Is it possible to go to communion a child with menstruation. Is it possible to go to church during menstruation: rules of conduct in the cathedral

Can a woman come to church to pray, kiss icons, and take communion when she is “unclean” (during menstruation)?

As far back as the 3rd century, a similar question was asked to St. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria (†265), and he replied that he did not think that women in such a state, “if they were faithful and pious, dared either to start the Holy meal, or touch body and blood of Christ”, for, accepting the Holy, you need to be pure in soul and body. At the same time, he gives the example of a bleeding woman who did not dare to touch the body of Christ, but only the hem of His garment (Mt 9, 20-22). In a further clarification, St. Dionysius says that it is always permissible to pray, in whatever state it may be (1). A hundred years later, to the question: can a woman who “has happened to the usual wives” take communion, Timothy, also Bishop of Alexandria († 385), answers and says that she cannot, until this period passes and she is cleansed (2). St. John the Faster (VI century) also adhered to the same point of view, defining penance in case a woman in such a state nevertheless “received the Holy Mysteries” (3).

All these three answers show, in essence, the same thing, i.e., that women in this state cannot receive communion. The words of St. Dionysius that they could not then “approach the Holy Meal” actually mean to take communion, because they approached the Holy Meal only for this purpose.

Rev. thinks the same way. Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer, saying: “Only it is not allowed to approach the shrine above the shrines, that is, to partake of the shrine to someone who is not pure in soul and body, which are the essence of women in monthly cleansing” (4). So, in other words, in the old days, for communion, all the faithful entered the altar before the Holy Meal, even women, as Balsamon says: “It seems that in the old days women entered the altar and took communion from the Holy Meal” (5). Matthew Vlastar says the same in his Syntagma: “But such a (woman) is now not only from the altar, into which she was allowed to enter in the old days, but also from the temple, and the place in front of the temple is expelled” (6).

In the Old Testament among the Jews, a woman who had a flow of blood (7) flowing from her body was separated from the rest, because any touch to her at that time meant for them cult, prayerful impurity (Lev 15, 19). It was the same for 40 days after the birth of a male child and eighty days after the birth of a female child (Lev 12:2-5). And other ancient peoples had a similar attitude towards a woman in this state (8).

The New Testament treats this subject differently. No bodily impurity makes us morally and prayerfully impure. Created by God, says St. Athanasius the Great, we “have nothing impure in ourselves. For then only we are defiled when we commit a sin, the worst of all stench. And when any natural eruption occurs, then we are subjected to this with others, ... out of natural necessity ”(9).

It is clear that, especially among faithful Jews, it was impossible to easily and quickly overcome the Old Testament view of the cult impurity of a woman, especially since false teachings of various heretics appeared who had an incorrect view of a woman and, in connection with her, marriage, birth, etc. e. So, the ancient Christian monument, the Apostolic Canons, sharply polemicizes with one such view, according to which the Holy Spirit is removed from a woman during menstruation, and an unclean spirit comes, and therefore she should then neither pray nor touch Holy Scripture, neither read it, nor listen to it being read, etc. Having cited this erroneous teaching, the monument gives the following instruction to women: “Therefore turn away from idle speeches, O woman, and always remember God who created you, and pray to Him, for He is the Lord yours and everyone. And learn His laws, regardless of physical cleansing, ... or childbirth, or miscarriage (10), or bodily uncleanness, for such prudence is the invention of stupid people who do not have a mind. For neither the burial of a man, nor dead bones, nor a coffin, nor any kind of food, nor a nocturnal outflow, can defile a human soul, but only impiety and lawlessness in relation to God and unrighteousness in relation to a neighbor, i.e., theft, we say or violence, or something contrary to justice in relation to him, adultery and fornication ”(11). Confronted with this most erroneous teaching, Saint Dionysius, in order to protect the faithful from it, instructs in the above rule that women, in whatever condition, may pray.

In any case, on the basis of the above Old Testament view of the cult impurity of menstruating women, as well as the answer of three bishops, it later came to such a point of view that they should not come to church for common prayer in this state, and also for forty days after childbirth and miscarriage (12). It is likely that this attitude was also influenced by the possibility of an accidental outflow of blood to desecrate the temple, which would have to be consecrated (13). And perhaps because of the smell that the matter of purification emits during decomposition. To the question: Why not only in the Old Law, but also according to the words of the Fathers, the monthly cleansing of a woman is considered unclean? - Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer cites three reasons: 1) because of popular perception, because all people consider unclean that which is expelled from the body through certain organs as unnecessary or superfluous, such as from the ear, nose, phlegm when coughing, etc. ; 2) it is called unclean, for God teaches about the spiritual through the corporeal, i.e. moral. If the bodily is unclean, which is outside the will of man, then how unclean are the sins that we commit of our own free will; 3) God calls the monthly cleansing of women unclean (and this is truly the only and main reason) in order to forbid men to have intercourse with them when they have a monthly cleansing, as Theodoret says, both because of the dignity of men and the veneration of women, as Isidore says ( Pelusiot), and for the sake of honoring the Law and nature, according to Philo, and mainly and mainly because of the concern for offspring, children ”(14).

We have seen that, according to Vlastar, women in the old days entered the altar for communion in this state. This is mediated, i.e. that they (or at least some of them) came to church and proceeded to Holy Communion is also proved by the questions put to Saints Dionysius and Timothy. But even after that, when a ruling came out that they could not then take communion, they came to church to pray, as the canonist Balsamon (twelfth century) makes clear, saying that, especially in women's monasteries, women with a monthly discharge they came to church and, since they could not take communion, stood on the porch and prayed to God (15). He was against their presence and standing on the porch, and said that they should not approach the temple at all (16). Matthew Blastar adhered to the same point of view, as we have already shown. A similar attitude is expressed by the 64th rule of the Nomocanon in the Great Ribbon. Of the liturgists, S. Bulgakov says that according to church rules (without naming which ones), a woman during the period of monthly or postnatal cleansing should not enter the temple and take communion (17). His point of view is literally repeated by Prot. V. Nikolaevich and prof. Dr. L. Mirkovich, referring to the 2nd canon of St. Dionysius and the 7th canon of Timothy of Alexandria (18).

We believe that these private opinions of Balsamon and the cited authors, or the opinions of their contemporaries on this subject, are not confirmed by any higher authority - the Ecumenical or Local Council - and cannot be considered as the position of the entire Orthodox Church. Moreover, we know that the Church allowed, from ancient times, to stand at the porch even unbaptized (catechumens), as well as some degrees of penitents, i.e. those Christians who, after baptism during persecution, fell and renounced Christ, or committed murder, adultery, or other grave sins, “so that, as St. Simeon of Thessalonica says, they participate in the divine by listening and looking, confessing faith and sang pious words. (19)

It cannot be that the Church acted more severely towards women in the athendron than towards moral criminals, and would not allow them to “participate in the divine” by listening and looking, in the confession of faith and sing pious words. This would also confirm the point of view of Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer, who, referring even to Balsamon, says that women can pray even at this time, “whether alone in their home, whether on the porch of the temple, praying to God and asking for help and salvation from Him.” (20)

Therefore, I believe that from the cited canon of St. Dionysius, one can only conclude with certainty that a woman cannot receive communion during menstruation. The added indication that women may pray at all times, in both states, I believe means, first of all, that he says that they should not be forbidden to come to church to pray. Moreover, he gives the example of a bleeding wife from the Gospel who came to the Lord and touched the edge of His garment, and not His body, which for St. Dionysius serves as proof that during the menstrual period one should not take communion. This could be concluded even more definitely from the indication of the mentioned ancient Christian monument, the Apostolic Decrees, which also gives an example of a bleeding wife and emphasizes that the Savior was not offended by this act of hers, and did not even accuse her, but on the contrary, healed, saying: Faith yours save you." (21) This act of the Savior clearly tells us that "God does not disdain the bodily cleansing which He gave to women once every thirty days, according to the bodily composition, and they become weak bodily, and usually sit in the house." In conclusion, the monument refers to men, prescribing: “And to women, during bodily cleansing, let not men enter, taking care of their offspring. For the Law prescribes: do not enter a woman when she is in an aphedron, and do not mix with pregnant women. For this is done not for the sake of the birth of a child, but for enjoyment. But it is not fitting that a lover of God should be a lover of pleasure.” (22)

Undoubtedly, the gospel event and the attitude of the Lord towards the bleeding woman served as a guide to the position on this issue for St. Dionysius and the Apostolic Decrees, and we should be guided by the same. Since the bleeding woman, according to the Mosaic Law, was also unclean, and did not dare to touch anyone (Lev 15.25), in the Savior's act towards her, it is of particular importance for us: 1) that the woman touched not the body of Christ, but the edge of His clothes ; 2) she did it not somewhere alone, but in a crowd of people gathered around Him; 3) although she was unclean according to the Law, the Lord, because of her deed, did not drive her away either from Himself or from society, but praised her faith and healed her.

The same approach can be seen in the interpretation of this event by individual holy Fathers and church writers. According to Origen, the Lord healed the bleeding woman “in order to show that none of those who have an illness without their own fault is unclean before God, calling on her to translate the Law of the Archetype into spiritual contemplation. He calls her daughter, for she has become (her) faith. That is why she was healed, because she heard: Your faith has saved you (23). According to St. John Chrysostom, the bleeding woman did not approach Christ with boldness, “because she was ashamed of her illness and considered herself unclean. If a woman during the monthly cleansing was considered unclean, then all the more could she consider herself as such, suffering from such a disease. This disease, according to the Law, was considered very unclean” (24). In further exposition, to the question: Why does Christ reveal her healing to many? – St. John gives the following reasons: “Firstly, He frees her from fear, so that she, gnawed by her conscience, like a thief of a gift, would not spend her life in torment. Secondly, he corrects her, because she thought to hide. Thirdly, she reveals her faith to everyone, so that others can compete with her. And to show that He knows everything is as great a miracle as to stop the flow of blood” (25). Consequently, He does not convict her as unclean, but reassures her and sets her faith as an example, which Zigaben also emphasizes, saying: “Do not be afraid of either Me or the Law, for you touched faith for the sake of it, and not out of contempt (of the Law)” (26 ).

In the spirit of the above evangelical and canonical approach, I believe, therefore, that the monthly cleansing of a woman does not make her ritually, prayerfully unclean. This impurity is only physical, bodily, as well as excretions from other organs. Outside of this process, a woman, like the rest, should do her best to come physically clean to common prayer, especially to Communion (27). But even more, she should work on the purity of the soul, on the adornment of the hidden heart of man, in the incorruptibility of a meek and silent spirit, which is of great value before God (1 Peter 3:4).

In addition, since modern hygiene products can effectively prevent the accidental bleeding from making the temple unclean, as well as neutralize the smell resulting from the bleeding, we believe that from this side there is no doubt that a woman during a monthly cleansing, with the necessary care and taking hygienic measures, he can come to church, kiss icons, take antidoron and blessed water, as well as participate in singing. She would not be able to take communion in this state, or, unbaptized, be baptized. But in a fatal illness, he can take communion and be baptized. After the birth, with regard to the necessary prayers for entering the church and the churching of the baby, it is necessary to continue to adhere to the prescriptions of the Ribbon.

Patriarch Pavel of Serbia

Notes:

1. Right. 2. Rules of the Orthodox Church with the interpretations of Nikodim, Bishop of Dalmatia-Istria. T. II. Translation from Serbian. St. Petersburg. Edition of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, 1912;

2. Right. 7. Ep. Nicodemus, op. cit., p. 483;

3. Right. 28. Ep. Nicodemus, op. cit., p. 561.

Skaballanovich points out that the ancient Christian monument Testamentum Domini nostri Jesu Christi says that church widows were not allowed to “go to the altar” during the period of purification (Explanatory Typikon. Kiev, 1910, vol. I, p. 94).

5. Athenian syntagma vol. IV, 9.

6. Ibid., 8. Vol. IV;, p. 106. Cf. Glossnik of the SOC 1979, p. 46.

7. - In the Russian translation of the mentioned work, ep. Nicodemus explains (v. 2, p. 327) that the word does not mean only monthly cleansing, however, according to Zonara’s interpretation of this rule, “this word is borrowed from Jewish life, namely: Jewish women, when they have a monthly cleansing, live separately, they do not communicate with anyone for seven days, whence the word came from, showing that women in this state live apart from “sitting” with others, as unclean.

8. Wed. Chajkanovich. Mit and religion at Srba. Beograd, 1973, p.67.

9. Epistle of St. Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, to the monk Ammun. Ep. Nicodemus, op. cit., p. 354.

10. Of course, we are talking about involuntary termination of pregnancy.

11. Book. VI, ch. XXXVII, ed.

12. What was also included in the liturgical books and caused a special prayer: Prayers for a wife in childbirth, forty days each. But here, too, we are talking about her purity for communion: Thy servant ... cleanse from all sin, and from all filth, ... let her be uncondemned to partake of Your Holy Mysteries (first prayer). Wash her the filth of the body, and the filth of the soul, ... do it worthy and communion of the honest Body and Your Blood (second prayer).

13. Wed. The rite of rejection and cleansing of the church, where ... human blood ... will be sprinkled; L. Mirkovich. Liturgy. Beograd 1967, II, 2, p. 227; Teaching notice...

14. p. 548.

15. Balsamon, op. op.

16. Decree. op. vol. IV, 8.

17. S. V. Bulgakov. Table book of the clergyman. Kharkov, 1913, p. 1144.

18. Practice being a Sveshtenik. Zemun 1910, II, p. 26; L. Mirkovich. Liturgy. Beograd 1967, II, 2, p. 72.

19. P. gr., t. 155, col. 357.

20. p. 549.

21. Decree. op. page 115.

22. Ibid.

23. Extracts in ed.

24. Works of our holy father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, in Russian translation. T. VII, book. I, p. 340.

25. Ibid., p. 341.

26. P. Trembelas. 1952, p. 267.

27. This necessity of purity of body and soul at the Divine Liturgy reminds us of the washing of the hands of the priest before the beginning of the proskomedia, and of the bishop after the vestment, and especially during the Cherubic Hymn, in the royal gates. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says that this is done “not for the sake of bodily filth, ... not for sowing a reason. For we do not enter the church with fleshly filth. But ablution signifies that you must cleanse yourselves from all sins and iniquities.” (The Fifth Mystery Teaching. Even in the saints of our father Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem, catechumens and mystical teachings. Translation from Greek. Moscow, 1900.)

The opinion passes from one generation to another that it is impossible for women to go to church during critical days. Someone blindly believes in it, adheres to the rules. For some, this causes indignation, bewilderment. And another third of women simply go to church at the request of the soul, and do not pay attention to anything. So is it possible or not? Where do prohibitions come from, what is it connected with?

The step by step creation of the universe can be studied in the Bible in the Old Testament. God created man in his likeness on the 6th day - Adam the man and Eve the woman. This means that a woman was created clean from the beginning, without menstruation. The conception of a child and childbirth were supposed to take place without pain. There was nothing bad in a perfect world. Absolutely everything was clean: body, thoughts, thoughts, actions. However, this perfection did not last long.

The devil, in the form of a snake, tempted Eve to eat an apple. After which she was to become powerful, like God. The woman tasted the apple herself and gave it to her husband to taste. In the end, both sinned. And it fell on the shoulders of all mankind. Adam and Eve were expelled from the holy land. God was angry and predicted the woman to suffer. “From now on, you will conceive in pain, give birth in pain!” - he said. From that moment on, a woman is theoretically considered unclean.

Prohibited in the Old Testament

The life history of people of that time was based on rules, laws. Everything was written in the Old Testament. The Holy Temple was created to communicate with God, to offer sacrifices. A woman, in fact, was considered an addition to a man, and was not at all considered a full member of society. Eve's sin was well remembered, after which she began to menstruate. As an eternal reminder of what the woman has created.

In the Old Testament, it was clearly stated who should not visit the Holy Temple, and in what condition:

• with leprosy;
• ejaculation;
• touching a corpse;
• with purulent discharge;
• during menstruation;
• after childbirth - for women who gave birth to a boy 40 days, a girl - 80 days.

In the Old Testament period, everything was viewed from a physical point of view. If the body is dirty, then the person is unclean. Moreover, a woman during critical days could not only visit the Holy Temple, but also public places. She stayed away from the meeting, the gathering of people. Blood must not be shed in a holy place. But then came the era of change. Jesus Christ came to earth with his New Testament.

The abolition of uncleanness by the New Testament

Jesus Christ tried to reach out to the human soul, all attention is focused on the spiritual. He is sent to atone for the sins of mankind, including Eve. Works without faith were considered dead. That is, a person who is pure externally was considered impure spiritually because of his black thoughts. The Holy Temple has ceased to be a specific place on earth. He moved into the human soul. “Your soul is the Temple of God and His Church!” he said. Men and women became equal.

The situation, which happened at one moment, aroused the indignation of all the clergy. A woman who had suffered from severe bleeding for many years pushed her way through the crowd, touched Jesus' garments. Christ felt the energy leave him, turned to her, and said: “Your faith has saved you, woman!” From that moment on, everything was mixed up in the minds of people. Those who remained faithful to the physical and the Old Testament adhere to the old opinion - a woman should not go to church during menstruation. And those who followed Jesus Christ, follow the spiritual and the New Testament, this rule was canceled. The death of Jesus Christ became the starting point, after which the New Testament came into force. And the spilled blood gave rise to a new life.

The opinion of the priests about the ban

The Catholic Church has long resolved the issue of critical days. The priests considered that menstruation is a natural phenomenon, they do not see anything bad in it. Blood has not been spilled on the floor of the church for a long time thanks to hygiene products. Orthodox clergy still cannot agree. Some argue that it is absolutely forbidden for women to visit the temple during menstruation. Others are neutral about this - you can visit if there is such a need, do not limit yourself to anything. Still others shared the opinion that a woman during critical days can enter the church, but some sacraments cannot be performed:

• baptism;
• confession.

Like it or not, prohibitions are more related to physical moments. It is impossible to dive into the water during critical days for hygienic reasons. Blood in the water is not a very pleasant picture. The wedding lasts a very long time, the weakened body of a woman during menstruation may not be able to withstand this. Moreover, the blood can run strongly. There are dizziness, fainting, weakness. Confession affects more the psycho-emotional state of a woman. During the period of menstruation, she is vulnerable, vulnerable, and not herself. He may say things that he will later regret. In other words, during menstruation, a woman is insane.

So you can go to church or not with your period

In the modern world, both the sinful and the righteous are mixed up. Nobody really knows how it all began. Priests are far from being the spiritual ministers that were in the times of the Old or New Testament. Everyone hears and perceives what they want. Rather, what is more convenient for him. And this is how it goes. The church, as a building, has remained since the times of the Old Testament. This means that those who visit the holy temple should adhere to the rules that are associated with it. You can't go to church during your period.

However, the modern world of democracy makes another amendment. Since the shedding of blood in the temple was considered a defilement, the problem has now been completely resolved. Hygiene products - tampons, pads do not allow blood to flow onto the floor. Practically the woman has ceased to be unclean. But there is another side of the coin here. During menstruation, the female body is cleansed. New replenishment of blood makes it possible to function with new forces. So the woman is still unclean. You can't go to church during your period.

But there is a New Testament here, when the physical does not play a role. That is, if there is a need to touch the shrines for healing, to feel the support of God, you can visit the temple. Moreover, at such moments it is necessary. After all, Jesus only helps those who really need something. And he asks for it with a pure soul. And the cook looks like his body at this moment does not play a role. That is, for those who appreciate the spiritual and the New Testament more, it is possible to go to church during menstruation.

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There are corrections again. Since the Church and the Holy Temple are the soul of man. He does not need to go to a specific room to ask for help. It is enough for a woman to turn to God in any place. A request coming from a pure heart will be heard faster than when visiting a church, by the way.

Summing up

No one will give an exact answer to the question of whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation. Everyone has their own opinion on this. The decision must be made by the woman herself. There is a ban and there isn't. And it is worth paying more attention to the purpose for which it is necessary to visit the church. After all, it is no secret that women go to the holy temple to get rid of something, to attract something. In other words, they make strong lapels, love spells, drying, drying, even wish death to other people. So, during menstruation, the energy of a woman weakens. Sensitivity may increase, prophetic dreams will begin to occur. But there is no strength in words until she gets stronger in spirit.

If the purpose of going to church is to ask for forgiveness, repent of sins, you can walk in any form, menstruation is not a hindrance. The main thing is not an impure body, but a pure soul after that. Critical days are the best time for reflection. Another interesting fact is that during menstruation, you don’t want to go anywhere at all, neither to church, nor to visit, nor to go shopping. Everything is purely individual, depends on the state of health, state of mind, needs. You can go to church during critical days, if you really need to!

Critical days are integral companions of a woman from the moment of puberty to the onset of menopause. Cyclic blood discharge indicates the health of both the reproductive system and the whole body of a woman. But can this manifestation of bodily well-being affect her spiritual life? How, from the point of view of religion, is the female cycle interpreted? Is it possible to read prayer during menstruation? Is it permissible to go to church when menstruating? Let's try to understand these issues, relying on the Holy Scriptures and the opinions of the Holy Fathers of the Church.

How does the church relate to menstruation according to the Old Testament

To answer the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation, it is necessary to understand the view of the Orthodox Church on this physiological phenomenon.

Sin of Eve and Adam

According to the Old Testament, menstruation is the punishment for the human race for the fall into which Eve pushed Adam. Having tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree on the advice of the Serpent Tempter, the first of the people, having seen their physicality, lost their angelic spirituality. The woman, revealing the weakness of the spirit, doomed the human race to eternal suffering.

In the third chapter of the Genesis of the Old Testament, after Adam and Eve saw their nakedness and confessed their deed to God, the Creator said to the Woman: “I will make your pregnancy painful, in pain you will give birth to children.”

Later, many biblical scholars of antiquity were inclined to believe that not only the hardships of pregnancy and the pain of childbirth became a punishment for the female half of the human race for the sin of disobedience, but also menstruation is a monthly reminder of the loss of the former angelic nature.

Answering the question: “Is it possible to go to the temple with menstruation?” from the point of view of the Old Testament theologians, one can say with confidence: “No!”. Moreover, any of the daughters of Eve, neglecting this prohibition, defiles the holy place and plunges her family into the abyss of sin.

Symbol of death

Many theologians are inclined to personify the monthly blood not with the sacrament of birth, but with a systematic reminder to the human race of its mortality. The body is a temporary vessel filled with the Holy Spirit. Only by constantly remembering the imminent demise of “matter”, you tirelessly improve the spiritual principle.

The ban on visiting the temple during menstruation is closely related to the processes that give rise to the appearance of bloody discharge. During menstruation, the body rejects the unfertilized egg. This process, quite physiological from the point of view of medicine, in religion borders on the death of a potential fetus, and hence the soul, in the womb of the mother. According to the religious dogmas of the Old Testament times, a dead body defiles the Church, reminding of the lost immortality.

Christianity does not forbid praying at home, but a woman, according to orthodox theologians, is forbidden to visit the House of God.

Hygiene

Another reason forbidding a woman to cross the threshold of the Holy House during menstruation is the concern for hygiene. Pads, tampons, and menstrual cups are relatively new. Means of "protection" against the outpouring of uterine secretions in the past were quite primitive. Speaking about the date of birth of this prohibition, one must remember that the church was then the place of the most massive gathering of people. Especially during festive, iconic services.

The appearance of a woman during menstruation in such a place endangered not only her health, but also the health of those around her. There were, and still are, many diseases transmitted through substances rejected by the body.

Summing up the first results of the search for an answer to the question: “Why you can’t go to church during menstruation,” we highlight several reasons for this ban from the perspective of the Old Testament theologians:

1. Hygienic.
2. Menstruation is a tangible reminder to posterity of the fall of Eve.
3. A rejected egg, from the point of view of religion, is equated to a fetus that died as a result of a miscarriage.
4. Equating spotting with a symbol of the mortality of all things.

Menstruation according to the New Testament

Christianity of the New Testament era looks more loyally at the possibility of a woman to participate in church life on critical days. Changes in views, and hence theological interpretations, are connected with a new concept of human essence. Having accepted suffering for human sins on the Cross, Jesus Christ freed mankind from the mortal shackles of the body. Only spirituality and purity, fortitude are paramount from now on. A woman who bleeds from month to month is what the Lord intended, which means that there is nothing unnatural in menstruation. After all, carnal things cannot interfere with a pure and sincere striving for communion with God.

In this case, it is appropriate to recall the apostle Paul. He argued that every creation of God is beautiful and there cannot be anything in it that could defile the Creator. The New Testament does not give an unequivocal answer to the question of whether it is possible to visit holy places during menstruation. This position was the cause of the birth of disagreements between the Holy Fathers. Some were sure that forbidding a girl to attend Church means going against the very teachings of Christianity. In support of their words, theologians who hold this opinion cite a biblical parable about Jesus and a woman who bleeds for a long time.

Touching the skirts of the Savior's clothes healed her, and the Son of Man not only did not push the sufferer away, but said to her: "Be bolder, daughter!" Many women ask if prayers can be read during menstruation at home. Wouldn't this be a deviation from the accepted canons. Christianity is loyal to this issue and does not consider critical days an obstacle to communication with God.

Is it possible to go to church on "unclean" days

There is no definite answer from the priest about whether it is possible to enter the church during menstruation. It is necessary to ask for blessings from the priest-rector of the church that the woman wants to visit.

Remember that spiritual matters are purely individual. In case of extreme need or spiritual confusion, the priest will not refuse to confess a woman. Bodily "impurity" will not become a hindrance. The doors of the Lord's House are always open to the afflicted. There is no strict canon on how to behave properly or incorrectly in matters of the Faith. For God, both a woman and a man are a beloved child who will always find refuge in his loving arms.

If there is a ban on visiting the cathedral, then the question naturally arises, and what to do if the event cannot be rescheduled. Follow the link for answers to these questions.

Norms of behavior in the church on the days of menstruation

The opinion has taken root that a woman during her menstruation can visit the Temple, but she should adhere to certain rules, the observance of which will avoid desecration of the holy place.

During menstruation, a woman cannot take part in any church sacraments.

Is it possible to confess

Many of the women who are looking for a priest's answer on the forums ask if it is possible to confess during menstruation. The answer is quite categorical: no! It is impossible to confess, to receive communion, to get married, or to take part in baptism these days. Exceptions are serious illnesses, due to which bleeding is prolonged.

If menstruation is the result of a diseased condition, it is necessary to ask for blessings from the priest, and only then take part in the Sacraments of the Church and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Is it possible to drink holy water during menstruation

There is no exact answer to this question in the Bible, but when studying the regulations of the church service, you can stumble upon a ban on this action. Regardless of whether it happens at home or in the temple, it is better to wait until the end of the critical days. In modern Christianity, one can find a ban on the use of prosphora and consecrated cahors on critical days.

Is it possible to apply to the icons during menstruation

Turning to the works of New Testament theologians, it becomes clear that kissing icons or an iconostasis is strictly prohibited. Such behavior desecrates a holy place.

During menstruation, you can go to the service, but it is better to take a place for the "catechumens" or next to the church shop.

The New Testament says that the Temple is where the name of Christ is remembered. Do the strict prohibitions also apply to prayer at home? The works of theologians say that it is not forbidden to turn to God in prayer form both at home and in the Church in any state of body and spirit.

Is it possible to take communion during menstruation

Those who seek the priest's answer to this question receive a categorical refusal. The democratic approach of the modern church and a number of indulgences for women during critical days do not concern the Holy Mysteries. It is worth abstaining from confession, communion and chrismation until the end of menstruation. The only exception is cases of severe illness. Bloody discharge caused by a long illness cannot become a hindrance even for Holy Unction with prior preparation for Communion.

Please note that before taking part in the Holy Mysteries, even in a state of illness, it is necessary to take a blessing from the Father.

Many stories on thematic forums telling that a woman was confessed and allowed to venerate shrines during menstruation are connected precisely with the illness of the one in question.

It is worth noting that girls who came to church on critical days are allowed to submit prayer notes for the health and repose of their loved ones.

Is it possible to visit the monastery with menstruation

Many girls are concerned not only with the question of the possibility of home prayer and visiting during the regulars of the House of God. Women attending religious forums are keenly interested in the question of whether it is possible to come to the monastery during menstruation. Sister Vassa answers this question in detail and vividly in her materials.

Summarizing the information contained in her materials, we come to the conclusion that no one will expel a woman from the monastery just because she arrived on “unclean” days.

Restrictions may be imposed on attendance at services, the keel way of life, or restrictions on obedience. The nuns continue to carry out their obedience in accordance with the charter of a particular monastery. You can learn about the restrictions imposed on a novice or sister during menstruation from the Mother Superior of the monastery where the fair sex arrived.

Is it possible to apply to the relics during menstruation

Many of the women visit the monastery in order to touch the remains of the Saint, who was laid to rest on the territory of a particular monastery. Connected with this desire is the desire to get the priest's answer to the question of whether it is possible to venerate the relics during menstruation. There is no single answer to this question. It is unlikely that there will be those for whom the action is of an idle nature.

Before the trip, regardless of whether it coincides with the regulations or not, it is necessary to ask the blessing of the Priest of the parish in which the woman leads the church life. In this conversation, it is advisable for the girl to state the motives and warn about the possibility of menstruation. Having weighed all the pros and cons, the priest will be able to give an unambiguous answer.

Is it possible to pray during menstruation at home

Orthodoxy

It is not forbidden to offer a prayer to the Lord during menstruation at home.

Islam

In Islam, it is widely believed that a woman on such days is in a state of ritual defilement. Such a view of menstruation entails a ban on the fair sex from performing prayers until the end of menstruation.

Khaid means natural monthly hemorrhaging, and istihadah means bleeding that goes beyond the cycle or postpartum discharge.

The opinions of Islamic theologians differ regarding the possibility of prayer, but, in most cases, it is recommended to refrain from praying and touching the Holy Quran in Arabic.

When can I go to church after giving birth?

Returning to the review of the opinions of the Fathers of the Church, it is worth noting those who, without insisting on a strict ban, put forward a number of rules governing the presence of the fair sex in the church on critical days and after the birth of a child. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that this religious belief has taken root and exists to this day.

One thing is indisputable: despite the many opinions of theologians and the variety of interpretations of Holy Scripture, in order to answer for yourself the question of whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation and when it is worth returning to church life after childbirth, you need to know the answer of the parish priest, to to which the woman "belongs".

From generation to generation, a strict ban on women visiting the temple on menstruation days has been passed down. Some people believe in this and strictly enforce the rule. Others are indignant and indignant at the ban, thinking why not. Still others, not paying attention to critical days, come to church at the behest of the soul. So is it allowed to go to church during menstruation? Who, when and why forbade women to visit her on these special days for the female body?

Creation of man and woman

You can get acquainted with the moments of the creation of the Universe by the Lord in the Bible in the Old Testament. God created the first people on the sixth day in his own image and likeness and called the man Adam and the woman Eve. It follows from this that initially the woman was clean, she did not have menstruation. The conception of a child and his birth should not have been painful. In their world, filled with perfection, there was nothing impure. In purity was the body, thoughts, actions and soul. But the perfection was short-lived.

The devil incarnated in the form of a serpent and began to tempt Eve so that she would eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He promised her power and knowledge. The woman tasted the fruit herself and treated her husband to it. This is how the fall into sin occurred on all mankind. Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise. God condemned the woman to suffering. He said that from now on she would conceive and give birth in pain. From that moment on, a woman is considered unclean.

Old Testament Prohibitions

Rules and laws were important to the people of that period of time. All of them were written in the Old Testament. Temples were created to communicate with God and to offer sacrifices to him. The woman was not a full member of society, but was the complement of a man. Everyone remembered the sin of Eve, after which her menstruation began. Menstruation was a reminder of what the woman had done.

The Old Testament gave a clear answer to the question of who could, and who and why was forbidden to visit the Holy Temple. Didn't visit:

• with leprosy;
• with ejaculation;
• those who touched the corpses;
• with purulent discharge;
• women during menstruation;
• women who gave birth to a boy - 40 days, who gave birth to a girl - 80 days.

In Old Testament times, everything was viewed from a physical point of view. A dirty body was considered a sign of an unclean person. A woman during critical days was forbidden to visit the Temple as well as places with a lot of people. She was far from the gatherings of the people. Blood was not to be shed in holy places. This continued until the coming of Jesus Christ and the bringing of the New Testament by him.

Uncleanness is abolished by the New Testament

Jesus Christ focused on the spiritual, tried to reach out to the human soul. He came to atone for all human things, including the sin of Eve. If a person did not have faith, all his deeds were considered unspiritual. The black thoughts of a person turned him into an unclean one, even with the purity of his body. The Holy Temple did not become a specific place on Earth, but was transferred to human souls. Christ said that the soul is the Temple of God and His Church. Men and women became equal in rights.

Once a situation occurred that outraged all the clergy. While Christ was in the Temple, a woman who had been bleeding for many years passed through the crowd to him and touched his clothes. Christ, who felt her, turned around and said that her faith had saved her. Since that time, a split has occurred in the consciousness of mankind. Some remained faithful to physical purity and the Old Testament. They were of the opinion that a woman should never go to church during her period. And those who obeyed the teachings of Jesus Christ and followed faith in the New Testament and spiritual purity ceased to adhere to this rule. After his death, the New Testament came into force. The spilled blood was a sign of the beginning of a new life.

Answers of priests to the question about the ban

So can you go to church during your period?

Catholic priests have long decided for themselves the issue of a woman visiting church on critical days. They consider menstruation a natural phenomenon and do not see anything wrong with them. Blood has long ceased to spill on the floors of the church, thanks to modern hygiene products.

But Orthodox priests cannot come to a consensus. Some say that a woman should not go to church during her period. Others say that you can come if the soul requires it. Still others allow women to come to church during menstruation, but put a ban on some sacred sacraments:

1. wedding;
2. confession.

For the most part, prohibitions are related to physical moments.. For hygienic reasons, during menstruation, you can not go into the water. It's not very pleasant to look at blood mixing with water. The wedding takes a long time and the weakened body of a woman during menstruation may not be able to withstand it. Fainting often occurs, the woman experiences weakness and dizziness. During the confession, the psycho-emotional state of the woman is affected. And during the period of menstruation, she is a little in an inadequate state. Therefore, if a woman decides to confess, she can say something that she will regret for a long time. That's why you can't confess during your period.

Is it possible to go to church during menstruation or not

Modernity has mixed the sinful with the righteous. Nobody knows the origins of this ban. Priests have ceased to be the spiritual ministers that they were considered in the times of the Old and New Testaments. Everyone perceives information in a way that is more convenient for him. The church is a building, the same as it was under the Old Testament. It follows that everyone must adhere to the rules established at that time. You can't go to church during your period.

But the modern democratic world has made its own amendment. If we take into account that it was considered sinful to shed blood in the temple, then at the present time this problem has been completely solved. Hygiene products, such as tampons and pads, absorb blood well and prevent it from leaking onto the floor of a sacred place. The woman is not impure. But there is also a downside here. During menstruation, the female body cleanses itself. And this means that the woman is still unclean, and she cannot attend church during critical days.

But the New Testament and its purity of soul comes to her aid. And this means that if the soul feels the need to touch the shrine, to feel Divine support, then you can come to the temple. Even necessary! After all Jesus helps those who sincerely believe in him. And cleanliness of the body does not play a big role in this. For those who adhere to the rules of the New Testament, going to church during menstruation is not forbidden.

But even here there are amendments. Since the Church and the Holy Temple are in the soul of a person, then it is not at all necessary for him to come to a certain room for help. A woman can pray to God anywhere. And if the prayer comes from a pure heart, then it will be heard much faster than when visiting a temple.

Outcome

No one can say for sure whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation. Everyone has their own opinion on this matter. The woman must answer this question herself, decide why she wants to go to church.

The ban is either there or not. You need to look at what intentions a woman wants to go to church with..

If the purpose of the visit is to ask for forgiveness, repentance for sins, then you can go at any time and during menstruation too. The purity of the soul is the main thing.

During critical days, it is best to reflect on your actions. Sometimes during menstruation, you don’t want to leave the house anywhere. And during menstruation, you can go to the temple, but only if the soul requires it!

Oh, how many times a day a priest serving in a church has to deal with this topic!.. The parishioners are afraid to enter the church, venerate the cross, they call in a panic: “What to do, I was getting ready, I was getting ready for the feast to take communion, and now…”

On many Internet forums, women's bewildered questions to clergymen have been published, on what theological basis, in crucial periods of their lives, they are excommunicated from communion, and often even simply from going to Church. There is a lot of controversy on this issue. Times change, attitudes change.

It seems, how can the natural processes of the body separate from God? And the educated girls and women themselves understand this, but there are church canons that prohibit visiting the temple on certain days ...

How to solve this issue? There is no definitive answer. The origin of the prohibitions on “impurity” after expiration lies in the Old Testament era, but in Orthodoxy no one introduced these prohibitions - they simply were not canceled. Moreover, they found their confirmation in the canons of the Orthodox Church, although no one gave a theological explanation and justification.

Menstruation is the cleansing of the uterus from dead tissue, the cleansing of the uterus for a new round of expectation, hope for a new life, for conception. Any shedding of blood is a ghost of death, for life is in the blood (in the Old Testament it is even more so - “the soul of a man is in his blood”). But menstrual blood is doubly death, for it is not only blood, but also dead tissues of the uterus. Freed from them, a woman is cleansed. This is the origin of the concept of impurity in women's periods. It is clear that this is not a personal sin of women, but a sin that lies on all of humanity.

Let's turn to the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament, there are many prescriptions regarding the purity and impurity of man. Impurity is, first of all, a dead body, some diseases, outflows from the genital organs of men and women (there are other “unclean” things for a Jew: some food, animals, etc., but the main impurity is exactly what I marked).

Where did these ideas come from among the Jews? It is easiest to draw parallels with pagan cultures, which also had similar injunctions about uncleanness, but the biblical understanding of uncleanness goes much deeper than meets the eye.

Of course, there was the influence of pagan culture, but for a person of the Old Testament Jewish culture, the idea of ​​external impurity was rethought, it symbolized some deep theological truths. Which? In the Old Testament, impurity is associated with the theme of death, which took possession of mankind after the fall of Adam and Eve. It is easy to see that death, and illness, and the outflow of blood and semen as the destruction of the germs of life - all this reminds of human mortality, of some deep damage to human nature.

A person in the moments of manifestation, discovery of this mortality, sinfulness - must tactfully stand aside from God, Who is Life Itself!

This is how the Old Testament treated “impurity” of this kind.

Christianity, in connection with its doctrine of victory over death and the rejection of the Old Testament man, also rejects the Old Testament doctrine of impurity. Christ declares all these prescriptions to be human. The past has passed, now everyone who is with Him, if he dies, will come to life, all the more impurity does not make sense. Christ is the incarnate Life Itself (John 14:6).

The Savior touches the dead - let us remember how He touched the bed on which they carried the son of the widow of Nain to be buried; how He allowed Himself to be touched by a bleeding woman ... We will not find in the New Testament a moment when Christ observed the ordinances of purity or impurity. Even when he meets the embarrassment of a woman who clearly violated the etiquette of ritual impurity and touched Him, He says things to her that contradict conventional wisdom: “Be braver, daughter!” (Matthew 9:22).

The apostles taught the same. " I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus, says St. Paul, that there is nothing unclean in itself; only to him that considers something unclean, to him it is unclean” (Rom. 14:14). He: “For every creation of God is good, and nothing is reprehensible if it is accepted with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.» (1 Tim. 4:4).

Here the apostle says about food contamination. The Jews considered a number of products unclean, but the apostle says that everything created by God is holy and pure. But app. Paul does not say anything about the impurity of physiological processes. We do not find specific instructions on whether to consider a woman unclean during menstruation, either from him or from other apostles. In any case, we do not have any information about this, on the contrary, we know that the ancient Christians gathered in their homes every week, even under the threat of death, served the Liturgy and took communion. If there were exceptions to this rule, for example, for women in a certain period, then ancient church monuments would have mentioned this. They don't say anything about it.

But such a question was posed. And in the middle of the III century, the answer to it was given St. Clement of Rome in "Apostolic Ordinances":

« But if anyone observes and performs the Jewish rites regarding the ejaculation of semen, the flow of semen, lawful intercourse, let them tell us, do they stop praying, or touching the Bible, or partaking of the Eucharist in those hours and days when they are subjected to something like this? If they say that they stop, then it is obvious that they do not have the Holy Spirit in themselves, which always abides with believers ... Indeed, if you, a woman, think that for seven days, when you have your period, you do not have the Holy Spirit; then it follows that if you die suddenly, then you will depart without having the Holy Spirit in yourself and boldness and hope in God. But the Holy Spirit, of course, is inherent in you ... For neither legal copulation, nor childbirth, nor the flow of blood, nor the flow of seed in a dream can defile the nature of a person or separate the Holy Spirit from him, only ungodliness and lawless activity are separated from [the Spirit].

So, woman, if you, as you say, do not have the Holy Spirit in you during the days of atonement, then you must be filled with an unclean spirit. For when you don’t pray and don’t read the Bible, you involuntarily call him to you…

Therefore, refrain, woman, from empty speeches and always remember the One who created you, and pray to him ... without observing anything - neither natural purification, nor lawful copulation, nor childbirth, nor miscarriages, nor bodily vice. These observations are empty and meaningless inventions of stupid people.

... Marriage is honorable and honorable, and the birth of children is pure ... and natural cleansing is not vile before God, Who wisely arranged for women to have it ... But according to the Gospel, when the bleeding woman touched the saving edge of the Lord's garment in order to recover, the Lord did not reproach her but said: your faith has saved you».

In the 6th century, on the same topic, writes St. Grigory Dvoeslov(It is he who authored the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is served on weekdays of Great Lent). He answers a question asked about this to Archbishop Augustine of the Angles, saying that a woman can enter the temple and begin the sacraments at any time - both immediately after the birth of a child and during menstruation:

« A woman should not be forbidden to enter the church during menstruation, because she cannot be blamed for something that is given by nature, and from which a woman suffers against her will. After all, we know that a woman suffering from bleeding came up behind the Lord and touched the edge of His garment, and immediately the illness left her. Why, if she could touch the clothes of the Lord with bleeding and receive healing, a woman during menstruation cannot enter the church of the Lord? ..

It is impossible at such a time to forbid a woman to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. If she does not dare to accept it out of great reverence, this is commendable, but by accepting it, she will not commit a sin ... And menstruation in women is not sinful, for it comes from their nature ...

Leave women to their own understanding, and if during menstruation they do not dare to approach the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord, they should be praised for their piety. If they ... want to receive this Sacrament, we should not, as we said, prevent them from doing so..

That is in the West, and both fathers were Roman bishops, this topic received the most authoritative and final disclosure. Today it would not occur to any Western Christian to ask questions that confuse us, heirs of Eastern Christian culture. There, a woman can approach the shrine at any time, regardless of any female ailments.

In the East, there was no consensus on this issue.

The Syrian ancient Christian document of the 3rd century (Didaskalia) says that a Christian woman should not observe any days and can always take communion.

St. Dionysius of Alexandria, at the same time, in the middle of the III century, writes another:

“I do not think that they [that is, women on certain days], if they are faithful and pious, being in such a state, would dare either to proceed to the Holy Meal, or to touch the Body and Blood of Christ . For even a woman who had a twelve-year hemorrhage, for the sake of healing, did not touch Him, but only the edges of her clothes. It is not forbidden to pray, no matter in what state and no matter how disposed, to remember the Lord and ask for His help. But to proceed to what is the Holy of Holies, may it be forbidden to not quite pure soul and body».

A hundred years later, on the topic of the natural processes of the body, writes St. Athanasius of Alexandria. He says that all of God's creation is "good and pure." " Tell me, beloved and most reverent, what is sinful or impure in any natural eruption, as, for example, if someone wanted to blame the flow of phlegm from the nostrils and saliva from the mouth? We can say more about the eruptions of the womb, which are necessary for the life of a living being. If, however, according to the Divine Scriptures, we believe that man is the work of God's hands, then how could a bad creation come from pure power? And if we remember that we are the generation of God (Acts 17:28), then we have nothing unclean in ourselves. For only then are we defiled when we commit a sin, the worst of all stench».

According to St. Athanasius, thoughts about the pure and the impure are offered to us by "devilish tricks" in order to distract us from the spiritual life.

And thirty years later, the successor of St. Athanasius in the department St. Timothy of Alexandria spoke differently on the same subject. To the questions whether it is possible to baptize or admit to Communion a woman who “has happened to the usual women”, he answered: “ Must postpone until cleared».

It is this last opinion, with various variations, that prevailed in the East until recently. Only some fathers and canonists were more rigorous - a woman these days should not visit the temple at all, others said that you can pray, you can visit the temple, you can’t just take communion.

If we turn from canonical and patristic monuments to more modern monuments (XVI-XVIII centuries), we will see that they are more favorable to the Old Testament view of tribal life than to the New Testament. For example, in the Great Breed Book we will find a whole series of prayers for deliverance from the filth associated with birth phenomena.

But still - why not? We do not receive a clear answer to this question. As an example, I will cite the words of the great Athos ascetic and erudite of the 18th century teacher Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain. To the question: why not only in the Old Testament, but also according to the words of the Christian holy fathers monthly cleansing of a woman is considered unclean, the reverend replies that there are three reasons for this:

1. Due to popular perception, because all people consider impurity that which is expelled from the body through certain organs as unnecessary or superfluous, such as discharge from the ear, nose, phlegm when coughing, etc.

2. All this is called unclean, for God, through the corporeal, teaches about the spiritual, that is, the moral. If the bodily is unclean, which is outside the will of man, then how unclean are the sins that we commit of our own free will.

3. God calls uncleanness the monthly cleansing of women in order to forbid men to copulate with them ... mainly and mainly because of concern for offspring, children.

This is how a well-known theologian answers this question.

In view of the relevance of this issue, it has been studied by a modern theologian Patriarch Pavle of Serbia About this, he wrote many times a reprinted article with a characteristic title: “Can a woman come to church to pray, kiss icons and take communion when she is “unclean” (during menstruation)”?

His Holiness the Patriarch writes: Monthly cleansing of a woman does not make her ritually, prayerfully unclean. This impurity is only physical, bodily, as well as excretions from other organs. In addition, since modern hygiene products can effectively prevent the temple from being unclean by accidental bleeding ... we believe that from this side there is no doubt that a woman during the monthly cleansing, with the necessary care and taking hygienic measures, can come to church, kiss icons, take antidoron and consecrated water, as well as participate in singing. Communion in this state or unbaptized - to be baptized, she could not. But in a terminal illness, he can take communion and be baptized.”

We see that Patriarch Pavle comes to the conclusion: You can go to church, but you can't take communion.

But, it should be noted that in the Orthodox Church there is no definition on the account of the female hygiene issue adopted at the Council. There are only very authoritative opinions of the holy fathers (we mentioned them (they are Sts. Dionysius, Athanasius and Timothy of Alexandria), included in Book of Rules of the Orthodox Church. The opinions of individual fathers, even very authoritative ones, are not the canons of the Church.

Summing up, I can say that the majority of modern Orthodox priests still do not recommend that a woman take communion during menstruation.

Other priests say that all these are just historical misunderstandings and that one should not pay attention to any natural processes of the body - only sin defiles a person.

Based on the article by priest Konstantin Parkhomenko “On the so-called female “impurity”

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APPLICATION

Can a woman come to church to pray, kiss icons, and take communion when she is “unclean” (during menstruation)? (Patriarch of Serbia Pavle (Stoycevic))

“Even in the 3rd century, a similar question was asked to St. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria (†265), and he replied that he did not think that women in such a state, “if they were faithful and pious, dared either to start the Holy meal, or touch the body and blood of Christ," for, accepting the Holy, you need to be pure in soul and body. At the same time, he gives the example of a bleeding woman who did not dare to touch the body of Christ, but only the hem of His garment (Mt 9:20-22). In a further clarification Saint Dionysius says that praying, in whatever state, is always permitted. A hundred years later, to the question: can a woman who “has happened to the usual wives” take communion, Timothy, also Bishop of Alexandria († 385), answers and says that she cannot, until this period passes and she is cleansed . St. John the Faster (VI century) also adhered to the same point of view, defining penance in case a woman in such a state nevertheless “received the Holy Mysteries”.

All these three answers show, in essence, the same thing, i.e. that women in this state cannot receive communion. The words of St. Dionysius that they could not then “come to the Holy Meal” actually mean to take communion, because they approached the Holy Meal only for this purpose…”

Answers from Deacon Andrei Kuraev and Father Dmitry Smirnov.

Answer about. Dimitri (Smirnova):

Deacon Andrey Kuraev's answer: