Is it possible to attend church during the month: the reasons for the ban
Despite the fact that disagreements about the correctness of this ban exist for a long time, Russian Orthodox girls revered traditions, and did not go to church in critical days. Meanwhile, back in 365, St. Athanasius opposed such a rule. According to him, a woman in the days of natural renewal of the body can not be considered "unclean", since this process is beyond its control and was provided for by the Lord, which suggests that as a "pure" thought, a woman can visit the temple on any day of the menstrual cycle .
But let's touch on the root causes of this prohibition, and yet we will find out why the question, whether it is possible to go to church during menstruation, still does not have an unambiguous answer.
So, many ministers of the church motivate the refusal of menstruating women to visit the temple, the Old Testament. According to the latter, there are a number of restrictions when a person can not enter the church. These include certain diseases and efflux from the genitals, in particular female bleeding of various etiologies ( uterine, monthly and postnatal ). For indeterminate reasons, such physical states were considered a sin, respectively, a woman with menstruation-sinful or physically "unclean". And the most interesting and slightly absurd is the belief that such "uncleanness" is transmitted through a touch, that is, if a woman with monthly visits to the temple and touches the shrines, thereby defile them and people whom they accidentally touch.
However, there is another version of the ban, according to which this problem goes back to the time of paganism. As scientists learned, the pagans were afraid of bleeding, because they were convinced that blood attracted demons, respectively, in the temple menstruating woman was not the place.
Skeptics and pragmatists altogether write off this ban on the lack of hygiene in ancient times. Naturally, it is unacceptable to dirty the church floors with blood, and this is not discussed. But for lack of gaskets, tampons and underwear "to remain unnoticed" our forefathers could not, hence such forced measures.
Is it possible to go to church during menstruation: a new look at the old problem
A new look at the prohibition of many clerics "made" the New Testament, in which the concept of sinfulness is identified with bad intentions and thoughts. As for physiological natural processes, such as menstruation, according to the prescriptions, they are not a sin and should not separate a person from the Lord.
Nowadays, almost every priest will tell you that you can go to church with monthly ones. Of course, some of them, as a sign of respect and respect for past traditions, advise to refrain from participating in the sacraments of the church.
However, after all that has been said, it is up to the individual to decide whether it is possible to go to church during the month or to wait for them to end, each woman being guided by inner feelings, taking into account the circumstances and following the advice of the priest.