Why can't you go to church while on your period? The probable causes are inconclusive! Is it possible to go to church during menstruation?

Question: “Why can’t you go to church while on your period?” controversial and ambiguous. The Orthodox Church, unlike the Catholic Church, still does not have a logical answer to it. Theologians cannot come to a common opinion, and perhaps they do not even try to do so. For example, Catholics have long dotted all the i's: in their opinion, no critical days can serve as a ban for a woman to visit church when she needs it. But in our case, this topic will remain controversial for a long time.

Why can’t you go to church in Russia while you’re on your period? On the one hand, the reason is quite clear, but on the other hand, it is unconvincing, since it raises more questions than answers. The point here is not at all about some bans on women visiting churches and temples. Everything is much simpler than you think! The temple is not a place where blood is shed. It's difficult to explain, but we'll try. The fact is that only bloodless sacrifices are performed in the church, since the blood of Christ in the temple symbolizes red wine. And this is no coincidence. The Church does not accept real human blood within its walls, because its shedding here desecrates the shrine! In this case, the priest is forced to consecrate the temple in a new way.

It would seem that the explanation of why you can’t go to church while on your period sounds reasonable, since everyone knows that a person who cuts himself in a church with one object or another must definitely leave it and stop the bleeding outside it. But this explanation may not be convincing. Think for yourself, starting a family and having a child are natural processes that are not only approved by the church, but also blessed. This means that the natural cleansing of the female body, which occurs monthly, is not vile in the eyes of God!

So is it still possible or not?

Dear readers! It was a huge discovery for me to find out the reason why today you can visit temples during critical days! People who claim this directly point to miraculous tampons and pads that prevent direct bleeding. From this they conclude that there are no obstacles to such women visiting temples.

The Orthodox Church itself does not comment on this situation. I listened to this opinion only because of disputes about visiting the temple during the bright holiday of Easter. After all, holidays, as they say, are not chosen, and on the night of Easter many Orthodox women want to be present in church for the service. What if they are on their period? So, are they now barred from going to church? It is not right! This is where feminine hygiene products come to the rescue. In my opinion, everything here is quite logical. In any case, no matter how many versions there are of why you can’t go to church while on your period, or, on the contrary, why you can, they all need to be respected. And we can absolutely say that women are allowed to enter the temple whenever they please. Unless during your period you should play it safe with tampons or pads!

In general, the Slavic traditions of Orthodoxy contain many similar controversial situations and issues. I just want to say: “We invented it ourselves, and we suffer ourselves.” If you still cannot decide for yourself the issue of participating in the life of the church during menstruation, then consult with the priest. I think the holy fathers of the church will be able to help you. The main thing is not to be shy, because there is nothing shameful in this.

There is an opinion that a woman during her period is prohibited from entering church and attending services. This prohibition has been observed for many centuries, so religious women still doubt whether they can go to church during menstruation. Maybe bleeding makes them unclean, so they have no place in the church?

Is it possible to visit a temple or church if a woman is menstruating?

Where did the ban on visiting the temple during Regulus come from, and is it still relevant in the 21st century? Some women continue to strictly observe this injunction and are very worried that menstruation does not begin in church. Others calmly attend church services, considering such warnings outdated. Is it possible or not to go to church while menstruating? The answer to this question can be given by studying the Old and New Testaments.

According to the Old Testament

According to the Old Testament, the first woman, Eve, succumbed to temptation and ate fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and then persuaded her husband Adam to eat it. For this, God punished Eve. Punishment for misconduct was imposed on the entire female sex. The birth of children since then occurs in suffering, and monthly bleeding is a reminder of the sin committed.

The Old Testament contains instructions that women are prohibited from approaching or entering the temple in certain situations:

• during regulation;
• after the birth of a boy - within 40 days;
• after the birth of a girl - within 80 days.

The clergy explained this by the fact that the female sex bears the imprint of the Fall of man. During menstruation, a woman becomes dirty, unclean, so she should not defile the house of God. In addition, the Most Holy Bloodless Sacrifice - prayer - is performed in the house of God, therefore any bloodshed within its walls is unacceptable.

According to the New Testament

With the coming of Jesus Christ, the emphasis shifts from the physiological to the spiritual. If earlier, during the times of the Old Testament, a person was considered a defiler because of physical dirt, now only thoughts matter. No matter how pure a person may be outwardly, if he has dirty thoughts and intentions, no faith in his soul, all his deeds are considered unspiritual. And, conversely, even the dirtiest and sickest believer can be as pure in soul as a baby.

The New Testament describes a story that occurred when Christ went to the sick daughter of the arch-synagogue Jairus. A woman who had suffered from bleeding for many years approached him, touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, and immediately the bleeding stopped. Feeling the power emanating from him, Jesus Christ asked his disciples who touched him. The woman admitted that it was her. Christ answered her: “Daughter! Your faith has saved you; Go in peace and be well from your illness.”

The origins of the ban

Where did the idea come from in the minds of society that a woman during menstruation is unclean? This point of view was widespread in ancient times among many peoples who did not understand why a woman bleeds, so they tried to explain this phenomenon in all possible ways. Since many physiological secretions were considered a sign of illness, regula began to personify bodily dirt.

Pagan period

During pagan times, different tribes treated women during periods of bleeding almost the same. How can a person shed blood, considered a sign of wounds and disease, every month and yet remain alive? Ancient peoples explained this by connection with demons.

Girls on the verge of puberty underwent an initiation rite that was directly related to menarche. After this, they were considered adults, they were initiated into the feminine sacraments, they could get married and give birth to children.

In some tribes, women were expelled from home during periods of bleeding. They had to live in a special hut and only after that, having cleansed themselves, could they return home. In remote corners of the planet, similar customs have been preserved to this day.

Old Testament Times

Researchers believe that the period when the Old Testament was created dates back to the 1st–2nd millennium BC. To understand why prohibitions against the female sex were included in the Bible, it is necessary to pay attention to the social position of women at that time.

The female sex in ancient society was considered lower in status than the male sex. Wives and daughters did not have the same rights as husbands and sons. They could not own property, conduct business, and did not have the right to vote. In fact, a woman was the property of a man - first the father, then the husband, and then the son.

The idea of ​​the Fall of man, caused by Eve, explained why women should occupy a lower position compared to men. Another reason why menstruation made the female sex unclean is hidden in the concept of disease. Ancient peoples had no knowledge of what causes various diseases.

Blood and pus were dangerous because they were an obvious sign of disease that could infect another person. That is why in the times of the Old Testament it was forbidden to enter the church not only during menstruation, but also for those who had purulent wounds, suffered from leprosy, or touched corpses.

What restrictions on visiting a holy place exist today?

Despite the fact that the New Testament placed spiritual purity above physical purity, the opinion of the clergy remained unchanged for many centuries. For example, in the Kiev “Trebnik” of the early 17th century there is an order that if a woman with her period enters the temple, she should be punished in the form of a 6-month fast and 50 bows daily.

Nowadays, there is no such strict ban on visiting temples. A woman can go to church, pray, light candles. If she is worried about the possible desecration of a holy place with her presence, then she can simply stand to the side, at the entrance.

However, some restrictions still remain. The Church does not recommend performing the Sacraments during menstruation. Communion, baptism, confession and wedding - it is better to move these events to other days of the cycle.

In addition, the parishioner should not forget about other rules for visiting churches. Women are supposed to enter the temple only with their heads covered and in a skirt. Excessively deep necklines and miniskirts are not allowed. However, many churches, especially those located in tourist areas, have become more loyal to the appearance of believers. If a woman feels an irresistible urge to go inside, she can do so in trousers and without a headscarf.

How do other religions view women's menstruation?

In Islam, the opinion on this issue is ambiguous. Some Muslims believe that it is better to refrain from visiting the mosque. Others insist that such bans should be abandoned. It is forbidden to desecrate a mosque with bodily fluids, but if a Muslim woman uses hygiene products (tampons, pads or menstrual cups), she can enter.

In Hinduism, women are not allowed to enter temples during regula. In Buddhism, unlike other religions, there has never been a ban on visiting. A woman can enter the datsan at any time.

The opinion of the clergy

Catholic clerics believe that the ancient ban on visiting churches was due to poor hygiene in past centuries. Unable to wash or change their underwear regularly, women often contracted infections. During the regula, they smelled unpleasantly, and drops of blood could flow onto the floor of the church. Due to the fact that the hygiene problem has now been solved, the ban on entering the temple has no original meaning.

The opinion of Orthodox priests is not so clear. Some of them continue to adhere to strict prohibitions and recommend refraining from performing the Sacraments, but explain this with concern for the health of the parishioner. Weddings, baptisms, and confessions last a long time, and a believer may feel ill during her menstruation; the smell of incense may make her dizzy. Other clergy insist that a woman must make a decision herself. If she feels the need to attend church, she should not limit this desire.

It is widely believed that a woman with menstrual bleeding is strictly prohibited from entering the temple, and also receiving communion. Is this really true? And what is the reason for so much controversy surrounding this issue? Nobody can give an exact answer to it. There is no mention or confirmation in any books or other sources that such a ban exists. But still, behind the scenes they try to adhere to it. Even clergy cannot provide uniform information. There are many interpretations around this issue with different opinions.

As it was before?

In the most ancient part of the Bible, the Old Testament, it was said that “unclean” people should not enter the temple. This category included:

• leprosy patients;
• everyone who suffers from purulent-inflammatory diseases;
• people who have defiled themselves by touching a decaying body (corpse);
• women with physiological bleeding.

There was an opinion that it was impossible to visit the temple under any of these conditions.

Interesting fact: while mothers who gave birth to a boy were allowed into the church 40 days after giving birth, a girl was allowed after 80.

What do they think now?

Under the New Testament, adjustments were made to the list of people who should not go to church. Although certain restrictions for women have not gone away. The ban on women visiting the temple during menstruation began to be determined by hygiene considerations.

It has always been believed that a temple is a holy place, and blood should not be shed on its territory. Previously, there were no reliable hygiene products for protection, so church visits were prohibited for women during menstruation.

There is another opinion why a woman cannot visit the temple while on her period. Who is to blame for the fact that the human race was expelled from the gardens of Eden? On a woman. This is probably why female representatives were not allowed to see God. Apparently, so as not to remind of long-standing misdeeds. For this reason, during menstruation, as well as for forty days after the birth of the baby until postpartum bleeding is completed, women are not allowed access to the temple.

Today, there is no justified ban on women visiting the temple during menstruation. There are chapters in the Testament in which the disciples spoke out that the desecration of faith brings evil that comes from the human heart, and not physiological secretions. In the New Testament, the main emphasis is on the inner spirituality of man, and not on natural processes that do not depend on him.

Is it forbidden for a woman to go to church during her period?

Human blood must not be shed in the temple. If, for example, a person cuts his finger in church and starts bleeding, he must leave until the bleeding stops. Otherwise, it will be considered that the holy place has been desecrated, and there is a need to re-illuminate it.

We can conclude that during menstruation, if you use high-quality hygiene products (pads, tampons), you can go to church, since there will be no shedding of human blood. At the same time, the opinions of clergy on this matter differ, some even contradict each other.

Some people believe that women who menstruate have no place in the church. You can enter, say a prayer and leave. Others, adherents of more radical views, say that it is strictly forbidden for women to attend church during their periods. However, there are those who assure that menstruation should in no way influence behavior, that nothing should be changed in church life during this period, that one should continue to read prayers, light candles, confess and receive communion.

Proponents of both views can provide evidence for their own judgments, although they can be challenged. Those who support the first opinion rely largely on information from the Old Testament, saying that in ancient times women with bleeding should have been kept away from the people and the church. But they cannot provide clear explanations as to why this should be so. Because in those days, women had a fear of staining a holy place with blood due to the lack of necessary hygiene products.

It was often noted that this physiological process is not the woman’s fault. And yet, in ancient times, women in Rus' avoided going to church on these days.

Some of the saints made statements that nature gave women a generous gift, endowing them with this unique ability to cleanse the body. They argued that the phenomenon was created by the Almighty, therefore, there can be no talk of dirt and uncleanliness.

It would be wrong to deny women the right to go to the temple during menstruation, based on data from the Old Testament. If you carefully and deeply study the church, you can come to the conclusion that the ban on visiting church during menstruation is already morally outdated.

So what should we do?

Girls are allowed to visit the temple on all days. If we take into account the opinion of a larger number of clergy, this can be done during menstruation. But it would be better these days to refuse to carry out the sacraments of baptism and wedding. It is advisable, if possible, not to touch crosses, icons and other shrines. In addition, the church calls on these days not to confess or receive communion.

Video: is it possible for women to enter the temple on menstrual days?

There is still a popular belief that women should not go to church during their periods.

Let's find out if this is true?

Here are the questions that women have about their menstrual periods:

Let’s start in order, or rather, with a brief information about where such “rules” came from in our Church.

To begin with, I want to explain where the very concept of “Female Impurity” came from.

Menstruation is the cleansing of the uterus from dead tissue, cleansing the uterus for a new round of expectation, hope for a new life, for conception. Every shedding of blood is the specter of death. But menstrual blood is doubly death, because it is not only blood, but also dead uterine tissue. Freeing herself from them, a woman becomes cleansed. This is the origin of the concept of impurity of women's periods. It is clear that this is not a personal sin of women, but a sin affecting all of humanity.

Rules of the ancient Church.

In the Old Testament Church there were rules for women. If a woman was unclean (postpartum or menstrual), then for certain days she could not go to temple. The woman was considered to be in bodily uncleanness, since during this period blood flowed from the woman, and the shedding of any blood other than sacrificial blood in the temple was prohibited. Therefore, a woman could visit the temple again only after this very uncleanness had passed from her.

Current situation.

First: The hygiene revolution took over; in the past centuries there were neither showers nor underwear. Bloody meths have no place in the temple. Plus, excuse me, the smell. In the fourth century, Rev. Macarius of Egypt interpreted the words of the prophet Isaiah as follows: : “And all your righteousness is like the rags of a woman in her period.” With the advent of hygiene products, women now have no reason to worry that something might leak out of them when entering a temple.

Now in the New Testament Church animal sacrifices are not performed, but the bloodless sacrifice of the Eucharist is performed. Therefore, the shedding of any blood in churches is also prohibited. If, for example, a person has a nosebleed, then he must leave the temple until the bleeding stops. It’s the same with a priest, if the priest cuts himself in the altar or his nose starts bleeding, he must stop the bleeding and then continue the service.

Second: As for "Uncleanness".

If in the Old Testament, during female uncleanness, every woman was considered to be in uncleanness and the entrance to the temple was closed. These were special restrictions of God to the Old Testament people in order to educate the people and keep them within moral boundaries, teaching people like children through physical laws the spiritual laws of morality and purity.

Then in the New Testament, God gives man the perfect law of Love, abolishing the ancient rules.

What God has cleansed, do not consider unclean, said the Lord to the Apostle Peter (Acts 10.15)

Going to temple.

Let's remember the episode with the woman in “uncleanness”, who was forbidden to even touch the people of the Old Testament. A woman suffering from bleeding came up to the Lord from behind and touched the hem of His garment, and immediately the illness left her (Matthew 9:20). The Lord did not condemn her, nor did he make any reproach, but rather praised her for her faith.

A simple question: Why, if a woman with bleeding could touch the Lord’s garment and receive healing, a woman during her period cannot enter the Lord’s church?.. Since the woman, who in her illness touched the Lord’s garment, was right in her boldness, for some reason, What was allowed to one, is not allowed to all women suffering from the weakness of their nature?

Therefore, a woman who is in uncleanness can come to the temple of God - this is the answer to our 1st question.

Touching various shrines.

They say that you cannot venerate the cross or icons, or be present at the sacrament of baptism, etc.

I would like to ask a counter question: Why are our pectoral cross, which we wear on our chest, and the sign of the cross with which we sign ourselves worse than temple icons and the priestly cross? - In terms of their holiness, they are equivalent!

Therefore, when entering the temple of God, you can venerate all the shrines, also be anointed with holy oil, take antidor and prosphora, and be present at the sacrament of baptism. This is not forbidden to a believer. This is the answer to questions 2,3,4.

Regarding the Sacrament of Communion.

According to the general opinion and agreement of the holy fathers, for the sake of reverence, it is better for a woman who is in bodily uncleanness to abstain from Communion, just as the Gospel woman who is in uncleanness did not touch Christ himself, but only His clothes. Again, this is a question of RECOMMENDATIONS, not rules.

Even in the breviary, when the priest reads a prayer to a woman on the 40th day for “CLEANSING,” he pronounces words of permission and blessing for the woman to AGAIN begin the Sacrament of Communion! , but not as a blessing to go into the temple, since a woman can come to the temple these days anyway.

Confirmation of my words by the Holy Fathers.

I want to say that all the saints who spoke on this topic said that a woman in such a state can be present in the temple, touch icons, eat prosphora, etc. But only a few of them said that Communion is not recommended.

1. St. Clement of Rome, A disciple of the Apostle Paul in his work “Apostolic Constitutions” even allowed communion in this state: “ If anyone observes and performs Jewish rites regarding the ejaculation of semen, the flow of semen, legal intercourse, let them tell us whether they stop praying, or touching the Bible, or partaking of the Eucharist in those hours and days when they are exposed to something like this? If they say that they stop, then it is obvious that they do not have the Holy Spirit in them, Who always abides with believers... Indeed, if you, a woman, think that during the seven days when you have your period, you do not have it in you. Holy Spirit; then it follows that if you die suddenly, you will leave without the Holy Spirit 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 semen in a dream can defile the nature of man or separate the Holy Spirit from him, only wickedness and lawless activity separate him from [the Spirit]...the birth of children is pure... and natural cleansing is not abominable before God, Who wisely arranged for it to happen to women... But according to the Gospel, when the bleeding woman touched the saving edge of the Lord’s robe in order to get well, the Lord did not reproach her, but said: your faith saved you».

« A woman should not be prohibited from entering church during her menstruation, for she cannot be blamed for what 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 to the Lord from behind and touched the hem of His garment, and immediately the illness left her. Why, if she, while bleeding, could touch the Lord’s garment and receive healing, a woman during her period 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 respect, 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 accept this Sacrament, they should not, as we said, be prevented from doing so.”.

3. St. Dionysius of Alexandria advised not to proceed to the sacrament of Communion

“For even the woman who had a twelve-year hemorrhage did not touch Him for healing, but only the hem of her garment. Praying, no matter what state someone is in and no matter how disposed they are, remembering the Lord and asking for His help is not forbidden. But let him who is not entirely pure in soul and body be prohibited from approaching what is the Holy of Holies.».

4. St. Timothy of Alexandria expressed the same opinion on the same topic. When asked whether it is possible to baptize or admit to Communion a woman who has “The usual thing happened to women,” he answered: “Must put it aside until it is cleared».

5. Serbian Patriarch Paul

a woman during her monthly cleansing, with the necessary caution and taking hygienic measures, can come to church, kiss icons, take antidor and blessed water, as well as participate in singing. She would not have been able to receive communion in this state, or if she was unbaptized, she would not have been able to be baptized. But in a mortal illness he can both receive communion and be baptized

The conclusion from all that has been said is that if women are unclean, you can visit temples, eat and drink holy things, but only abstain from Communion for the sake of reverence.

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