Is it possible to baptize a child during menstruation? Is it possible to be a godmother while on your period?

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Published: 10/23/2020

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From the history

The Old Testament stated that a woman during her menstrual flow is unclean.
Therefore, she was not allowed to touch people and things, which were then also considered unclean. But scientists explain this by saying that the rule concerns sanitary standards rather than divine instructions. In desert conditions it was necessary to eliminate any risk of infection and other diseases. At the beginning of the emergence of Christianity (the first 500 years) there were no restrictions on this issue. The female half of the population could freely go to the temple and participate in rituals. Later, the clergy changed their point of view, beginning to prohibit girls from being in sacred places when bleeding.

It is known that blood should not be shed in the temple. But in the absence of modern methods of intimate hygiene, menstruation could still end up on the floor. Many famous priests did not support this approach. They believed that the divine principle exists in a person at any moment of life. Therefore, a woman should not be excommunicated from the church during her menstruation. But more discussions flare up around the christening of the child.

What is known from history

The Old Testament says that when a girl sheds blood, she is considered unclean. People and things that a woman touches during her menstrual period also become dirty. Modern scientists believe that this has more to do with sanitary standards rather than divine instructions.

It is known that previously there were no sanitary pads and similar personal hygiene products. In this case, the woman could stain everything with blood. Contact with biological fluid increases the risk of transmission of infection or other pathologies. During menstruation, for this reason, the woman had to stay at home.

It is interesting that in the early days after the birth of Christianity, no restrictions were imposed on the fairer sex. Women could safely participate in any rituals. Only a little later, clergymen forbade girls from visiting sacred places when bleeding.

It is also known that shedding blood in the temple is contraindicated. This applies not only to women on their menstrual days, but also to people who have injured themselves and experienced bleeding. However, even in past centuries, not all priests supported the ban on visiting Church during menstruation. In their opinion, the divine principle exists in a person at any time and it is impossible to excommunicate a representative of the fairer sex from religion at the time of menstruation.

Orthodox opinion

When studying the opinions of clergy, one comes across different information on this topic.

Priest Nikolai Karov:

“A woman should not be prohibited from attending church and participating in rituals, because bleeding does not occur through her fault. The main thing is to accept all existing hygiene rules.”

O. Arkady:

“All questions are discussed with the spiritual mentor. It is undesirable to baptize a child during menstruation, so it is worth moving the sacrament to another date.”

prot. Vladimir Golovin:

“It is wrong to say that something is prohibited for women during their periods. On these days, they are simply freed from other burdens, including visiting the temple and worship services. And also you cannot use the word “unclean”, because menstruation reflects the main purpose of a woman from God.”

There is no clear answer to the question whether it is possible to baptize a child with a godmother on her period. But the Orthodox Church does not advise participating in the sacraments during critical days. Godparents are a responsible mission. These people should be involved in the spiritual education of the child and set an example. Therefore, all rules must be followed. And if in doubt, you should get advice from the priest.

Is it possible for an adult to be baptized during menstruation? Menstruation and christening

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments, an important event in a person’s life, spiritual birth. Therefore, it is clear that parents carefully prepare for this event, learn the rules and procedures, and try to take into account all the subtleties.

One of the questions that parents may face is whether it is possible to baptize a child while menstruating. Most church ministers agree that it is impossible.

Why is it not allowed to baptize a child during menstruation?

A woman at this moment is considered unclean for committing, she is not allowed to venerate the cross or light candles. Some people say that on days like these. This explains why a child cannot be baptized during menstruation.

Some clergy studied this issue in detail and came to the conclusion that this restriction dates back to the Old Testament. But the New Testament no longer says anything about the fact that any restrictions are imposed on a woman during her period, or that she is considered unclean. On the contrary, the Bible tells the story of how Jesus Christ allowed himself to be touched by a woman who was menstruating.

Thus, the clergy were divided into three groups. The first believe that the arguments about uncleanness during bleeding are a historical misunderstanding and say that a woman with her period can baptize her child. The second claim that under no circumstances should you even enter the church. Still others hold an intermediate opinion: they are allowed to enter the temple and pray, but oppose the participation of women in the Sacraments.

For a final answer to the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child with menstruation, you need to go to your spiritual mentor or to the priest who will perform the Sacrament. He will tell you his view on this situation. Then do as the clergyman orders. You may be asked to reschedule.

It is important to understand that the last day of menstruation is still menstruation and it is better to check with the priest whether the child can be baptized on this day.

The arrival of a child at home is a long-awaited, exciting moment for all parents. You want to protect your baby, admire him around the clock, rejoicing at every sound he makes and his first smile. Almost from birth, young mothers and fathers think about who will be the godparents of the child born, who will support and protect in moments of danger or guide them on the right path. When the choice is made, they ask whether it is possible to baptize a child during the godmother’s period, because no one is immune from this. Calculate your options in advance to avoid any conflicts. The opinions of church ministers differ, but you can try to establish the truth.

The godmother has critical days, is the ritual possible?

Is it possible or not to baptize a child with menstruation? The godmother argues for a long time. Someone firmly defends the position that taking part in the sacraments is strictly prohibited. Others allow this option with separately stated conditions.

To avoid such a situation, parents must first agree on the date of baptism with the future godfather and the minister of the temple where the ceremony will be held. We cannot exclude the possibility that a woman’s period begins unexpectedly. In this case, she needs to inform the child’s parents and the priest. It would be a great sin if a woman deliberately concealed the fact that menstruation was possible on the appointed day.

Today there is no single strict prohibition. Some clergy allow a woman to be baptized during her monthly bleeding. This is agreed upon in advance. There are some nuances of behavior in this case. The godmother can only be present at the ceremony, without taking any part, and she also does not hold the child.

There are other options for carrying out the sacrament:

• if the godmother has her period, it is possible to perform the ceremony at home. This practice is not considered common. Everything is negotiated individually;
• some priests allow a woman during her period into the temple, but she must stand aside, while she is recognized as a godmother;
• a woman can watch the sacrament while standing in the vestibule of the temple, but she is not allowed inside;
• some priests advocate that a child cannot be baptized if a woman is having her period. The date of the sacrament is postponed or the parents take another woman as godfather.

Recommendations for future godparents from clergy

Becoming a godmother is a responsibility for every woman. She takes upon herself obligations to the Lord for the innocent child, promising to instruct and protect. Before accepting the proposal of young parents, consult a priest.

1. Know the start time of critical days so that the day of the ritual does not fall at this time.
2. Talk to the priests chosen to perform the sacrament. He may, on rare occasions, give permission for a woman to be present in the temple even at this time.
3. If your period starts earlier, don't hide it

What to do if your godmother has an unexpected period?

As a rule, every woman knows her menstrual cycle exactly, but not everything always happens according to plan. Your period may start several days earlier or later, which cannot be predicted in advance. If baptism happened on this date, you must inform the child’s parents and the priest.

There are several tips on what to do in this case:

1. Reschedule the christening date.
2. Ask another person to be the child's godmother.
3. Consult with a clergyman, he will give the necessary recommendations.

Few people know that according to church concepts, a woman is considered physically unclean until the very end of her bleeding. You cannot participate in the ritual, even on the last day

There is one more point that allows you not to postpone the planned event. There is a reference to the words of Patriarch Pavel of Serbia, who claims that a parishioner during her period of menstruation is considered unclean only physically. This does not prohibit offering prayers. Accordingly, the whole problem is blood discharge, but hygiene products can cope with this too. Using a tampon will keep the discharge inside. Of course, even such a measure does not allow full participation in the sacrament, but it does not prohibit the named godmother from being in the church.

Many priests are guided by the words of the patriarch when allowing the godmother into the temple. She is warned not to touch the icons. You can't drink holy water.

What not to do at baptism during menstruation

When your godmother starts her period, you cannot hide this fact. You should not refuse such a role, so you need to explain to the child’s parents the reason for the impossibility of your appearance in the temple.

And also you cannot hide this from the clergy. Practice shows that some priests make concessions, taking into account a person’s desire to help a child in their spiritual development.

If a woman conceals the fact of bleeding, then she harms not only herself, but also the baby. A dishonest person is not able to fulfill the function of supporting a child and his spiritual development. But lately, christenings have been reduced to an ordinary formality, where everything ends. And godfathers and mothers do not fulfill their obligations.

Is it possible to be baptized during the regul.

A woman who wants to be baptized must clearly know the date of her menstruation. It is strictly forbidden to perform the ceremony on these days. This is due to two reasons:

1. The holy water in the font will be contaminated with blood. This goes against the symbolism of her purity and ability to wash away sins. This is a spiritual reason.
2. Doctors also have a similar explanation - taking a bath during this period is prohibited. The risk of penetration of pathogens from the vagina into the cervix increases.

The ritual is postponed until the discharge is completely over.

Whether or not it is possible to baptize a woman’s child while she is on her period, the priest will tell you for sure in the church chosen by the child’s parents. You need to approach this issue responsibly so as not to violate the sacrament and not take on sin by deceiving your loved ones.

Since the very beginning of the Christian Church, baptism has been considered one of the most important mysteries, as it is associated with the direct participation of God. The priest is only a guide for finding faith. He is a witness before God that a person swears allegiance to the Lord.

Impurity can defile this ritual, make it unsacred and destroy it. This will lead to the fact that the sacrament will become a meaningless action, aimed only at the external side of the initiation rite (baptism. Any believer will not be able to agree to this. It will defile his feelings and insult his faith.

All this led to the “isolation” of the woman, turning her for some time into a person inaccessible to the church.

The sacrament of baptism is an ancient ritual when a person renounces Satan and makes an oath to the Lord, reading the Creed, performing other rituals that ensure a person’s acceptance of Christianity and his initiation.

Before the person being baptized finally accepts the faith, he must undergo cleansing from filth and observe a number of rules that also lead to catharsis. This is a reflection of the fact that a person must come to God with a pure soul and body. It is the issue of physical and spiritual purity that underlies the ban on participating in the sacrament of baptism for a woman during her menstruation.

Women and girls who had PMS could not and cannot participate in the sacrament of baptism, since they are considered unclean and were cleansed of filth during their cycle. They could neither be godparents nor be baptized during the menstrual cycle. A woman is unstable during her “difficult” period, which can affect her health. This applies to both the mental and physical state of a woman. This point of view still exists in the church environment. It is also impossible to be a godmother during a “cleansing”, since this is also explained by the emotional instability of the female body during a “difficult” time.

Hiding the fact that a woman is “purifying” is a sin.

There is another side to the ban, associated with natural reasons why a woman cannot participate in the sacrament of baptism during menstruation.

Firstly, in ancient times women did not wear underwear, so during their “special status” they fell into the status of persona non grata. When they had PMS, their “impurity” could pollute the temple and desecrate it. The woman was not allowed into the church at this time until her period ended. This was not gender discrimination, but was done for aesthetic and hygienic reasons by the clergy.

In the modern world, there are tampons and clothes, but the very fact of PMS remains a fact. If blood gets into the water during immersion in the font, then the water will be defiled by the “uncleanness” of the woman and will be unsuitable for the sacrament.

From a hygiene point of view, this is also quite dangerous, since a woman’s cervix is ​​slightly open during menstruation, and this can lead to bacteria entering it and subsequent infection.

A woman during her period cannot control her emotions associated with worry about bleeding, anxiety due to the discomfort of the situation. Her thoughts are constantly distracted, and the woman herself is emotionally and mentally distracted, which is strictly prohibited in the church. The godfather or person being baptized must focus on the ritual, prayers and communion with God.

He should not be distracted by extraneous thoughts and conversations in order to maintain the purity of the ritual. During “critical” days, a woman cannot fully control her emotional background. This is also one of the problems of its isolation during the PMS period.

Smirnova Olga (gynecologist, State Medical University, 2010)

Any church ceremony is carried out according to certain rules. Many women know that it is undesirable to visit the temple on critical days. But there is no clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to be a godmother during menstruation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand why some priests allow, while others oppose, a parishioner with menstruation during the baptism of a child.

How to proceed

If the date of the child’s christening falls on menstruation, but it is not possible to choose another date, you can simply write down the godmother. And also when a boy is baptized, her presence is not necessary. A woman must understand that her future participation in the child’s life is much more important, and not her presence at the sacrament.

Don't forget one important point. If you do not know whether it is possible to baptize a child with menstruation, then doubts arise about your preparedness to fulfill your future obligations to the baby. Godparents who do not go to church and do not follow the rules cannot help the child in spiritual matters.

I recently learned that there is a certain ban on visiting church and praying for a woman during her monthly cleansing, and quite by accident from a friend. At first I didn’t believe it, because I thought that how could you prohibit visiting church and praying to God if you needed it. I immediately felt uneasy in my soul, because it happened that I attended church on such days and even lit candles. The subsequent excitement was due to the fact that my niece was about to be baptized, and I was asked to be godmother and organize this great event. My sister wanted to baptize the child in her homeland in Riga, so that relatives could be present, who, unfortunately, do not have the opportunity to see the child often and participate in his upbringing, and therefore decided to perform the Christening during the arrival of my sister and her daughter to their homeland from the USA. This was the week when I (godmother) was supposed to have my monthly cleansing days. I informed my sister about this, but unfortunately it was not possible to significantly change the day of the christening due to lack of time and free days. It turned out that I consciously went to baptize the child, knowing that it was a sin for me to participate in church ceremonies on such days. This makes me very worried, and I would like to know what should be done in such cases? Is it necessary to talk about this in confession?

Victoria

student

Latvia, Riga

Dear Victoria, I would like to clarify a little: there is not and cannot be a ban on prayer at any period of a person’s life, including for a woman during the period of monthly cleansing. We can always turn to God and read the Gospel; this is a natural need of the human soul, and leaving it without this, like the body without food, is mortally dangerous.

In the modern prevailing practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, a woman during the period of monthly purification is allowed to be present in the temple and, of course, to pray in the temple, and not just stand. But to be there with some reasonable restrictions, caused by reverence for the shrine. Namely: do not partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, except in an exceptional situation, illness, before an operation, before any other mortal danger, in some other exceptional situations, do not venerate church shrines, relics, icons, the altar cross given by the priest . Also limit yourself in the use of prosphora and holy water during the period of monthly cleansing, unless there is an emergency need. It is important to remember that behind this attitude, behind this practice there is not a view of a woman as an unclean creature during the period of her life, but the remembering that the whole person participates in the shrine, remember that our faith is not spiritualistic, but also the soul and body of a person are touched by the shrine of the church, by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. And just as a priest in a state of bleeding wound should not perform the Divine Liturgy, in the same way a woman is refrained from Communion. Already expanding, they extend this restriction to other church shrines. Perhaps your bewilderment is due to the fact that the leadership of previous centuries made stricter demands on women. But here it is important to remember that the Church applies its statutes - not faith and dogma - but rituals and statutes, in relation to the needs of pastoral care. Then, in those centuries when the entire life of society was unconditionally church-going, then a week's abstinence from being in church, limiting oneself to home prayer, could not lead to losses, and significant ones, for the human soul. Now, an extra week spent without going to church often turns into such a drying out of the soul, such an internal diminishment, a sprout that makes its way to spiritual life, that, of course, one should not resort to this abstinence.

Regarding what happened in your situation, let’s say that, of course, it is better to begin the Sacraments of the Church, including in the role of a godmother. not with a double conscience. However, do not doubt that the Sacrament of Baptism was truly and effectively performed, and the fact that you were in such a state cannot have any mystical consequences either for the child or for you. I believe that you should do this: say at the next confession approximately the same thing that you wrote in the letter, and listen to what the priest tells you, remembering that the traditions of treating this period of a woman’s life in different dioceses and even different parishes differ.

Is it possible to be a godmother during menstruation: opinions of 5 clergy

Any church ceremony is carried out according to certain rules. Many women know that it is undesirable to visit the temple on critical days. But there is no clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to be a godmother during menstruation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand why some priests allow, while others oppose, a parishioner with menstruation during the baptism of a child.

From the history

The Old Testament stated that a woman during her menstrual flow is unclean. Therefore, she was not allowed to touch people and things, which were then also considered unclean. But scientists explain this by saying that the rule concerns sanitary standards rather than divine instructions. In desert conditions it was necessary to eliminate any risk of infection and other diseases.

At the beginning of the emergence of Christianity (the first 500 years) there were no restrictions on this issue. The female half of the population could freely go to the temple and participate in rituals. Later, the clergy changed their point of view, beginning to prohibit girls from being in sacred places when bleeding.

It is known that blood should not be shed in the temple. But in the absence of modern methods of intimate hygiene, menstruation could still end up on the floor. Many famous priests did not support this approach.

They believed that the divine principle exists in a person at any moment of life. Therefore, a woman should not be excommunicated from the church during her menstruation. But more discussions flare up around the christening of the child.

Modern approach

How to conduct a christening is decided on an individual basis. A specific church organization has the right to establish rules of conduct for its parishioners based on its own interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.

Therefore, the priest’s answer about whether it is possible to be a godmother during menstruation in one church will be positive, and negative in another.

The Catholic Church has long abolished outdated prohibitions. Only conservatives associate menstruation with “uncleanness.”

Father's opinion:

“Today it is easier for a woman to observe the rules of personal hygiene. Therefore, I don’t see any reasons that would prohibit visiting the temple and taking part in worship during menstruation.”

Another priest gives this interesting information:

“Why can’t you baptize a menstruating baby or go to church? All this is a common historical misunderstanding. I believe that natural processes in the body cannot defile a person in any way. Only sinful actions can do this. Therefore, it is not prohibited to lead a full church life.”

Helpful tips for baptism during menstruation

To eliminate any doubts, a woman needs to do the following:

1. Consult with the priest who will perform the baptism ceremony. The priest can completely prohibit being in the temple or simply exclude touching shrines (someone else will hold the child).
2. If possible, reschedule the event. But situations cannot be ruled out when a clergyman will allow the child to be fully baptized with the participation of a woman. Everything will depend on the specific parish and the explanation of the Holy Scriptures.

Find out in one of our articles whether it is possible to go to a cemetery while on your period.

Orthodox exceptions

Due to the Bishops' Conference, which took place in 2015, the church officially established the rule of abstaining from the sacrament during the period of female purification.

Therefore, the discussion about whether it is possible to go to church christenings while on your period was resolved. Visiting the temple is allowed, but participation in rituals may be a problem.

But there are exceptions according to which it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation:

• in mortal danger;
• with prolonged bleeding due to illness.

The future godmother should take this into account and study her cycle. If your period comes earlier than planned or lasts longer than usual, it is not the woman’s fault. It is much worse if a person knows in advance about the impossibility of participating in the sacrament, but still agrees.

How to proceed

If the date of the child’s christening falls on menstruation, but it is not possible to choose another date, you can simply write down the godmother. And also when a boy is baptized, her presence is not necessary. A woman must understand that her future participation in the child’s life is much more important, and not her presence at the sacrament.

Don't forget one important point. If you do not know whether it is possible to baptize a child with menstruation, then doubts arise about your preparedness to fulfill your future obligations to the baby. Godparents who do not go to church and do not follow the rules cannot help the child in spiritual matters.

Source: https://MesyachnyeDni.ru/menstruaciya/primety/mozhno-li-byt-krestnoj-vo-vremya-mesyachnyh.html

Why is it undesirable to visit a temple and baptize a child during menstruation?

This taboo dates back to the advent of the Old Testament. During her menstrual cycle, a woman is unclean and defiles the temple by her presence. A woman is forbidden to light candles, kiss a crucifix, or attend church. For this reason, it is prohibited to baptize a child with menstruation. And the New Testament does not include a ban on menstruating women. Therefore, the opinions of clergy of different faiths differ on this topic:

1. The priests give permission to the godmother with her period not only to enter the House of God, but also to baptize the child during her period.
2. They allow the godmother to enter the temple, but she is not allowed to take the child from the bowl for washing. Someone else must do this.
3. In general, women with menstruation are prohibited from crossing the threshold of the church.

If the godmother has her period on the date of the christening, she should behave honestly regarding the church, parents and godson. After all, the rite of baptism is subject to the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, when a person is born again for the sake of spiritual life.

Today, the position of clergy on the issue of baptism during menstruation differs. According to popular opinion, there was no ban with this wording: “women are prohibited from coming to church during menstrual periods.”

However, there was a ban on the shedding of human blood in the temple. In this case, the woman desecrates the place and it must be consecrated again. Returning to the past, we can also emphasize that at that time a woman could really dirty the floor in the temple, because modern hygiene products did not exist at that time.

It turns out that the (menstrual) blood was shed and, in general, seemed to desecrate the holy place, and simply simply dirty it.

Is it worth sticking to the rule nowadays?

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Now we know what the reason for the possible ban was, but the question remains open: is it possible today for a girl with menstruation to appear in the temple and?

After all, in the 21st century there are many hygiene products that will not allow you to desecrate or stain a holy place.

If you believe Archpriest Dionysius Svechnikov, women should still refrain from participating in the sacraments today, but this rule can still be circumvented.

A woman can baptize her child during menstruation if:

• the sacrament cannot be postponed to another day (due to the fact that the child/godmother/godfather/parents are very sick and are near death);
• the woman did not know that on this day her period would begin (there was a malfunction in the body, they began much earlier or later than the expected date).

To baptize or not to baptize?

If you decide to baptize a child, then first of all go to the church where you want to conduct the ceremony, talk with the clergyman who will explain how the sacrament will take place in this particular church.

It is worth immediately noting that not all churches have the same rules regarding baptism. Somewhere it is allowed, but somewhere you can do without them altogether. In some, a secret ceremony may be performed on a church holiday, while in others, you may be refused and assigned a specific special day.

Church of St. Gregory Dvoeslov

It is possible that the people working in this temple support St. Gregory the Dialogue, who lived in the sixth century.

He argued that women should not be prohibited from visiting the temple during menstruation, since they are not guilty, that this feature is given to them by nature and the natural cleansing of a woman’s body, granted to her by the Almighty, should not be considered something dirty.

However, before taking part in the sacrament, a woman will need to repent in confession.

Even church leaders cannot accurately answer the question of whether a woman with her period should baptize her child. Different churches may react differently to such a state of the future godmother. Therefore, before you begin to prepare for christening, clarify your questions at the temple chosen for the sacrament.

The question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation is related to the concept of ritual impurity. There is simply no clear answer to this. It was simply not considered at any Orthodox Council, so there is no single decision made on this issue.

That is, those who refer to any church “canons” are mistaken and mislead others, or deliberately rely on non-existent evidence to confirm their opinion.

Every woman who is preparing to become a godmother or baptize her child must decide for herself, with the help of a priest. Among older people who profess Orthodoxy, there is an established prejudice that completely prohibits a woman from attending church during her menstruation. The most important church “experts” on all issues related to rituals, the “grandmothers,” rely on pagan traditions. Many Orthodox priests admit that a woman in this state can attend divine services, but should not take part in the Sacraments and venerate shrines. Where did these opinions come from?

The sacrament of baptism has certain rules

Some tips

God's servants turn to future godmothers with the following recommendations:

• In order not to find yourself in an awkward situation, calculate your menstrual cycle and discuss this point with your parents.
• Contact your priest, he will tell you what to do in this situation. There are times when they give permission to participate in the ritual.
• Under no circumstances should this fact be hidden from the priest and the child’s parents.

There is definitely a way out of every life circumstance. You need to be honest with yourself and with other people. Weigh the pros and cons, set your priorities, and you will surely make the right decision. As a last resort, without reaching a consensus, you can invite another woman to play the role of godmother.

Helpful tips for baptism during menstruation

To eliminate any doubts, a woman needs to do the following:

1. Consult with the priest who will perform the baptism ceremony. The priest can completely prohibit being in the temple or simply exclude touching shrines (someone else will hold the child).
2. If possible, reschedule the event. But situations cannot be ruled out when a clergyman will allow the child to be fully baptized with the participation of a woman. Everything will depend on the specific parish and the explanation of the Holy Scriptures.

New Testament on Ritual Purity

In the New Testament, the concept of human purity is already associated with the state of the spirit, not the body.

The most striking episode confirming this is the healing of the bleeding woman. This woman suffered for many years from a terrible illness accompanied by incessant bleeding. Having learned about Christ, she decided that just touching the hem of his robe would help her recover. If we judge her according to the Old Testament law, then she committed a terrible crime - she desecrated many people while she made her way through the crowd, and then made Christ himself “unclean.” But the very comparison of the name of Jesus and the concept of “filth” is nonsense. The Lord not only did not condemn the bleeding woman, but also praised her for her demonstrated faith and set her as an example to others. In this episode, Christ confirmed that no human uncleanness can be an obstacle on the path to God, cannot defile Him.

Jesus calmly touched dead bodies and returned souls to them. The funeral service, according to Orthodox custom, takes place in the church, which is also proof of the complete destruction of the ancient idea of ​​“defilement.”

The New Testament says nothing about this

The difference in the Old and New Testament understandings of ritual uncleanness is that from the Old Testament point of view, the unclean in body and spirit is unclean. The New Testament does not connect spiritual and bodily uncleanness. A reasonable woman understands that if she does not take the necessary measures, she risks staining the floor or surrounding objects, which will not desecrate, but will actually pollute the church. This will not drive the Holy Spirit out of the temple, but a believing woman treats everything connected with God and the church with special trepidation, which means she will try to avoid this.

What Scripture Says

The Christian Bible says that a woman is unclean during a natural process in her body. By touching other people or things, it makes them also unclean.

Perhaps, previously, hygiene was at a low level and such a rule was justified so as not to spread infectious and other diseases. In addition, it is forbidden to shed any blood in the temple.

Women did not wear underwear and could leave traces of blood in the temple, which is unacceptable. Therefore, they were advised to stay at home.

The issue was and remains controversial. Even priests answer it differently. Many discussions flare up on the topic: is it possible to baptize a child during menstruation.

Some priests are unequivocally against women visiting the temple on menstrual days. They refer to the fact that during the sacrament all the thoughts of those gathered should be directed towards spiritual contact with God. During the natural physiological process of the body, a woman may be distracted in her thoughts for various reasons: pain, nervous tension, etc.

Old Testament understanding of ritual impurity

In Old Testament times, the concept of uncleanness was associated with the condition of the human body. Anything that reminded one of death, including illness, was associated with “badness.” A dead human body and everyone who touched it was considered unclean. Anyone who had any discharge from the body (bleeding wound, runny nose, etc.) was considered “bad.”

This also applied to women during menstruation. All objects and people she touched became “defiled.” Then there were no hygiene products that modern girls and women have at hand.

The unpleasant smell and the risk that bodily fluids could stain the floor of the church made it impossible for women to attend church services in this state.

Since then, the belief has emerged among believers that visiting church and taking part in the Sacraments, and therefore in the Baptism of a child during menstruation, is unacceptable.

New Testament on Ritual Purity

In the New Testament, the concept of human purity is already associated with the state of the spirit, not the body.

The most striking episode confirming this is the healing of the bleeding woman. This woman suffered for many years from a terrible illness accompanied by incessant bleeding. Having learned about Christ, she decided that just touching the hem of his robe would help her recover.

If we judge her according to the Old Testament law, then she committed a terrible crime - she desecrated many people while she made her way through the crowd, and then made Christ himself “unclean.” But the very comparison of the name of Jesus and the concept of “filth” is nonsense. The Lord not only did not condemn the bleeding woman, but also praised her for her demonstrated faith and set her as an example to others.

In this episode, Christ confirmed that no human uncleanness can be an obstacle on the path to God, cannot defile Him.

Jesus calmly touched dead bodies and returned souls to them. The funeral service, according to Orthodox custom, takes place in the church, which is also proof of the complete destruction of the ancient idea of ​​“defilement.”

The difference in the Old and New Testament understandings of ritual uncleanness is that from the Old Testament point of view, the unclean in body and spirit is unclean. The New Testament does not connect spiritual and bodily uncleanness.

A reasonable woman understands that if she does not take the necessary measures, she risks staining the floor or surrounding objects, which will not desecrate, but will actually pollute the church.

This will not drive the Holy Spirit out of the temple, but a believing woman treats everything connected with God and the church with special trepidation, which means she will try to avoid this.

View of the modern Church

Many young clergy are now of the opinion that the ban on a woman visiting church during menstruation is an outdated church canon and contradicts the Orthodox understanding of human purity. Attention should be paid to spiritual readiness, not physical readiness.

But, out of respect for established church traditions, most priests still do not recommend giving communion or baptizing children during menstruation.

Visiting church on critical days is not prohibited

A similar opinion is shared by one of the modern theologians, Patriarch Pavel of Serbia. He writes that menstruation does not make a woman ritually unclean or defile her prayer. Physical impurity, in his opinion, has nothing to do with spiritual impurity. Having taken all the necessary measures, with special caution, a woman can come to the temple, pray, sing, take holy water and antidor, but should not receive communion or be baptized (and therefore baptize). However, in a terminal illness, a woman can receive Holy Communion and be baptized.

Is it possible to baptize a child during menstruation?

The question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation is related to the concept of ritual impurity. There is simply no clear answer to this. It was simply not considered at any Orthodox Council, so there is no single decision made on this issue.

That is, those who refer to any church “canons” are mistaken and mislead others, or deliberately rely on non-existent evidence to confirm their opinion.

Every woman who is preparing to become a godmother or baptize her child must decide for herself, with the help of a priest. Among older people who profess Orthodoxy, there is an established prejudice that completely prohibits a woman from attending church during her menstruation.

The most important church “experts” on all issues related to rituals, the “grandmothers,” rely on pagan traditions. Many Orthodox priests admit that a woman in this state can attend divine services, but should not take part in the Sacraments and venerate shrines.

Where did these opinions come from?

The sacrament of baptism has certain rules

Old Testament understanding of ritual impurity

In Old Testament times, the concept of uncleanness was associated with the condition of the human body. Anything that reminded one of death, including illness, was associated with “badness.” A dead human body and everyone who touched it was considered unclean. Anyone who had any discharge from the body (bleeding wound, runny nose, etc.) was considered “bad.”

This also applied to women during menstruation. All objects and people she touched became “defiled.” Then there were no hygiene products that modern girls and women have at hand.

The unpleasant smell and the risk that bodily fluids could stain the floor of the church made it impossible for women to attend church services in this state.

The concept of female impurity is present in the Old Testament

Since then, the belief has emerged among believers that visiting church and taking part in the Sacraments, and therefore in the Baptism of a child during menstruation, is unacceptable.

New Testament on Ritual Purity

In the New Testament, the concept of human purity is already associated with the state of the spirit, not the body.

The most striking episode confirming this is the healing of the bleeding woman. This woman suffered for many years from a terrible illness accompanied by incessant bleeding. Having learned about Christ, she decided that just touching the hem of his robe would help her recover.

If we judge her according to the Old Testament law, then she committed a terrible crime - she desecrated many people while she made her way through the crowd, and then made Christ himself “unclean.” But the very comparison of the name of Jesus and the concept of “filth” is nonsense. The Lord not only did not condemn the bleeding woman, but also praised her for her demonstrated faith and set her as an example to others.

In this episode, Christ confirmed that no human uncleanness can be an obstacle on the path to God, cannot defile Him.

Jesus calmly touched dead bodies and returned souls to them. The funeral service, according to Orthodox custom, takes place in the church, which is also proof of the complete destruction of the ancient idea of ​​“defilement.”

The New Testament says nothing about this

The difference in the Old and New Testament understandings of ritual uncleanness is that from the Old Testament point of view, the unclean in body and spirit is unclean. The New Testament does not connect spiritual and bodily uncleanness.

A reasonable woman understands that if she does not take the necessary measures, she risks staining the floor or surrounding objects, which will not desecrate, but will actually pollute the church.

This will not drive the Holy Spirit out of the temple, but a believing woman treats everything connected with God and the church with special trepidation, which means she will try to avoid this.

Saint Athanasius the Great and Saint Gregory the Great on female impurity

The first written refutation of the concept of female impurity dates back to the fourth century. This is a message from St. Athanasius the Great to a monk.

It says that God did not create anything bad, which means that a woman can be considered clean at any time and attend church services.

Saint Athanasius the Great – mosaic

At the beginning of the seventh century, Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov, when asked about female impurity, answered that menstruation is not a sin. This is a natural phenomenon for the female body and has nothing to do with her will. A person cannot be considered unclean for something that does not depend on him.

He goes on to say that if a woman in this state dares to take communion, she thus shows faith worthy of respect and she cannot be condemned for it. If, on the contrary, she abstains from Communion during her period out of reverence, then she is worthy of approval.

This can also be said about participation in the Baptism of a child.

View of the modern Church

Many young clergy are now of the opinion that the ban on a woman visiting church during menstruation is an outdated church canon and contradicts the Orthodox understanding of human purity. Attention should be paid to spiritual readiness, not physical readiness.

But, out of respect for established church traditions, most priests still do not recommend giving communion or baptizing children during menstruation.

Visiting church on critical days is not prohibited

A similar opinion is shared by one of the modern theologians, Patriarch Pavel of Serbia. He writes that menstruation does not make a woman ritually unclean or defile her prayer.

Physical impurity, in his opinion, has nothing to do with spiritual impurity. Having taken all the necessary measures, with special caution, a woman can come to the temple, pray, sing, take holy water and antidor, but should not receive communion or be baptized (and therefore baptize).

However, in a terminal illness, a woman can receive Holy Communion and be baptized.

Individual approach

Many priests still adhere to Old Testament views on female impurity. They recommend either not visiting the temple at all during menstruation, or limiting yourself to attending the service, but not venerating shrines, and therefore not taking part in the Sacraments.

Therefore, before you begin to prepare for the Baptism of a child, it is advisable to ask the clergyman who will perform it exactly how he views this issue.

A priest who adheres to old views, without hearing such a question, may become embarrassed during the celebration of the Sacrament, which is undesirable.

Baptism items should be prepared by the godmother

If during Baptism, instead of praying with all his soul for the baby, his parents and his adoptive parents, he is tormented by the question of whether one of the women present is “unclean,” this will have a bad effect on the entire Sacrament.

Mood

There is another aspect to the problem. On such a holiday, as on any memorable day, you want nothing to distract from what is happening, so that nothing spoils pleasant, joyful memories.

It is unlikely that a woman during menstruation can easily avoid the feeling of discomfort. In summer, despite the fact that hygiene products are used, there is a high risk of staining the floor in the temple.

This will inevitably create unnecessary anxiety on the part of the future godmother or mother, which will also adversely affect prayer and mood.

Real obstacles

When preparing to become a godmother, you need to pay all attention not to bodily purity, but to the purification of the soul. Cleanliness of the body is important, but far from paramount.

The sacrament of baptism: features of the ritual, signs and warnings

Only sin makes a woman bad. It is more important to organize the preparation time in such a way as to avoid, if possible, entertainment, vain thoughts and calculations, empty chatter, and quarrels.

If the future godmother or mother enters the temple before the Sacrament, and their mind is busy counting the guests or the mother-in-law’s new skirt, this will have a much worse effect on Baptism than the female impurity of one of those present.

Therefore, it is good if it is possible to limit communication and visiting public places for at least one or two days. It is best to stay at home and read the Gospel, prepare for confession, and carefully examine yourself from the inside.

Source: https://detki.guru/vospitanie/religiya-duhovno-nravstvennoe/vo-vremya-mesyachnyh-krestit-rebenka.html

Real obstacles

When preparing to become a godmother, you need to pay all attention not to bodily purity, but to the purification of the soul. Cleanliness of the body is important, but far from paramount.

The sacrament of baptism: features of the ritual, signs and warnings

Only sin makes a woman bad. It is more important to organize the preparation time in such a way as to avoid, if possible, entertainment, vain thoughts and calculations, empty chatter, and quarrels.

If the future godmother or mother enters the temple before the Sacrament, and their mind is busy counting the guests or the mother-in-law’s new skirt, this will have a much worse effect on Baptism than the female impurity of one of those present. Therefore, it is good if it is possible to limit communication and visiting public places for at least one or two days. It is best to stay at home and read the Gospel, prepare for confession, and carefully examine yourself from the inside.

The arrival of a child at home is a long-awaited, exciting moment for all parents. You want to protect your baby, admire him around the clock, rejoicing at every sound he makes and his first smile. Almost from birth, young mothers and fathers think about who will be the godparents of the child born, who will support and protect in moments of danger or guide them on the right path. When the choice is made, they ask whether it is possible to baptize a child during the godmother’s period, because no one is immune from this. Calculate your options in advance to avoid any conflicts. The opinions of church ministers differ, but you can try to establish the truth.

A woman who wants to be baptized must clearly know the date of her menstruation. It is strictly forbidden to perform the ceremony on these days. This is due to two reasons:

1. The holy water in the font will be contaminated with blood. This goes against the symbolism of her purity and ability to wash away sins. This is a spiritual reason.
2. Doctors also have a similar explanation - taking a bath during this period is prohibited. The risk of penetration of pathogens from the vagina into the cervix increases.

The ritual is postponed until the discharge is completely over.

Whether or not it is possible to baptize a woman’s child while she is on her period, the priest will tell you for sure in the church chosen by the child’s parents. You need to approach this issue responsibly so as not to violate the sacrament and not take on sin by deceiving your loved ones.

The arrival of a child at home is a long-awaited, exciting moment for all parents. You want to protect your baby, admire him around the clock, rejoicing at every sound he makes and his first smile. Almost from birth, young mothers and fathers think about who will be the godparents of the child born, who will support and protect in moments of danger or guide them on the right path. When the choice is made, they ask whether it is possible to baptize a child during the godmother’s period, because no one is immune from this. Calculate your options in advance to avoid any conflicts. The opinions of church ministers differ, but you can try to establish the truth.

Is it possible to be a godmother while on your period?

The arrival of a child at home is a long-awaited, exciting moment for all parents.
You want to protect your baby, admire him around the clock, rejoicing at every sound he makes and his first smile. Almost from birth, young mothers and fathers think about who will be the godparents of the child born, who will support and protect in moments of danger or guide them on the right path. When the choice is made, they ask whether it is possible to baptize a child during the godmother’s period, because no one is immune from this.

Calculate your options in advance to avoid any conflicts. The opinions of church ministers differ, but you can try to establish the truth.

The godmother has critical days, is the ritual possible?

Is it possible or not to baptize a child with menstruation? The godmother argues for a long time. Someone firmly defends the position that taking part in the sacraments is strictly prohibited. Others allow this option with separately stated conditions.

To avoid such a situation, parents must first agree on the date of baptism with the future godfather and the minister of the temple where the ceremony will be held.

We cannot exclude the possibility that a woman’s period begins unexpectedly. In this case, she needs to inform the child’s parents and the priest.

It would be a great sin if a woman deliberately concealed the fact that menstruation was possible on the appointed day.

Today there is no single strict prohibition. Some clergy allow a woman to be baptized during her monthly bleeding. This is agreed upon in advance. There are some nuances of behavior in this case. The godmother can only be present at the ceremony, without taking any part, and she also does not hold the child.

There are other options for carrying out the sacrament:

• if the godmother has her period, it is possible to perform the ceremony at home. This practice is not considered common. Everything is negotiated individually;
• some priests allow a woman during her period into the temple, but she must stand aside, while she is recognized as a godmother;
• a woman can watch the sacrament while standing in the vestibule of the temple, but she is not allowed inside;
• some priests advocate that a child cannot be baptized if a woman is having her period. The date of the sacrament is postponed or the parents take another woman as godfather.

What to do if your godmother has an unexpected period?

As a rule, every woman knows her menstrual cycle exactly, but not everything always happens according to plan. Your period may start several days earlier or later, which cannot be predicted in advance. If baptism happened on this date, you must inform the child’s parents and the priest.

There are several tips on what to do in this case:

1. Reschedule the christening date.
2. Ask another person to be the child's godmother.
3. Consult with a clergyman, he will give the necessary recommendations.

Few people know that according to church concepts, a woman is considered physically unclean until the very end of her bleeding. You cannot participate in the ritual, even on the last day

There is one more point that allows you not to postpone the planned event. There is a reference to the words of Patriarch Pavel of Serbia, who claims that a parishioner during her period of menstruation is considered unclean only physically. This does not prohibit offering prayers.

Accordingly, the whole problem is blood discharge, but hygiene products can cope with this too. Using a tampon will keep the discharge inside.

Of course, even such a measure does not allow full participation in the sacrament, but it does not prohibit the named godmother from being in the church.

Many priests are guided by the words of the patriarch when allowing the godmother into the temple. She is warned not to touch the icons. You can't drink holy water.

Recommendations for future godparents from clergy

Becoming a godmother is a responsibility for every woman. She takes upon herself obligations to the Lord for the innocent child, promising to instruct and protect. Before accepting the proposal of young parents, consult a priest.

They have some general recommendations:

1. Know the start time of critical days so that the day of the ritual does not fall at this time.
2. Talk to the priests chosen to perform the sacrament. He may, on rare occasions, give permission for a woman to be present in the temple even at this time.
3. If your period started earlier, do not hide it.

Is it possible to be baptized during the regul.

A woman who wants to be baptized must clearly know the date of her menstruation. It is strictly forbidden to perform the ceremony on these days. This is due to two reasons:

1. The holy water in the font will be contaminated with blood. This goes against the symbolism of her purity and ability to wash away sins. This is a spiritual reason.
2. Doctors also have a similar explanation - taking a bath during this period is prohibited. The risk of penetration of pathogens from the vagina into the cervix increases.

The ritual is postponed until the discharge is completely over.

Whether or not it is possible to baptize a woman’s child while she is on her period, the priest will tell you for sure in the church chosen by the child’s parents. You need to approach this issue responsibly so as not to violate the sacrament and not take on sin by deceiving your loved ones.

Source: https://TvoiMesyachnye.ru/obshhie-svedeniya/mozhno-li-krestit-rebenka-v-mesyachnye

Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is the first and most important sacrament in Christianity.

We become members of the church by going through it, and only after baptism can we take part in other existing sacraments, including communion. It gives a person hope for eternal life. The ceremony is carried out while reading certain prayers. The person is either dipped in water three times or sprinkled with water.

Water is a symbol of purity, thereby not only washing away ordinary dirt from us, but also cleansing us morally. Those who are faced with baptism for the first time should know that the whole process consists of interconnected rites.

This ritual was first performed by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, then Jesus Christ was baptized by him. In the modern world, it is carried out by a clergyman specially trained for this purpose. The one who is baptized repents of his sins. As the church explains, a person receives a new spiritual birth, he ceases to exist for a sinful, carnal life and is reborn into a new, eternal, spiritual life.

In ancient times, for example, babies were not baptized. They don’t yet have an awareness of faith. Relatives should take full responsibility for making decisions. Now it is customary for us to baptize young children.

Infants are baptized into the faith followed by their parents. All participants in the ceremony must be fellow believers.

Spiritual successors, godfather and godmother, are responsible for raising the godson within the framework of Christian laws.

The concept of female “impurity” in religion

This concept has been known since the Old Testament. Having analyzed it, we can conclude that “impurity” included non-compliance with hygienic and ritual rules. For example, the bodies of dead people, the internal organs of animals, various diseases, especially of the skin, women giving birth, the worship of idols, the sins of the pagans - all this was considered “bad”.

The list also includes any bleeding from the body, including menstrual flow, which is reminiscent of death and original sin. It is quite possible that due to the lack of intimate hygiene products in those days, the woman simply stained the floors in the church with her secretions and therefore it was forbidden to visit it.

The New Testament places the concept of purity on a completely new level - the highest, spiritual.

Christians who live according to the New Testament canons do not consider skin diseases, dead flesh, and blood to be something spiritually unclean. The story even describes an incident in which a very sick woman who was menstruating touched Jesus' clothing and was healed. It can be concluded that no restrictions were established in this matter.

The New Testament does not connect physical and spiritual, prayerful purity. But whether it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation - the question remains open to this day.

The godmother is having “critical” days

To carry out or not to carry out baptism, if the godmother has “these very days” worries many. For fear of doing something wrong, every parent seeks the answer to this question. They turn to clergy for clarification and ask friends.

Nobody will give you a definite answer. There is a lot of controversy and discussion on this topic. Opinions are divided: some only allow visiting church, reading prayers and turning to God, others consider even this unacceptable. Today, God's servants have ambivalent opinions about the “woman with menstruation” and her rights in religious life. Exceptions apply to terminally ill women. On critical days they can receive communion and be baptized.

The Orthodox Church has a “Book of Rules”. It also touches on the issue discussed in this article. It is believed that menstruation makes a woman “unclean” only physically. So she can go to church to pray.

As for participation in the sacrament of baptism, in Orthodoxy it is unacceptable to attend it during “women’s” days.

The teachers of the Orthodox Church also focus on the impossibility of attending absolutely all existing sacraments of a woman during the menstrual cycle. A month consists of thirty days, you are sure to find one that suits you. It is better to wait for a more favorable period and reschedule the ceremony. If it is prohibited, then there is a reason for it.

After all, there are deep-rooted traditions that must be respected and not questioned about their observance. If suddenly the circumstances developed and you were forced to baptize your baby, being “unclean,” be sure to then confess.

Godmother's menstruation: is it possible to perform baptism?

The sacrament of baptism requires a certain responsibility from parents and godparents. There are many recommendations to follow. It’s not uncommon for women to wonder whether it’s possible to baptize a baby’s godparents during their period.

It is believed that on critical days a girl is dirty and should not visit the temple. However, this opinion has been present since the absence of complete personal hygiene products. It is recommended to consult with a priest first.

The godmother should calculate her periods in advance and make sure that an important event does not fall during her period.

Godparents must take part in baptisms

What is known from history

The Old Testament says that when a girl sheds blood, she is considered unclean. People and things that a woman touches during her menstrual period also become dirty. Modern scientists believe that this has more to do with sanitary standards rather than divine instructions.

It is known that previously there were no sanitary pads and similar personal hygiene products. In this case, the woman could stain everything with blood. Contact with biological fluid increases the risk of transmission of infection or other pathologies. During menstruation, for this reason, the woman had to stay at home.

It is interesting that in the early days after the birth of Christianity, no restrictions were imposed on the fairer sex. Women could safely participate in any rituals. Only a little later, clergymen forbade girls from visiting sacred places when bleeding.

Church imposes restrictions on girls with menstruation

It is also known that shedding blood in the temple is contraindicated. This applies not only to women on their menstrual days, but also to people who have injured themselves and experienced bleeding.

However, even in past centuries, not all priests supported the ban on visiting Church during menstruation.

In their opinion, the divine principle exists in a person at any time and it is impossible to excommunicate a representative of the fairer sex from religion at the time of menstruation.

Interestingly, the restrictions do not affect terminally ill women. They can attend Church even during critical days.

What is the Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is the very first and most important event in the life of Christians. Only after this ritual does a person become a member of the church and can participate in other sacraments.

The ritual is accompanied by the reading of prayers. The baptized person is dipped in water or sprinkled with it. Water is a symbol of purity, which helps to wash away all dirt and cleanse on a moral level.

During the ceremony, the child is immersed in a font

The main symbols of the ritual and the history of its appearance are presented in the table.

Up to 7 years of age, the need for baptism is determined by the parents. Upon reaching this age, the child’s consent must be asked. This is necessary so as not to violate the individual’s right to freedom of choice of religion.

After 14 years of age, there is no need for the presence of parents during the ritual. It is enough to simply invite witnesses.

Is it possible to perform a ritual during menstruation?

It is advisable to agree on the date of baptism with the godmother in advance. So a woman can calculate the days when she will not have her period, unless, of course, there is a disruption in the menstrual cycle.

If the godmother is menstruating, then it is worth telling the priest who will perform the ceremony about it in advance.

We must not forget that under the influence of various factors, critical days can come unexpectedly. In this case, the godson’s parents and the priest must be informed about menstruation. It will be considered a sin if this information is deliberately kept secret.

Today there is no strict ban on baptism during menstruation. This is due to the emergence of various personal hygiene products. Some priests allow women to participate in the ritual even during menstruation. The main thing is to discuss the current situation in advance.

The sacrament has some nuances. During menstruation, a woman should simply attend the ceremony. She should not hold the child at the same time. There is also a less common option - holding the ceremony at home.

While in the Church, a woman should stand aside. Despite this, she is recognized as a godmother. It is also worth noting that some priests categorically prohibit resorting to the ritual during menstrual flow.

The likelihood of baptism is considered individually. It all depends on the priest. Some allow the presence of a godmother on her period, while others consider this unacceptable.

Sometimes it is better to postpone the christening date

If critical days suddenly come, you should:

• reschedule the christening date;
• take another woman as godmother;
• talk to the priest.

A woman is considered unclean until the very last day of her period. This should always be remembered and reported about critical days, even if they are already ending.

Is it possible to be baptized during menstruation?

It happens that a woman decides to be baptized in adulthood, when her reproductive organs are fully functioning and spotting appears monthly.

The ritual during menstruation is prohibited because: the holy water will be contaminated with blood and the ritual of purification will be impossible; from a medical point of view, it is during menstruation that the risk of pathogenic bacteria entering the vagina increases.

This video will tell you whether it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation:

The christening must be postponed until the end of the discharge. A woman cannot be a participant in the sacrament, since complete cleansing of the soul becomes impossible.

You need to know this

If you decide to baptize a child, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with some points outlined by the Orthodox Church:

• In our state, it is customary to baptize young children, although the age of a person does not matter for baptism. The decision to baptize a child under seven years of age rests with his parents. Until the age of fourteen, his own opinion is already taken into account. Then parental permission is not required.
• There are restrictions when choosing godparents. You cannot invite monks, married men and women, people of other faiths, and minors to fill this role. Father and mother also cannot be recipients. Don't trust your child to people you don't know.
• The mother cannot attend the sacrament, and she also does not need to attend church in the first forty days after the birth of the baby. This ties into the theme of the “impurity” of a woman who has just given birth to a child.

The main thing is that future godfathers must first of all attend church themselves, be able to pray, observe fasts, that is, be believers. Otherwise, how can they guide their godson to the righteous path?

But whether you will baptize a child or not when the godmother is menstruating - everyone decides for himself. Without knowing the entire religious background, you should not be too self-confident and take responsibility for the decision. After all, if we are ignorant in some issues, we also cannot know for sure about the possible consequences if we ignore them. The most important thing is that the baby is healthy!

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What is the Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is the very first and most important event in the life of Christians.
Only after this ritual does a person become a member of the church and can participate in other sacraments. The ritual is accompanied by the reading of prayers. The baptized person is dipped in water or sprinkled with it. Water is a symbol of purity, which helps to wash away all dirt and cleanse on a moral level.

During the ceremony, the child is immersed in a font

The main symbols of the ritual and the history of its appearance are presented in the table.

Up to 7 years of age, the need for baptism is determined by the parents. Upon reaching this age, the child’s consent must be asked. This is necessary so as not to violate the individual’s right to freedom of choice of religion.

After 14 years of age, there is no need for the presence of parents during the ritual. It is enough to simply invite witnesses.

The joy of having a baby

For mom and dad, such an event as the baptism of their child is very important. They are excited about choosing godparents and want them to be reliable. Godparents take on responsibilities for the child before the Lord. They promise to protect and mentor the future godson.

All questions related to the sacrament concern parents. Some misunderstandings and troubles will certainly upset them and make them wonder whether everything was done correctly. Mom and dad don't want to harm their baby.

Through the sacrament of baptism a person receives the grace of God. Baptism is a new birth for a person’s spiritual life. Only after this event does a person become a member of the church and can participate in rituals. Parents instill in their children faith in God from childhood. Godparents should do this too.

You need to know this

If you decide to baptize a child, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with some points outlined by the Orthodox Church:

• In our state, it is customary to baptize young children, although the age of a person does not matter for baptism. The decision to baptize a child under seven years of age rests with his parents. Until the age of fourteen, his own opinion is already taken into account. Then parental permission is not required.
• There are restrictions when choosing godparents. You cannot invite monks, married men and women, people of other faiths, and minors to fill this role. Father and mother also cannot be recipients. Don't trust your child to people you don't know.
• The mother cannot attend the sacrament, and she also does not need to attend church in the first forty days after the birth of the baby. This ties into the theme of the “impurity” of a woman who has just given birth to a child.

The main thing is that future godfathers must first of all attend church themselves, be able to pray, observe fasts, that is, be believers. Otherwise, how can they guide their godson to the righteous path?

But whether you will baptize a child or not when the godmother is menstruating - everyone decides for himself. Without knowing the entire religious background, you should not be too self-confident and take responsibility for the decision. After all, if we are ignorant in some issues, we also cannot know for sure about the possible consequences if we ignore them.