There is much debate about the rules for menstruating women attending church. Different opinions on this matter were expressed by authoritative spiritual fathers, from the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. Some opinions were inclined to believe that you can go to church during your period. Some priests do not perceive this permission so clearly.

Every Christian woman, wanting to keep everything necessary rules, asks at what time women can attend church, when it is impossible or undesirable to do so. If you have any doubts about this, it is better to seek advice from your spiritual father.

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

The reason for the special treatment of menstruating women lies in the perception of menstruation as something “unclean”. IN different religions There are some restrictions associated with the concept of “uncleanness” - it can be some kind of food, some animals, body parts, etc. Starting from pagan times, women with menstruation and in the first days after childbirth were mentioned among the unclean.

To understand whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation, you need to familiarize yourself with the reflections on this issue set out in the writings of the holy fathers. Their authoritative opinion boils down to the fact that, on the one hand, the doors of the temple are not closed to anyone, everyone has the right to enter the church when they feel the need to do so. On the other hand, there is still a special attitude towards menstruating women. Although Russian rules Orthodox Church do not regulate the visiting of the temple by women with menstrual flow, and there is no taboo imposed on their visiting the church on critical days; it is generally accepted that visiting church service in this state it is better to postpone it.

The interpretation and interpretation of the holy scriptures, where reasoning on this issue is set out, can facilitate their understanding, but can also be misleading. The very discussion on this topic, according to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, is an attempt to distract believers from their spiritual essence, from God, and to focus on the carnal. It is best for anyone who thinks about this question to act as his conscience tells him.

The Western and Eastern branches of Christianity sometimes approach the issue of church attendance by menstruating women differently. Therefore, in order not to go against the rules, believers will not be mistaken if they ask the priest in the temple what to do.

As it was before - Old Testament

During times Old Testament coming to the temple with menstruation was considered a desecration of a holy place, because it was intended for communication with God, and a woman with bloody discharge is unclean, and its presence in this form can offend the Lord. It is possible to understand critical days as a phenomenon associated with the death of eggs during menstruation, i.e. with the death of a potential newborn, influenced this attitude of the ancients towards menstruation.

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The Old Testament prohibitions applied to many situations involving death or illness. Those who were restricted from visiting the temple were:

• suffered from leprosy;
• touched the dead, corpses;
• encountered seminal symptoms;
• suffered from diseases accompanied by pus and its discharge;
• had in at the moment bleeding, menstruation;
• recently delivered from pregnancy (in labor).

The Old Testament says that if a female child is born, the woman in labor is prohibited from entering the temple for 80 days after his birth. A male child reduces this period to 40 days.

Such restrictions were considered to have theological meaning. All prohibitions related to the topic of death, i.e. punishment of a person for his original sin. Therefore, during menstruation, a woman was instructed to be tactful towards the Lord and stay away from his sanctuary, so that by showing a reminder of death she would not offend her God and not incur his wrath. That is, the ban to some extent protected the woman from God’s wrath.

In order to remove the sin of desecrating a holy place, a woman with her period who entered the temple was ordered to fast for many days and perform daily bows.

What I Think Now - New Testament

Nowadays, the church does not prescribe any specific behavior for women on critical days. It is known that modern means Hygiene helps maintain the physical purity of the believer. No drops of blood, with appropriate hygienic protection, will fall on the floor in the temple. At the dawn of Christianity and beyond early centuries The woman did not know not only pads, but sometimes even underwear. Therefore, in order not to become the culprit of desecration of a holy place, the believer had to be careful not to stain the floor with blood and not attend church. Now there is no such danger. But the point is not only in physical, bodily cleanliness, but also moral.

Many adherents modern views They emphasize the words of John Chrysostom that Jesus Christ did not reject the “bleeding” woman, who, believing in him as in God, hoped to receive healing from her illness. For this purpose, she dared to touch the hem of the Savior’s robe. The Lord said that her faith saved her - and she was healed. That is, the main thing is not that a person is not worthy to touch the divine. The main thing is his faith; if it is strong, the believer will receive salvation.

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One of the saints of the New Testament, Gregory the Great, spoke in favor of allowing a woman to choose whether to come to the temple or not. He clarified that if her refusal to visit the temple during menstruation is voluntary and associated with deep reverence for the Lord, with a reluctance to offend him, then this decision will be considered commendable, and the woman who accepted it will be considered pious.

Attending a church service is very important event. There is no point in giving it up. At the same time, we must remember that churches are always open to their parishioners. By postponing church attendance for a week, perhaps a woman will use this time to prepare more thoroughly and, having purified herself, will hope that this decision will be more pleasing to God. In any case, the choice is up to the believer.

Of course, those who are suffering from an incurable, terrible disease, as well as those who are near death, have unconditional permission to visit the temple. In such situations, one cannot deny a person his desire to be closer to God. The presence of unbaptized people in the temple is also not prohibited. Everyone can come to church, because all people are God’s creations and can ask the Lord for mercy.

Priests' opinions

The clergy of our time cannot fail to take into account the changed conditions of life. Women with menstruation and other discharge, as a rule, do not emit any odor; there are no traces of menstruation, not only on the floor, but even on their underwear. All this is known, and the argument about physical impurity for a ban on entering the temple is not convincing enough. But one should not deviate from the generally accepted opinion that on critical days a woman is “unclean” and her way to the temple is prohibited. Thus, the question of whether you can go to church during your period or not remains open.

Christian women know that previously it was forbidden to attend church on critical days. To find out the priest’s opinion about this rule, many girls and women turn to their confessors for advice. Priests' responses to this question can be both negative and positive. Perhaps they will indicate the ban on lighting candles on these days or the acceptance of certain sacraments:

1. Participles.
2. Confession.
3. Baptism.
4. Weddings.
5. Eating antidor and prosphora.
6. Drinking holy water.
7. Kissing icons, applications to them.
8. Kissing the cross.

But it is important to remember that even sinners can be cleansed if their faith remains strong. Christian teaching says that the Savior does not expect the righteous to come to him, but rather sinners who want to repent. This is stated in the following words: “He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Many parishioners of the Orthodox Church are aware of church signs and superstitions, but most interpret them incorrectly. Which canons of behavior in the temple have a semantic basis, and which do not? And what does the church itself think about superstitions?

You can't talk in church

It is believed that if a parishioner speaks in church, he will bring upon himself sorrow. Very often this rule is taken literally, and when people enter a temple, they are afraid to talk much, so as not to bring trouble upon themselves.

This rule has nothing to do with the church charter. It is allowed to speak in the temple of God, unless, of course, we are talking about empty talk that distracts the rest of the parishioners from prayer.

You can't ask the time in church

To ask how long is to shorten your life. According to another version, in church you cannot ask about time, since the concept of time does not exist in heaven, and a parishioner can anger God with his question.

Why pregnant women shouldn't go to church

This church sign is quite common. Some parishioners believe that a woman during pregnancy can be easily jinxed, and damage is most often caused, oddly enough, in churches. According to another version, pregnant women cannot go to church because in their position it is difficult for them to attend the entire service.

In any case, the church does not prohibit pregnant women from going to church, but, on the contrary, encourages them.

Don't cross your arms behind your back

According to the clergy, this ancient superstition has no basis. Those who believe in this believe that demons begin to hover around a person with crossed arms. This pose seems to create a carousel for evil spirits.

The clergy only smile at such tales. They are confident that the way you stand in church does not matter - this is a purely ethical moment that reflects your submission and devotion to God.

You can't sit in the temple.

Unlike the pose, next question turned out to be more categorical. The Holy Fathers do not recommend sitting in church. According to religious canons, only sick or very tired people have such privileges.

Is it possible to go to church during menstruation?

There is a version that a woman during her menstrual cycle is considered “unclean”, that is, on such days the path to church should be prohibited. According to another version, blood, the “uncleanness” of a woman, attracts demons. There is another version - menstrual blood is a manifestation of sexuality, which is considered unacceptable in the church.

And here is what the church rules say about this:

The Old Testament prohibits visiting church in the following cases: leprosy, purulent discharge, ejaculation, time of cleansing for women in labor (40 days for a woman giving birth to a boy and 80 days for a girl, Lev. 12), female bleeding (menstrual and pathological), touching a decaying body ( corpse). This is due to the fact that these manifestations are indirectly associated with sin, although they are not sinful in themselves.

But, since the moral purity of believers is important for religion, the lists of prohibitions when compiling the New Testament were revised and only 2 restrictions were left for visiting the temple:

• for women after childbirth (up to 40 days, during postpartum discharge);
• for women during menstruation.

There are several reasons why a woman may be “unclean” during these periods.

Firstly, The reason is purely hygienic. After all, the very phenomenon of such discharge is associated with the leakage of blood from the genital tract. This has always been the case, even in times of lack of reliable hygiene products against leaks. And the temple, in turn, cannot be a place of bloodshed. If you stick to this explanation, then today, by using tampons or pads, you can prevent such an incident from occurring and attend church.

Secondly, the reason for the “uncleanness” is explained by the fact that these discharges from a woman are associated with the rejection of the endometrium due to childbirth (which indirectly implies the commission of the original sin of the newborn), or purification due to the death of the egg and its release along with the blood.

In fact, by appearing during the period of postpartum or menstrual discharge, a woman will not commit any sin. After all, what is important for God is, first of all, the inner purity of a person, his thoughts and actions. Rather, it will look like disrespect for observing the rules of the temple and its life. Therefore, this restriction should be waived only in cases of extreme necessity, so that such actions do not become a reason for a woman to feel guilty in the future.

Today, almost all clergy agree in resolving this issue that it is possible to go into church and pray to a woman with bleeding, but you should refrain from participating in religious rituals (confession, communion, confirmation, baptism, etc.) and touching to the shrines.

Hence the conclusion- you probably shouldn’t trust all the superstitions and signs associated with visiting church.

Don’t forget that we came up with all the signs ourselves. Ritualism invented by people and faith are completely different things.

When visiting church, it is enough to follow the simplest rules:

What clothes is considered decent to wear to church?

Even if you are a non-believer and decided to come here out of simple curiosity, remember that it is inappropriate to attend church in a brightly colored toilet. Believers came here to pray, and nothing should distract them from this action. Women wear dark-colored dresses and only wear white ones for Holy Communion. You are not allowed to enter the church in shorts; women are not allowed to wear trousers. This may end with the minion taking you outside.

How to behave in church and, in particular, during services?

They enter the church at a slow pace, making the sign of the cross. They stand modestly and silently. If there is a need to say something, do it quietly and briefly. It is advisable to arrive at the beginning of the service. Latecomers enter unnoticed. It is not advisable to enter the church during the main prayers: reading the Gospel, singing “Our Father,” etc.

Is it possible to leave during the service?

Just very quiet. It is not advisable to leave during the main moments of the liturgy. It is considered the height of indecency to leave the church during a sermon.

When do they kiss the cross?

Accepting the blessing. First they kiss the cross, then the clergyman’s hand.

Is a hat necessary in church?

It is considered decent when a woman enters church with her head covered, and a man without a headdress.

How to behave in a church of another faith?

Before going there to watch a service or explore the temple, it would be nice to find out about the main features of the confession in order to avoid tactlessness and not break certain rules. You cannot make comments or comment on this or that ritual, or ask about the meaning of this or that prayer. When entering someone else's temple, you need to respect the other religion and those who profess it.

You should know that no one will punish you in church, the main thing is with what heart and soul you go there and how you feel while standing in prayer!

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. Much has changed since the times of the Old Testament; now almost no one blames a woman for the presence of such a natural process as regula. 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.

The rules of the Russian Orthodox Church do not prohibit girls from visiting the temple during 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 the 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 critical days as a violation of human nature. Based on it, it is unacceptable to come to church during menstrual bleeding. Being in the temple with any bleeding wounds was also considered strictly prohibited.

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During the Old Testament, any manifestation of uncleanness was considered a reason to deprive a person of the company of God. It was considered desecration to visit a holy temple during any uncleanness, including menstruation. At that time, everything that comes out of a person and is considered biologically natural was perceived as something superfluous, unacceptable in communication with God.

The Old Testament says that the ban on visiting the temple during menstruation is due to the fact that a woman is responsible for a failed pregnancy. The Old Testament accuses her of this, and the discharge of menstrual blood is regarded as desecration of the holy temple.

If we take into account the rules of that time, a woman during her period is unclean. It is for this reason that the Old Testament prohibitions on attending church are imposed on her.

Now these restrictions are a thing of the past; most clergy do not rely on the rules and prohibitions described in the Old Testament.

How they think now - New Testament

IN present moment 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 currently prohibit rites such as Baptism and Wedding. 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 a natural biological process that should not interfere with a girl if she wants to attend church.

If during the Old Testament it was strictly forbidden to come to church, perform rituals, pray, and 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.

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The New Testament contains the words of the saint confirming that visiting the temple during menstruation is not something bad. He claims that everything created by the Lord is beautiful. Menstrual cycle is of particular importance for the fair sex. To some extent it can be considered an indicator women's health. For this reason, the ban on visiting holy places during menstruation does not make any sense. Many saints share this opinion. They argued that a woman has the right to come to the temple in any state of her body, because this is exactly how the Lord created her. The main thing in the temple is the state of the soul. The presence or absence of menstruation has nothing to do with the girl’s state of mind.

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 a 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.

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If previously it was forbidden to attend church, despite serious illness and urgent need, now these prohibitions are a thing of the past. But before going to church, you must take into account the opinion of the priest. He will be able to tell you in detail about the rules for being in the temple and explain whether there are any restrictions for women during the period of critical days.

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 holy place It’s 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 severe pain, 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.

“Is it possible or not to go to church while on your period?” – important question, which has no clear answer. He has both ardent supporters who defend church-historical rules and concepts, and active opponents who defend women's powerlessness before the natural processes of the body. Both are right, but what should a woman do at this time?

Old Testament Prohibition

The history of questions and answers on the topic of visiting church on critical days goes back deep into ancient times - in the era of the Old Testament. This Scripture united two religions - Christianity and Judaism, and was a kind of constitution of Christian belief.

The Old Testament identified a certain group of “unclean” people who did not have the right to receive communion, confess, or pray within the walls of a holy place, that is, they were strictly prohibited from entering the temple. The category of “unclean” included:

• leper people;
• people with purulent-inflammatory infections in the body;
• men during ejaculation and with prostate dysfunction;
• people who touched the corpse, thereby desecrating themselves;
• women during bloody discharge from the vagina (menstruation, postpartum suckers, etc.);
• men and women with any type of bleeding.

Why can’t women go to church on menstruation days, when menstruation is considered a natural process that is directly involved in childbirth? The church’s answer is this: menstruation is the female body’s rejection of human life, which could have originated and developed in her womb. The "uncleanness" of people in the Old Testament is associated with death. That is, roughly speaking, the main purpose of a woman is to give birth to offspring. She must remain in a constantly pregnant state, since menstruation is the death of an unborn embryo and, accordingly, a sin. The answer is unfair, but it is a fact.

This attitude of the church towards women is somewhat reminiscent of discrimination. Gender-based oppression is observed even in the periods allotted for cleansing after childbirth: if a boy is born - 40 days, if a girl is born - 80. During this time, a woman must sit at home and wait for the days strictly designated by the church for bleeding to end.

The exception was considered to be seriously ill and dying women - faith turned a blind eye to their menstrual flow.

Correction of the prohibition by the New Testament

During the reign of the New Testament, the understanding of a person’s church affiliation changed and the list of “unclean” ones was adjusted. The church began to treat women more leniently, and the topic of menstruation could only be considered from the point of view of hygiene.

After Jesus Christ accepted death, thereby taking upon himself all sins, committed by man, and returned to life again (resurrected), his understanding of divine belonging became different - physical body nothing compared to the spiritual power of a person striving for union with God. That is, religion does not look at what a person looks like and what state his body is in now. For religion, one important concept remains - the soul. Thus, a woman's menstruation is not a prohibitive reason for visiting the temple.

The Church did not forbid a woman to go to church on “these” days, take communion, confess, and pray. But she still welcomed the woman’s decision to stay at home during her menstrual period rather than go to God’s house.

Modern view of the church

The points of view of modern clergy, as in ancient times, do not coincide. Why can you walk? Why can't you walk? When is it possible and when is it not? The answers to these questions depended on time. Some believe that women are prohibited from going to church, others allow them to pray within the walls of the church, confess, and receive communion, despite the “red” days of the calendar.

Neither one nor the other can convincingly defend their point of view without having any arguments in defense or accusation.

Arguments of supporters of the forbidden ritual

“Defenders” of the ban explain why it is impossible to go to church, receive communion and confess on “these” days, relying on the traditions of the Old Testament and the fact that during menstruation a woman’s body is freed from an unfertilized and dead egg. But they cannot answer unequivocally what the physiology of processes has to do with spiritual strength.

In their opinion, on critical days, a woman is prohibited from doing absolutely everything within the walls of the temple of God: entering the temple, touching holy icons and books, lighting candles, receiving communion, confessing. To desecrate a holy place with any bleeding is a great sin. Even an injured priest is not allowed to enter the church.

Arguments of opponents of the forbidden ritual

The other side Orthodox Christianity considers the ban on women attending church on critical days to be morally untenable. Even Saint John Chrysostom (IV century) considered the propaganda of the “forbidden ritual” to be superstition and called such behavior of the church unworthy of faith.

It is also worth noting that, according to opponents of the “menstrual taboo,” the ban was created back in the days of paganism, and this religion has no points of intersection with Orthodoxy and cannot dictate its own rules and laws.

We can definitely answer that for God, internal purity of thoughts is more important, and the behavior of the body is secondary. If a woman came to God during her period, but at the same time with a pure soul and sincere faith, then no menstrual flow can prevent her from doing so. Man was created by God, and what he consists of is valuable to God. One cannot be ashamed of the menstruation he invented, much less consider it a sin.

If we touch on the aesthetic side, then modern methods hygiene reliably protect the woman and the temple premises from accidental bloodshed. In ancient times, such “incidents” were greatly feared, because any bloodshed within the walls of the church was considered a sin, and women did not take care of hygiene properly.

What is allowed on critical days?

It is very sad that the church does not have common and unified views. If there is one faith - Orthodoxy - then the laws should be the same. Why then does a dispute arise over the question “is it possible or not to go to the House of God during menstruation, is it possible to receive communion and, if not, then why?”

Today, God's house is open to all women, regardless of their personal menstrual calendar. It is believed that what is important to God is not the physiological manifestations of the body, but the spiritual purity and thoughts with which a woman turns to the saint in confession or prayer.

In most temples, religious women adhere to the laws of menstruation and do not visit the holy place until menstruation ends. For them, this is a tribute to a centuries-old sacred tradition.

So, in our time there are two completely opposite truths of the same faith: the answer of the first places a complete taboo on visiting church, the opportunity to receive communion and perform prayers for women on critical days; The second answer is that all the prohibitions that apply to women during menstruation are outdated church prejudices. You can visit the temple if your soul and faith require it.

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.

How was it 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 desecrated 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 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 expulsion of the human race 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, according to to a greater extent based 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 why this should be so. Because in those days, women were afraid 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. Considering the opinion more clergy, and 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 sacred objects. 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?