Deacon Pavel Troshin. Church views on female impurity in historical context

Deacon Pavel Troshin. Church views on female impurity in historical context

The Holy Fathers and the rules of the Councils provide us with answers to the question: “Can women who are in purification receive communion and go to church?” But their answers to this question are different: some of the holy fathers prohibit many things, while others, on the contrary, give permission to enter the temple and participate in the Sacraments of the Church.

Due to the emergence of different opinions, women have a misunderstanding of what to do. Trying to find the right solution in the current situation, they turn to clergy for advice, but their opinions are also divided. Some say it is possible, others say it is not possible. For the godly life of women and for an objective study of this problem, it is necessary to consider two points of view on the question: “What is allowed and prohibited for women during purification?”

In the first century, it was believed that a woman who had her period did not have the Holy Spirit during it. Saint Clement of Rome wrote about this: “Indeed, if you, wife, think that during the seven days when you have your period, you do not have the Holy Spirit in you, then it follows that if you die suddenly, you will not pass away.” having within you the Holy Spirit and boldness and hope in God. But the Holy Spirit, of course, is inherent in you, because He is not limited by place, and you have a need for prayer, the Eucharist and the coming of the Holy Spirit, although you have not sinned in the least. For neither legal copulation, nor childbirth, nor the flow of blood, nor the flow of semen in sleep can defile the nature of man or separate the Holy Spirit from him, but only wickedness and lawless activity.”1 We see that Saint Clement says that only through sins can a person defile himself and be in uncleanness. All natural processes do not entail any defilement.

Saint Dionysius of Alexandria, in his second rule, expresses the opposite opinion regarding uncleanness. He writes: “About women who are in purification, whether it is permissible for them to enter the house of God in such a state, I consider it unnecessary to ask. For I do not think that they, even if they are faithful and pious, being in such a state, would dare either to approach the Holy Table, or to touch the Body and Blood of Christ. For even the wife, who had been bleeding for twelve years, did not touch Him, but only the resurrection, for the sake of healing. Pray, no matter what state someone is in and no matter how disposed they are, remember the Lord and ask for help, it is not forbidden to eat. But let him who is not entirely pure in soul and body be forbidden to approach that which is the Holy of Holies.”2 From the rule of Saint Dionysius we see that women in uncleanness cannot approach the Holy Table, that is, the communion of the Holy Mysteries, but they can pray. Prayer can be either individual, that is, in a cell, or as a congregational prayer, which is performed in a church.

Saint Timothy, Bishop of Alexandria, answering a question asked of him about performing the Sacrament of Baptism for a woman in uncleanness, said: “If a catechumen wife has entered her name for baptism, and on the day of baptism the usual thing for wives happens to her, then should the woman be baptized on that day?” day, or postpone, and for how long to postpone; answer. It must be put aside until it is cleansed.”3 We see that St. Timothy writes about the prohibition of performing the Sacrament of Baptism on women who are menstruating. He writes the same about Communion: “If the wife considers what has happened to her, the usual thing for wives: whether she should begin the Holy Mysteries that day or not; answer. She must not until she is cleansed.”4 The opinions of Saint Dionysius and Timothy are identical: a woman cannot participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and Baptism.

Let's consider the opinion of St. Athanasius the Great, who writes in the first rule about purity: “All God's creations are good and pure. For the Word of God did not create anything unprofitable or unclean. For the fragrance of Christ is among those who are being saved, according to the Apostle (2 Cor. 2:15). Since the arrows of the devil are different and varied, and he drives those who think immaculately to indignation, distracts the brethren from their usual exercise, instilling in them thoughts of uncleanness and defilement: then, by the grace of our Savior, in short words, let us drive away the evil deception and the thoughts of the simplest let's confirm it. All slaughter is pure, but the conscience of the unclean is defiled, and all (Titus 1:15). I am amazed at the devil’s cunning that, although he is corrupt and destructive, he apparently puts in thoughts of purity. But what he does is more of a slander or a temptation. For, as I said, in order to distract the ascetics from their usual and saving care, and in this, as he imagines, to defeat them, for this purpose he stirs up such rumors that do not bring any benefit to life, but only empty questions and vanity, which can be avoided must. For tell me, beloved and most reverent, what is any natural eruption that is sinful or unclean, such as, for example, if anyone wanted to blame the discharge of phlegm from the nostrils, and spitting from the mouth; We can talk about more than this, about the eruptions of the womb, which are necessary for the life of an animal. Moreover, if we believe according to the Divine Scripture that man is the work of God’s hands; then how could a desecrated deed come from pure power: and if we are the race of God, according to the Divine Scripture of the Apostolic Acts (17:28): then we have nothing unclean in ourselves. For then only we become defiled when we commit sin, the worst of every stench. And when some natural involuntary eruption occurs, then we, along with others, are subjected to this, as was said above, out of natural necessity. But since those who only want to contradict the just words, especially those created by God, wrongly cite the word of the Gospel, that it is not what goes in that defiles a person, but what goes out, then it is necessary to expose this absurdity of theirs (for I will not call this questioning) ... "5 From the message of St. Athanasius we see that all talk about purity and impurity is a trick of the devil, who wants to distract a Christian from caring about fighting sins and saving the soul. Everything that comes from the aphedron is a natural process. In the Apostolic Constitutions we read: “And natural cleansing is not abominable before God, who wisely ordained that it should happen to women every thirty days for their health and strengthening, because they are little active because they sit more at home.”6 . According to these opinions, women should not be limited in good deeds.

St. Ephraim the Syrian, speaking about the Gospel event associated with the “bleeding wife,” writes: “Whoever came to Him as a person felt in Him the touch of human nature; and whoever came to Him as to God found in Him the treasure of healing their sorrows... The power that came from Him was sent and touched the defiled womb, so, however, that it itself was not subject to desecration. In the same way, His Divinity was not defiled by dwelling in the consecrated womb, since the virgin, both according to the law and apart from the law, is more holy than that woman who caused disgust with the excess of her blood... His enemies wanted to make Him a stumbling block for themselves, saying: He does not know law, since a woman, unclean by law, touched Him, and He did not reject her... There is no unclean thing except that which defames the life of freedom.”7 Here we read that actions and sins that harm the soul of a Christian are unclean, but not what comes from human nature. Here the opinion of Saint Ephraim the Syrian agrees with the view of Saint Clement of Rome on this issue.

We see that the rules of the Orthodox Church and the Holy Fathers tell us about the impossibility of women during menstruation to participate in the Sacraments of the Church - the Eucharist and Baptism, the only exceptions being cases of mortal danger or chronic diseases that provoke prolonged bleeding. We make no mention of non-participation in other Sacraments of the Church.

Saint John the Faster, confirming the opinion of the holy fathers, also speaks of the impossibility of receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ and entering the temple for women during a period of uncleanness: “During the current period, a living wife, that is, usually having her own, does not receive communion on Easter, until she is cleansed, then she enters the church up to seven days..."8 According to St. John the Faster, women are also not allowed to enter the temple for seven days during their menstruation. In the rules of other holy fathers, we do not find any mention of the impossibility of entering the temple for a woman undergoing purification. The opinion of this saint was associated with the law on uncleanness in the Old Testament: “If a woman has an issue of blood flowing from her body, then she must sit for seven days while she purifies herself...” (Lev. 18:19), since there was a danger of defilement the temple in blood due to the fact that at that time there were not very reliable hygiene products for women.

Next we read from St. Gregory Dvoeslov, Pope of Rome, who, answering a question from Archbishop Augustine of the Angles, writes: “Augustine’s question: Can a pregnant woman be baptized, and, when her child is born, receive the grace of Holy Baptism through the child in order to prevent his possible death? And after what time will her husband be able to have intercourse with her, and is she allowed to enter church or receive Holy Communion during her period? Gregory answers: My brother, I had no doubt that you would ask me these questions, and I had already prepared an answer to them. I have no doubt that you simply want this answer to confirm your own thoughts and premonitions. Indeed, why cannot a pregnant woman be baptized, since her pregnancy is not sinful in the eyes of Almighty God? After all, when our forefathers sinned in paradise, they lost the immortality given to them by God, but the Lord did not want to destroy the entire human race for this sin. Having deprived a man of immortality for his transgression, He left him with male power to procreate. So why should what was given to man by God himself prevent him from accepting the grace of Holy Baptism? It would be extremely unreasonable to make this Sacrament, which blots out all guilt, dependent on such a cause.

How many days after giving birth can a woman enter church? You know from the Old Testament that she should abstain from this for thirty-three days if she has a boy, and sixty-six days if she has a girl. However, this should be understood differently. After all, if she had entered the church at least an hour after giving birth to thank the Lord, she would not have committed a sin; After all, the pleasures of the flesh are sinful, but not its torments. Intercourse occurs in pleasure, and childbirth takes place in pain, which is why it was said to the first of the mothers: “You will give birth in illness” (Gen. 3:16). If we forbid a woman who has given birth to enter the church, then we will consider her childbirth a punishment for sin. Nothing should also keep you from baptizing a woman who has given birth or her child if they are in danger of death, even if it was at the very hour of her labor and his birth. For if the grace of the Holy Sacrament is given equally to everyone alive and healthy, then all the more it is necessary to grant it without delay to those who are threatened with death, for fear that by waiting for a more convenient time to prepare for the Sacrament of the Resurrection, we may not allow their soul to resurrect at all. A woman should not be prohibited from entering church during her menstruation, for one cannot blame her for what is given by nature and from which she suffers against her will. After all, we know that a woman suffering from bleeding came up to the Lord from behind and touched the hem of His garment, and immediately the illness left her (Matthew 9:20). Why, if she, while bleeding, could touch the garment of the Lord and receive healing, a woman during her menstruation cannot enter the church of the Lord? alone, is it not allowed for all women suffering from the weakness of their nature?

It is impossible at such a time to forbid a woman to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. If she does not dare to accept him out of great respect, this is commendable; but, having accepted it, she will not commit a sin... And menstruation in women is not sinful, for it comes from their nature... Leave women to their own understanding, and if during their menstruation they do not dare to approach the Sacrament of the Flesh and Blood of the Lord, they should be praised for their piety . If, having become accustomed to a pious life, they want to accept this Sacrament, they should not, as we have already said, be prevented from doing so. If in the Old Testament external circumstances are considered, then in the New Testament the main attention is paid not to what is external, but to what is internal, and punishment is imposed with greater caution... Since no food will spoil someone whose soul is not subject to corruption, why should it be considered Is that unclean that which comes from a woman’s pure soul from her nature?”9. St. Gregory writes about giving the women themselves a choice: if they wish to begin the Sacrament of the Eucharist, then they should not be prohibited from receiving the Holy Gifts, regardless of their uncleanness. Just like St. Athanasius the Great, St. Gregory the Great says that menstruation is not sinful, since it is a natural process in the body of women.

In the ancient Christian church monument Testamentum Domini nostril Jesu Christi, writes M. N. Skaballanovich, it is reported that: “Church widows are not allowed to approach the altar during the period of purification”10. Again we see a prohibition for women during their menstruation regarding their participation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Patriarch Pavel of Serbia wrote the book “I am strengthened only by faith,” in which he raises the issue of female impurity. He writes: “In addition, since modern hygienic means can effectively prevent the accidental flow of blood from making the temple unclean, just as they can neutralize the odor arising from the flow of blood, we believe that in this regard there is no doubt that a woman During the monthly purification, with the necessary caution and taking hygienic measures, one can come to church, kiss icons, take antidor and consecrated water, as well as participate in singing.”11. But regarding participation in the Eucharist, Patriarch Paul writes, according to the teaching of all the holy fathers: “She could not have received communion in this state or, unbaptized, been baptized. But in a mortal illness he can both receive communion and be baptized.”12 Patriarch Paul of Serbia is not canonized; the provided link is given to review those sources that are mentioned in his book.

In 2015, on February 2-3, the Bishops' Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church was held, at which the document “On the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist” was adopted, which states: “The canons prohibit communion in a state of female impurity (2nd canon of St. Dionysius of Alexandria, 7 rule of Timothy of Alexandria). An exception may be made in case of mortal danger, as well as when bleeding continues for a long time due to a chronic or acute disease."13

The practice prohibiting women during menstruation from venerating icons, taking holy water, taking blessings from a priest and participating in the Sacraments of the Church, except for the Sacrament of the Eucharist and Baptism, has a later origin and is not confirmed either by the rules of the Holy Fathers or the decrees of the Holy Councils.

Regarding kissing icons, we can say that all baptized Christian women wear on their chests the cross of Christ and the images of their heavenly patrons, which are also consecrated, like icons, and are also shrines. Then, according to the opinion that prohibits women who are in uncleanness from kissing icons and touching shrines, is it necessary to remove the cross and images of saints during menstruation? The Monk Ephraim the Syrian writes the following about wearing the cross: “Let us mark the life-giving cross on our doors, and on our foreheads, and on our foreheads, and on our lips, and on every member of ours, and let us arm ourselves with this invincible Christian weapon, the conqueror of death, the hope of the faithful, the light for the ends of the earth, a weapon that opens paradise, overthrows heresies, a confirmation of faith, a great repository and the saving praise of the Orthodox. Let us, Christians, carry this weapon with us in every place, day and night, at every hour and at every minute. Don't do anything without it; Whether you are sleeping, getting up from sleep, working, eating, drinking, on the road, sailing on the sea, crossing a river - decorate all your members with the life-giving cross, and evil will not come to you, and no wound will come close to your body (Ps. 90: 10)"14. St. Ephraim writes about constantly wearing the cross no matter what, since this is a wordless sermon about Jesus Christ and protection from “spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).

Regarding the eating of prosphora and holy water during cleansing for women, we do not find any restrictions in the history of the rules of the Holy Fathers and the resolutions of the Councils.

1. Apostolic Decrees. Sergiev Posad.: Publishing house. S-TSL, 2008. P. 159.
2. The book of the rules of the holy apostles, the holy ecumenical and local councils and the holy fathers. Reprint. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 1992. P. 373.
3. Right there. P. 473.
4. The book of the rules of the holy apostles, the holy ecumenical and local councils and the holy fathers. Reprint. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 1992. P. 473.
5. The book of the rules of the holy apostles, the holy ecumenical and local councils and the holy fathers. Reprint. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 1992. P. 395.
6. Apostolic Decrees. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 2008. P. 161.
7. St. Ephraim the Syrian. Interpretation of the Four Gospels // Creations. T. 8. Sergiev Posad: S-TSL, 1995. P. 100–118.
8. Pavlov A. Nomocanon at the Great Trebnik. Its history and texts, Greek and Slavic, with explanatory and critical notes. Experience in scientific resolution of questions about this collection that arose in the last century in the Holy Governing Synod. Odessa: 1872; M.: 1897. P. 247.
9. Trouble Hon. Church history of the English people / Trans. V. V. Erlikhman. St. Petersburg: Aletheya, 2001. pp. 33–36.
10. Skaballanovich M. N. Explanatory Typikon. In 3 volumes. T. 1. Explanatory presentation of the Typikon with a historical introduction. Kyiv., 1910. P. 94.
11. Pavel of Serbia, Patriarch of Serbia. I am strengthened only by faith. Minsk: Dmitry Kharchenko Publishing House, 2010. P. 328.
12. Pavel of Serbia, Patriarch of Serbia. I am strengthened only by faith. Minsk: Dmitry Kharchenko Publishing House, 2010. P. 329.
13. On the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist // URL: https://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3981166.html (access date: 05/12/2016).
14. St. Ephraim the Syrian. Conversations. M.: Publishing House S-TSL, 2003. P. 108.

Bibliography

1. Apostolic Decrees. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 2008.
2. Trouble Hon. Church history of the English people / Trans. V. V. Erlikhman. St. Petersburg: Aletheya, 2001.
3. The book of the rules of the holy apostles, the holy ecumenical and local councils and the holy fathers. Reprint. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 1992.
4. On the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist // URL: https://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3981166.html (access date: 05/12/2016).
5. Pavlov A. Nomocanon with a large breviary. Its history and texts, Greek and Slavic, with explanatory and critical notes. Experience in scientific resolution of questions about this collection that arose in the last century in the Holy Governing Synod. Odessa, 1872; M.: 1897.
6. St. Ephraim the Syrian. Interpretation of the Four Gospels // Creations. In 8 volumes. T. 8. Sergiev Posad: Publishing house. S-TSL, 1995.
7. St. Ephraim the Syrian. Conversations. M.: Publishing House S-TSL, 2003.
8. Pavel of Serbia, Patriarch of Serbia. I am strengthened only by faith. Minsk: Dmitry Kharchenko Publishing House, 2010.
9. Skaballanovich M. N. Explanatory Typikon. In 3 volumes. T. 1. Explanatory presentation of the Typikon with a historical introduction. Kyiv, 1910.

What is prosphora and why do they eat it?

A small round loaf of bread made from leavened wheat dough with holy water is called prosphora. There are several facts about this church treat:

1. This word is translated from Greek as “offerings.”
2. No additives are added to such baked goods, with the exception of yeast and salt.
3. When figuring out what prosphora is in the Orthodox Church, it should be pointed out that this pastry consists of two parts, which symbolizes the union of human and divine essence in Jesus Christ.
4. On the upper part there is a seal in the form of a cross with equal sides and in the corners there are the letters: IC XC NI KA. The inscription presented means “Jesus Christ conquers.” The seal itself personifies the invisible seal of the image of the Lord.
5. If you are interested in what the prosphora symbolizes, then it is worth knowing that it depicts the bread of the Last Supper, which Jesus divided among his disciples.

The Concept of “Ritual Impurity” in the Old Testament

The question of whether you can go to church while on your period is related to the ancient religious concept of “ritual impurity.” In Old Testament times, the people of Israel paid special attention to maintaining external cleanliness. It was believed that it has a direct impact on spiritual life - if it is clean on the outside, then it is clean on the inside. “Uncleanness” included the bodies of dead people and things that touched them. Discharges from the genital organs of men (emission) and women were also considered unclean.

Female uncleanliness included the days of menstruation, the time of cleansing after childbirth, and other types of bleeding. During the days of purification, a woman had to observe a number of restrictions.

This is stated in the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “If a woman has an issue of blood flowing from her body, then she must sit for seven days during her purification, and whoever touches her will be unclean until the evening” (Lev 15:19) .

These instructions were strictly followed by the Jewish people until the coming of the Savior.

Woman in an Orthodox church

Is it possible to go to church during menstruation?

Most people are confused by the fact that women were prohibited from entering the church while on their period. Moreover, she was forbidden to appear in public places. And again Jesus Christ abolished this rule. He made men and women equal. Because for him the main thing is the soul, and it has no appearance. One case confirms this. What is described in the Bible in the New Testament. A woman suffering from bleeding followed Christ in a crowd of people. She secretly touched his robes, contrary to all prohibitions and traditions, with the hope of being healed. Jesus felt his strength drain away. Then he turned to the woman and said: “What are you violating? Why did you approach me while bleeding? And a second later he added: Your faith saved you!” Since then, the woman has recovered and the bleeding has stopped. You can go to church during your period if there is a spiritual or physical need for it. And the church prohibitions of some ministers are based on the canons that were actually written. If you go to church to see a priest, follow his rules; if you go to God, you must follow the scriptures of the Bible. There is no other true document in religion. All the rest are written by people and everyone has their own opinion. You can go to church on any day of the cycle.

Prosphora - recipe

Sacred bread can be prepared at home using an old recipe. It is important to know how prosphora is baked, as there are several features that should be taken into account.

Ingredients:

• premium fine flour - 1.2 kg;
• Holy water;
• yeast - 25 g.

Preparation:

1. Pour some holy water into the container, and then pour in about 400 g of flour. Add boiling water and stir until you get a mass like semolina porridge.
2. When everything has cooled down, add a little salt and yeast. Stir and leave to rise. Then add the remaining flour and mix well.
3. Leave for another 30 minutes, and then transfer the dough to the table and roll out the layer. The bottom layer needs a thickness of 18-20 mm, and the top layer 11-12 mm. Cover with oilcloth and leave for another 10 minutes.
4. It is necessary to cut the layer into circles, taking into account that the lower part should be larger than the upper. Cover the lower halves with a towel and oilcloth and leave for half an hour. It is important not to let the dough dry out.
5. If you are interested in how to bake prosphora at home, then it is important to know that the baking sheet must be greased with a thin layer of natural wax, which is a component of solar energy. Place a stamp of the appropriate size on the top.
6. Lubricate the bottom and connect it to the top. Prick both halves with a needle to remove excess air, which will prevent voids from forming.
7. The oven should be heated to 200-250 degrees. Bake until done, which is 15-20 minutes.
8. The finished bread should be covered with several layers: a dry cloth, a wet one, then a dry one again and a blanket. Leave the prosphora in this state for an hour.

What types of prosphora are there?

There are five main types of sacred bread for the liturgy:

1. Agnic
   . This is a large prosphora with a cross, from which a lamb is cut out with a special knife - cube-shaped bread. During the liturgy, he becomes the true body of Christ. The part of the prosphora that is not used is called antidor, and it is distributed to believers after the service.
2. Mother of God
   . This large prosphora bears the seal “Mary” or the image of the Mother of God. During proskomedia, a triangular-shaped part is taken out from the top and placed on a special dish along with the lamb.
3. Nine
   . This view is dedicated to all the saints and nine particles are taken from her seal.
4. Zazdravnaya
   . Two parts are taken from this bread for all participants in the liturgy.
5. Funeral service
   . For all the deceased believers, only one particle is taken from the upper part of the prosphora.

There are special types of prosphora, which include artos - bread blessed on Easter night. The priest asks the Lord for blessings and help in healing illnesses. Artos is located opposite the Royal Doors throughout Bright Week, and on Saturday it is divided into small pieces and distributed to believers. This prosphora symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and recalls his presence on earth.

Prosphora - how to use?

There are several rules regarding how to properly eat sacred bread. This should be done in the morning on an empty stomach and to begin with, it is recommended to spread a clean napkin on the table and place bread and water on it. When figuring out how to eat prosphora at home, it is worth mentioning that before eating it, a prayer intended for this occasion must be said. They eat bread over a plate so that crumbs do not fall on the floor. It is important to note that prosphora should not be used in cemeteries and crumble on graves.

How to cut prosphora correctly?

In temples, a special knife designed for this purpose is used to cut the sacred bread. It is called a spear and is a flat knife shaped like the tip of a spear. It cannot be stored with other cutlery. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to cut prosphora with a knife, but most clergy argue that ordinary kitchen utensils should not be used.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

It is believed that when a believer reads a prayer before eating prosphora and drinking holy water, this leads to the sanctification of the body and spirit, the illumination of thoughts, and this will also protect him from evil spirits. Parts of the prosphora are taken out at the end of the liturgy and believers must fold their palms into a cross, with the right hand covering the left. After handing over the prosphora, you must kiss the hand of the clergyman. Having brought the sacred bread home, place it on a clean napkin and before eating it, be sure to read a prayer before accepting the prosphora and holy water.

Is it possible to go to confession during menstruation?

One of the conditions for proper communion according to the Christian faith is the need to confess. Easter is approaching, and your period is just around the corner. What to do in this case? This issue is also approached in different ways. Some go to church because the law of the church requires it. Others at the call of the soul. If this is the second case, it doesn’t matter whether you have your period or not. For God, the flesh itself is considered unclean. Men and women are equally unclean. God pays attention to the inner world of a person, his thoughts, desires, aspirations. You can confess both on the first day and on the last day of your period! Cleansing occurs spiritually. If tradition is carried out blindly, there is absolutely no power in it.

What to do with dried prosphora?

Many people do not know how to properly treat sacred bread brought from church or made with their own hands. Like any other baked product, prosphora becomes dry after some time and many people don’t know what to do with it. It's simple: you need to soak the bread in holy water and eat it. It is important to know what to do with the prosphora brought from the church, so it must be stored in a holy corner next to the icons and holy water. For long-term storage, it is recommended to place the bread in a paper bag.

When can you eat prosphora?

You can eat sacred bread every day, with the exception of a number of restrictions, which will be discussed below. If you are interested in how to eat prosphora correctly, then it is worth knowing that sacred bread is usually consumed on an empty stomach with a sense of humility. The clergy say that it is beneficial for all believers to start their day with prosphora, which should be washed down with holy water.

Is it possible to eat prosphora without an empty stomach?

The rule regarding the use of sacred bread and water on an empty stomach arose for a reason, since they are designed to instill reverence in a person and separate eating from eating. Although the holy gifts are received through the mouth, and the digestive system is involved in digestion, believers must understand that the church prosphora bread is not food and its absorption is a sacred act.

Is it possible to eat prosphora during menstruation?

There is an opinion that during menstrual periods a woman should avoid everything that has to do with the church, including she should refuse to eat sacred bread. This is explained by the fact that the woman is “unclean” and the holy prosphora will be desecrated. This topic is controversial, and different clergy have their own opinions on this matter. Saint Athanasius, back in 365, said that a woman during the days of natural renewal of the body cannot be “unclean,” therefore everything is provided for by God. In general, it is impossible to say for sure whether eating prosphora will be considered a sin.

Is it possible to eat prosphora on Good Friday?

Good Friday is considered the strictest day of fasting before Easter and, according to church canons, on this day it is necessary to refrain from consuming any food or drinks. The exception is prosphora and holy water. It is quite possible to last a day on bread and water, but do not forget that these foods should not be eaten to be full, but to receive blessings. As for when to eat prosphora on Good Friday, it is better to do it in the morning, and then, if possible, refrain from taking it.