Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: NRx
Beautiful photos!
Thanks for posting.
It's nice to see the YOUNG men following in the footsteps of their elders.

Does the Russian Orthodoxy have plans to have women priests? Will they follow the non-Catholic faiths with women at the altar?
Just curious.

7 posted on 08/18/2016 4:15:59 PM PDT by cloudmountain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: cloudmountain
Does the Russian Orthodoxy have plans to have women priests? Will they follow the non-Catholic faiths with women at the altar? Just curious.

No and never. If that interests you I would advise you to look else where.

In the Orthodox Church, women are not ever allowed in the altar (convents are an exception), must have their head covered, and in more traditional churches, stand on the left side (facing the altar) also known as the Theotokos side. Men stand on the right side.

Please note I wrote stand. During Orthodox divine services, all the people stand during the service (exceptions are the old, infirm, and children).

8 posted on 08/18/2016 5:48:13 PM PDT by OldCorps
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]

To: cloudmountain; OldCorps

No. Women cannot be ordained to Holy Orders and outside of convents are not permitted to serve as Readers. The tradition of the church is that women do not go behind the altar screen (iconostasis) except in great need and then only if a male is not available to do whatever needs to be done. As OldCorps noted the traditional posture for prayer and worship is standing. However there are some Orthodox church buildings with pews. These are mostly to be found in Western countries where a former Catholic or Protestant church was bought and the Greeks and Antiochians seem to have adopted their use, at least here in the United States. Head coverings for women is again the tradition, but your mileage will vary in the modern world. The Slavs tend to be a bit tighter on this subject, while the Greeks and Arabs more permissive. The separation of the sexes, women to left and men to the right, is very rare outside of the Russian Church Abroad.


10 posted on 08/19/2016 10:53:41 AM PDT by NRx (A man of integrity passes his father's civilization to his son, without selling it off to strangers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson