a sin, since the Bible itself does not reveal any prohibition related to the presence of menstrual periods for women.

Russian Rules Orthodox Church Girls are not prohibited from visiting the temple during the regul. There are some restrictions that priests strongly recommend adhering to. Restrictions apply to Communion; it is better to refuse it during menstruation. The only exception to the rule is the presence of any serious illness.

Many clergy argue that you should not avoid going to church on critical days. Menstruation is a natural process in female body, which should not interfere with being in the temple. Other priests share this opinion. They also claim that menstruation is a natural process that is caused by nature. They do not consider a woman “dirty” and “unclean” during this period. The strict ban on visiting the temple remains in the distant past, during the times of the Old Testament.

What Came Before – Old Testament

Previously, there was a serious ban on visiting church while menstruating. This is because the Old Testament views menstruation in girls as a sign of “uncleanness.” IN Orthodox faith These prohibitions were not written down anywhere, but there was also no refutation of them. This is why many still doubt whether it is possible to come to church while menstruating.

The Old Testament views menstruation as a violation of human nature. Relying on it, come to church on time menstrual bleeding unacceptable. Being in the temple with any bleeding wounds was also considered strictly prohibited.

How they think now - New Testament

IN currently There is no strict prohibition on visiting the temple on critical days. The shedding of human blood is prohibited in churches, but menstruation no longer applies to this. An example can be given: if a person is injured while in the temple, then it is necessary to immediately leave, as this is considered desecration of shrines. Women are allowed to be in the temple, but be sure to remember to use reliable personal hygiene products. With their use, it can be assumed that bleeding does not occur.

Temples are considered a holy place, so some behavior of girls during the regul is unacceptable. On this issue, the clergy do not agree on a single opinion. Some of them believe that during this period all rituals are prohibited for women, as well as touching icons and all church paraphernalia. Others argue that the restrictions are minimal. Almost all priests this moment ceremonies such as Baptism and Wedding are prohibited. It is recommended to wait until the end of menstruation and only then go to church. They do not prohibit praying or lighting candles. Some allow Communion during menstrual periods, especially when a woman especially needs it. For example, if there is a serious illness.

Many clergy adhere to modern views and believe that menstruation is natural biological process, which should not interfere with a girl if she wants to visit church.

If in the times of the Old Testament it was strictly forbidden to come to church, perform rituals, pray, and also touch icons, now these rules have changed enormously. It has become more often mentioned that the girl is not to blame for such a process as the menstrual cycle, because it is explained by physiology. This allows her not to feel guilty. The modern church does not blame a woman for the fact that the pregnancy did not take place. Most clergy do not consider girls “unclean” on critical days, which means that their appearance in the temple does not desecrate the shrines in any way.

The opinion of the priests

As mentioned above, the opinion of priests on the question of whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation has not come to a single denominator. The Bible does not give a precise answer and does not prohibit visiting holy places during menstruation. Therefore, every woman is recommended to ask this question to a priest. But it is worth considering that the answers may vary. If in one temple a girl is prohibited from coming, then in another, perhaps, there will be absolutely no restrictions. A woman will be allowed to pray, light candles, receive communion, and also touch icons.

Most clergy do not allow girls to touch shrines during menstrual periods. In this case, you should not refuse to visit the temple, because a woman is allowed to pray.

Many girls are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to come to the temple during menstruation, if they currently have serious illness. In this case, almost every priest will allow you to visit the church without any restrictions. If a woman wants to take communion and confess, then she should not be stopped by the presence of regulations. In this case, most clergy are understanding. Although the opinion of priests on the issue of visiting church during menstruation is ambiguous, most of them agree on one thing - during illness, any person has the right to prayer, confession and any ritual. If there is an illness, then the woman is not limited, she can touch the icons.

What to do anyway

Everyone must decide for themselves whether it is possible to go to church while on their period. The Bible does not reflect a categorical prohibition; it does not discuss this issue in detail. Therefore, a woman has the right to do as she sees fit.

Before going to a holy place, it is better to decide when is the best time to go to church. Many will not be able to visit the temple in the first days after the start of menstruation, but this has nothing to do with any prohibition. This is due to the fact that for most women the onset of menstruation is accompanied by strong painful sensations, general malaise, nausea and weakness. Many people will find it difficult to be in such a state in the temple. A woman may become ill; it is recommended to avoid such situations. It is better to postpone going to church until the end of the critical days or until the moment when the condition returns to normal.

Critical days, menstruation, or, as they call it in Orthodox circles, days of impurity, are an obstacle for women who want to participate in church life. But every representative of the fair sex childbearing age There is a glimmer of hope that there is still a chance to participate in Orthodox rites if such days fall inappropriately. Let's look at what is permissible and what is strictly prohibited. The text contains answers from priests to women when asked whether they can go to church while on their period.

What is given by nature

Often women talk about injustice due to the ban on visiting the temple and participating in the sacraments, because menstruation is something given by nature. But you should still adhere to the established rules. Why? First, it is better to start with the Fall of Man in the Old Testament. Let's remember what God said to Adam and Eve when they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit. And the Lord said something like this: “From now on you will live on earth in illness, labor, and give birth in pain.” Eve was the first to disobey the Lord and was tempted by the words of the serpent, so from then on the woman is the one who must be in obedience to her husband, the man. In addition, she is also given periods of cleansing in the form of menstruation.

Secondly, in Orthodox church There should be no blood other than the blood of Christ, which is given 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 on days of uncleanness, but also about those, for example, who suddenly started bleeding from the nose.

As seen, we're talking about both about human blood in the temple in general, and about the purification of women. That is why modern priests often explain in their own way whether it is possible to go to church while menstruating.

Another nuance follows from this: in past centuries there were no hygiene products, women with critical days could through negligence desecrate the holy floor of the temple. That is why they refrained from visiting him during such periods. Therefore tradition complete absence women at the holy place still exists.

If reliable hygienic protection is ensured

Thanks to modern technologies in the production of hygiene products, every woman can have peace of mind. 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 cannot touch shrines, and participating in any Sacraments is also prohibited. You should also not touch the priest’s hand, take his blessing, or kiss the cross at the end of the service.

But if a representative of the fairer sex is forgetful and may inadvertently touch a shrine, then it is better to refrain from visiting the temple altogether, even on a major holiday. That is why, answering the question: “Is it possible to go to church while on your period?”, let’s be honest: “It is undesirable.”

What is possible and what is not allowed in the temple?

Let's now take a closer look at what women are not forbidden to do in church:

pray, participate in chants;
buy and put candles;
be in the vestibule of the temple.

As you can see, it is only allowed to be in the church spiritually. But you can’t do anything physically.

There are many more prohibitions. Here's a list of what not to do:

participate in any sacraments (confession, communion, baptism of one’s own or of a godson/goddaughter, wedding, consecration of oil);
touch icons, crosses, relics;
drink holy water;
accept consecrated objects (oil, icons, 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 while on your period? Yes, but you need to be careful.

When should you not go to church?

But it also happens that it is completely undesirable to go to church. Let’s say there is only one exit in a small church, but at the end of the service the priest stands in the vestibule right at the exit. It will either not be possible to leave without kissing the cross, or there is a risk of touching the shrine. In this case, the priests answer something like this: “Stay at home, you can skip a Sunday or a holiday for such a long time.” good reason. But the prayerful 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 while on your period if there are no obstacles? Of course you can. It is only advisable to be in the vestibule (at the entrance to the temple) so as not to accidentally forget about the unclean days and not venerate the icons.

What to do if you touch a shrine?

Sometimes, out of ignorance or carelessness, a woman touches the shrine. What to do? You should definitely tell the priest in confession that you venerated the icon/cross or drank holy water during your period. Is it possible to go to church during menstruation, even if it has almost stopped? The short answer is: “Undesirable.”

If menstruation is a disease

There is a Gospel story that talks about 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 sin no more.”

Is it possible to go to church with periods that last longer? normal period and are considered a disease? In this case - yes.

When else is a woman prohibited from entering a temple?

Even in the early Christian period, it was established that a woman should not visit the temple at all for 40 days after giving birth. The child can be brought by the father or relative, close friends. But the mother needs to refrain.

We figured out whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation. In conclusion, it should be noted that kissing shrines on the street, plunging into a holy spring and participating in a water prayer service is also prohibited.

Such temporary prohibitions are not a reason for despair for women believers, but they are a good reason to strengthen their faith and be more serious in prayer.

Everyone knows what menstruation is and how this process occurs. You can often hear that you should not visit holy places during this period. The question arises, what is the opinion of believers on this matter, and what does the Bible say? It is possible to find out whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation from the interpretations of the covenant and the worshipers.

The Catholic Church has already resolved this issue a long time ago, but Orthodox Christians have not come to a common opinion. As such, there is no prohibition on visiting the shrine during critical days. It never existed, but it was always known that human blood should not be shed in the temple, and menstrual flow consists of it. It turns out that a woman, coming to church, defiles it. After this, the temple must be re-illuminated.

Priests, as well as parishioners, cannot stand the sight of blood and are afraid of it leaking within the walls of the temple. Even if a person hurts his finger, he must leave the sacred place.

In fact, it comes out, but thanks to modern hygiene products, various tampons or pads, this is no longer a problem. If a woman has taken all measures to prevent the desecration of a holy place with her blood, she can come to the temple during her period.

Interpretation of the Old Testament

From the earliest biblical times, it was attested that it was not appropriate for a woman to participate in rituals on unclean days. Leviticus said that not only is a menstruating woman unclean, but so is everyone who touches her. Thus, all negative energy. The Holiness Law, one of the chapters of the Old Testament, also prohibits any sexual relations and their manifestations.

IN ancient world Not only Jews remained of the opinion that during menstruation a woman is unclean, and when asked whether it is possible to go to church while menstruating, they answered unequivocally. Pagan cultures repeatedly mentioned in their writings the importance of ritual purity. She not only desecrated the culture, but also prevented believers, as well as pagan priestesses, from performing rituals and visiting shrines.

The Jews adhered to the same canons; this was repeatedly mentioned in the teachings of the Tosefta and Talmud. The prohibitions were so categorical that they could not be compared even with Biblical teachings. Female bleeding for them it was not just a desecration of everything holy, but also a terrible danger for the servants of God. This is how they explained why you can’t go to church while on your period.

People believed that a woman's going to church while on her period could end dire consequences and punishments. These are heavy incurable diseases, as well as death.

There is no definite answer, but during menstruation women were forbidden to touch or look at the faces of saints or touch their relics.

In the modern Bible there are no longer strict prohibitions, and studying the chapters holy book, one can find evidence that menstruation and the discharge that accompanies it are a natural process that should not become an obstacle to beliefs and rituals.

Jesus Christ in the New Testament took the concept of ritual purity to a new spiritual level. He completely separated the physiological side of menstruation, and all bodily manifestations became insignificant in comparison with the spiritual purity of man.

The disciples repeatedly repeated in the chapters of the Testament that only evil intentions coming from the heart can desecrate the faith. The emphasis in the New Testament becomes on the spiritual condition of man, and not on physical processes that happen to a woman. Menstruation, after all, is simply a manifestation of a woman’s health and her ability to give birth to a new soul.

Birth is a sacred sacrament, and not a forbidden ritual, which may be unholy, and does not become a basis for a ban on visiting temples or participating in religious services.

We can recall the facts of the Gospel, where the Savior, without thinking about possible condemnation, touches and heals a menstruating woman and praises her for her faith. Previously, such behavior was condemned, and in Judaism, in general, it was equated with disrespect for a saint. These records became the reason for changing the interpretation of the possibility of visiting the temple during menstruation.

Because of completely natural processes bestowed by nature, a woman cannot be excommunicated from the church, even temporarily, and her beliefs cannot be hindered. You cannot condemn a person for something that he cannot change, because menstrual month- a natural phenomenon. Any beliefs are acceptable for a menstruating woman, she can participate in all religious services, and also:

perform communion;
comes to church;
prays at the face of the saints.

You cannot forbid a woman to show faith and expel her from God’s temple just because she is worried monthly cycle and natural physiological processes.

Modern opinion of clergy

Based on the point of view of strict Orthodoxy, a woman cannot be prohibited from visiting a temple. During your period, going to church is not only possible, but also necessary. Church studies and contemporary opinion at theological conferences have come to the general agreement that the prohibition of visiting holy places during menstruation is morally bankrupt and quite outdated views.

Now they condemn people who are categorically inclined and adhere to the old principles. In some cases, they are considered unworthy of the Christian faith and are even equated with adherents of superstitions and myths.

Servants modern church, on the contrary, welcomes women visiting the shrine regardless of the days menstrual cycle. Priests preach to pray regardless physical condition, and not just going to church while on your period.

Just recently, literally, less than a century ago, women were oppressed in every possible way, they were not allowed to bake sacred prosphora, clean churches or touch shrines. Now such prohibitions have been lifted and during menstruation a woman, as on other days, comes to church and works, despite the day of her menstrual cycle and the presence of discharge on the days of her cleansing.

In many ways, this attitude is not due to the instructions of the Bible, but to the lack of hygiene products that were previously common today, which did not make it possible to visit the temple. In the absence of sanitary pads and even underwear, there was a danger of soiling the floor in the church, which has always been and is unacceptable. Now it is allowed to visit holy places; no one can prohibit this.

A veto on visiting a temple during menstruation is only relevant during great religious events. These include:

child baptism;
wedding of newlyweds;
services on Christmas Eve and Easter.

On any other days, the prohibitions have no force, although there are still ministers who adhere to the old principles and answer the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation with a categorical refusal.

Each generation has its own opinion about different things and events. For example, in ancient times menstruation and the church were considered incompatible concepts.

With the advent of critical days, women were protected from the outside world, since they were unclean in the opinion of the clergy. Today the situation has changed, and modern people are engaged in a variety of activities.

But the question remains controversial whether or not it is possible to visit the temple when you are menstruating. Let's look at this topic from different angles.

Information from the Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Bible, compiled before the birth of Christianity. Over time, it became the source for opposing religions that are familiar modern people. These are Judaism and Christianity. Holy Scripture denied access to the temple to unclean citizens.

Lepers.
Women with menstruation and abnormal bleeding.
Men with a sore prostate.
People who touched corpses or had signs of purulent-inflammatory diseases.

Also, it was not customary to go to church after sinful deeds, and many conditions fell under this definition. Women in labor who gave birth to boys could visit the temple no earlier than the fortieth day. For mothers of newborn girls, this period increased to 80 days.

When asked why a woman cannot go to church while on her period, the answer is related to hygiene. Ancient women did not have pads or tampons and did not wear panties. It turns out that at any moment blood could spill on the floor. Bleeding is unacceptable in the church. The cleaners of sacred premises also did not want to wash away the blood of others, since contact with this liquid was equated with a sinful act. There were no disposable gloves then.

Thanks to progress, women now have comfortable underwear, pads, tampons and menstrual cups. Now the cleaners don’t have to disinfect the floors after such visitors, and no one except the ladies themselves comes into contact with sewage. Thus, the church and women's periods are compatible in the modern world.

During the Old Testament period, many phenomena were viewed from a physical point of view. A dirty human body was considered unclean. Women were forbidden to go to church while menstruating and public places. She had to be alone for several days.

Menstruation and the church: what prohibitions exist today

With the advent of Jesus Christ and the New Testament, changes occurred in church canons. The son of the Virgin Mary focused the attention of the people on the spiritual, and relegated the physical to the background. If a person was clean outwardly, but his soul remained black, Jesus did everything to ensure that he got rid of sin.

Temples continued to exist, but holiness was already transferred from earth to human souls. Christ made men and women equal and commanded their souls to become temples of God.

Considering the topic of whether it is possible to go to church while menstruating, here is one interesting fact, who changed the minds of the Old Believers. One day a sick woman heavy bleeding made her way through the crowd and touched Jesus' clothes with her hand. He felt an outflow of energy, but did not get angry and said: “Your faith saved you, woman!” And from that day on, the consciousness of the population began to change.

Old Testamentists continued to insist that menstruating women should not go to church. The followers of Jesus abandoned this rule and began to live according to the New Testament. Thus, female blood shed in public gave rise to a new life.

In the Catholic Church, menstruation has long been not perceived as a bad thing. Today the natural process can be hidden from prying eyes thanks to high-quality hygiene products. If the need arises to visit the temple, a woman can do this any day.

However, priests prohibit being in church while menstruating while performing three rituals:

Confession.
Baptism.
Wedding.

The taboo has a physical explanation. During baptism, a girl cannot be immersed in water for hygienic reasons, because the liquid will become dirty and pathogenic microbes will penetrate into the genital tract. The wedding process takes a long time and cannot be interrupted. If the bleeding is heavy, the bride will not have the opportunity to change the pad or tampon. The ritual can be ruined by the newlywed's fainting, since some girls' periods are accompanied by weakness, nausea and dizziness.

The sacrament of confession affects the psycho-emotional part of women's nature. During menstruation, a girl is vulnerable and vulnerable. During the conversation, she may say too much to the priest and regret it later. As one priest said, “a woman is insane when she menstruates.”

Why women with menstruation were considered “unclean” in the old days, explains the Monk Nicodemus the Svyatogorets. God gave this definition to the fair sex so that men would avoid intercourse during menstrual periods.

What the priests say

Ask different priests if you can go to church while on your period, and you will hear conflicting answers. In some churches women come to services on critical days, in others they do not. Rereading Holy Bible, we find that the spirituality of a person is important to God, the body and its processes are secondary. If a girl keeps the commandments of the Almighty, she will not sin by coming to church with her period.

You can also visit the temple during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Some mothers want to baptize their children immediately after discharge from the maternity hospital or invite priests directly to the maternity hospital. If the baby is very weak, baptism will help him get stronger. The priest touches the mother in labor without fear and does not consider himself defiled due to contact with the “unclean” one.

Before visiting church during menstruation, it is advisable for devout women to find out in advance what views the local priest adheres to and comply with the established rules. True believers during their critical days and the first months after childbirth can participate in religious rituals if allowed by the priest. But they should not touch sacred objects.

If a woman visits a temple only because it is customary on certain holidays, she should not think about her period. The place of worship is open to everyone, but the task of parishioners is to strive for unity with God, and not just stand in the crowd with candles.

Grigory Dvoeslov spoke about menstruation like this: if menstruation came to church, this is not a reason to feel sinful. The natural process is designed to cleanse the body. Woman was created by God, and she cannot influence His will. If menstruation began on a certain day, becoming an obstacle to completing planned tasks, then this is the will of God.

Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko allows a woman with menstruation to participate in the rite of Communion. But if she respects the Holy Scriptures and refuses the ritual, by her act she deserves the reward of the Almighty.

P.S. Whether it’s worth going to church while on your period, decide for yourself. If your soul reaches out to God or you want to light a candle for the health of loved ones or the deceased, why not do this on critical days. A person with pure thoughts is pleasing to God. Bodily secretions should not interfere with the unity of a mere mortal with the Higher Powers.