Gender separation in Orthodox churches

[Monica child of God 1]

Hello all!

Are any of you in churches that observe a separation of genders, specifically women on one side and men on another side?

Thanks in advance,

M.

 

[Knee V]

While my parish is OCA, I've been to at least one GOA, Antiochian, Serbian, and Ukranian (EP). None of them that I've been to separated the sexes. The only time that I've seen them separated has been at monasteries, and the only monasteries that I've been to have been Greek/Athonite-style monasteries.

 

[Anhelyna]

ROCOR - certainly in the UK - tends to be separated by sex

 

[Monica child of God 1]

ROCOR - certainly in the UK - tends to be separated by sex

Is that communicated to newcomers in some way? Verbally or in the bulletin?

M.

 

[Blackknight]

Is that communicated to newcomers in some way? Verbally or in the bulletin?

M.

I visited a ROCOR parish out in Joliet and they'll correct you if you stand on the wrong side. Women are also required to cover their heads in that church.

 

[Anhelyna]

Yes - they do like women to have head covers [ and you can sometimes see them in a basket for visitors who don't have scarves with them ]

I've always known before I went to a ROCOR Service that there is the separation - but as you walk in it's very obvious . Its never worried me .

OH and somewhere else that was separated was the Monastery of St John in Essex , but head covering was not enforced there

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Thanks for the replies so far. I have no problem with headcoverings. I've got one on right now

I also don't have a problem with gender separation. I'm just wanting a sense of how it's communicated and practiced. My parish is tiny, so I thinks that's why we don't do it. I've heard that when we move to our new building we will stand separately. I do have a concern about newcomers and inquirers to orthodoxy.

M.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

For example, we have a box of scarves at the candle counter, but we don't make anyone wear a covering or even advertise that they're there.

M.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

The ROCOR parishes I've attended don't separate, but a lot of women stand on the right hand side.

My parish (Greek) has the left side as women only and the yiayiades will eat men who dare to stand there But the other side is mixed and there's a lot of women over there, even older ones (although not the tiny all in black yiayiades who are 90zillion years old) especially those who want to sit with their families. When I'm on my own I sit on the left, out of habit, when I bring my family I sit with them on the right.

At the weeknight liturgies, which are mostly attended by youth, the gender separation is more obvious, weirdly. Noone's ever said anything about it, it's just what we do, although at the back of the church sometimes you get couples sitting together on either side.

Oh, and the Antiochian parish that was 'home' for a year and a half when I first became Orthodox, I've stood/sat on the right hand side from day one. Mostly because that's where the chanter's stand is, and I sit in the first row back from it for the same reason - this way my catechist (who brought me to Church in the first place) could pass me translations or tell me to chant or read things from where I was standing. Often it was just the two or three of us for matins or a weeknight service during Great Lent, so even as a catechumen I was in the choir out of necessity. When I go back there (the service is much later in the morning, so it's easier for me when I'm well enough to go but not well enough to leave the house by 8am) I go to exactly the same place as always and people are always happy to see me even though I'm only there once or twice a year - and they STILL rope me into the choir. Do not ask me about getting told to chant the Resurrectional Troparia when I haven't chanted anything in Church in about a year let alone an Arabic melody that I only half remember...

 

[Colleen1]

The ROCOR parishes I've attended don't separate, but a lot of women stand on the right hand side.

My parish (Greek) has the left side as women only and the yiayiades will eat men who dare to stand there But the other side is mixed and there's a lot of women over there, even older ones (although not the tiny all in black yiayiades who are 90zillion years old) especially those who want to sit with their families. When I'm on my own I sit on the left, out of habit, when I bring my family I sit with them on the right.

At the weeknight liturgies, which are mostly attended by youth, the gender separation is more obvious, weirdly. Noone's ever said anything about it, it's just what we do, although at the back of the church sometimes you get couples sitting together on either side.

Oh, and the Antiochian parish that was 'home' for a year and a half when I first became Orthodox, I've stood/sat on the right hand side from day one. Mostly because that's where the chanter's stand is, and I sit in the first row back from it for the same reason - this way my catechist (who brought me to Church in the first place) could pass me translations or tell me to chant or read things from where I was standing. Often it was just the two or three of us for matins or a weeknight service during Great Lent, so even as a catechumen I was in the choir out of necessity. When I go back there (the service is much later in the morning, so it's easier for me when I'm well enough to go but not well enough to leave the house by 8am) I go to exactly the same place as always and people are always happy to see me even though I'm only there once or twice a year - and they STILL rope me into the choir. Do not ask me about getting told to chant the Resurrectional Troparia when I haven't chanted anything in Church in about a year let alone an Arabic melody that I only half remember...

Interesting. Here in Canada, at the churches I've been to, I've only seen some head covering and it's been the elderly. Interesting topic.

My parish (Greek) has the left side as women only and the yiayiades will eat men who dare to stand there

Very funny.

 

[Anhelyna]

OH - that's interesting Kyriaki !

Here when I've been ROCOR [ or indeed the Monastery which is most definitely not ROCOR ] the women have been on the left hand side .

This did cause me problems the first time my GodPapa took me there - I hadn't a clue what was going on - had arrived from Scotland and rushed there with him , for the start of the Vigil - and this was the start of my weekend of full 'immersion' in the East

 

[-Kyriaki-]

Oh yes, I forgot the headcovering thing. Here are the parishes I attend and how it goes:

Greek (my home parish): only the yiayiades do. I would, if I could get away with it, but I tried it in my crazy convert days and my priest very firmly told me to quit it. I *might* be able to get away with it these days but I'm not sure.

Antiochian: most women don't cover for most of the service, but a few wear mantillas the whole time. EVERY woman covers her head for Holy Communion though - there's a pile of scarves on the front pew for those who forget, and people share mantillas a lot. I just wear a pretty scarf around my neck then pull it up over my head (hair in a bun) then, but I'm thinking about getting a mantilla because I love this one:

(from here: White Lace Mantilla Chapel Veil Church by LiturgicalTime on Etsy)

ROCOR: everyone covers their head, basically. Technically only married women have to, but I have done ever since I first went there. I have a reasonable amount to do with them these days so I do wear scarves more often than I used to. If I get a mantilla, that's what I'll wear there. I love seeing three year olds with bandannas on, so cute!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Having men/women seperate does seem beautiful to witness many times...and it's very Biblical as well.

 

[Colleen1]

Technically only married women have to, but I have done ever since I first went there.

Thanks for saying this. I didn't realize it. Explains a lot.

 

[InnerPhyre]

We do not separate at my parish. About half the women cover their heads. It's never brought up or even encouraged or discouraged. Half the women just do it and the other half don't.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

I'm in ROCOR and all females are expected/encouraged to cover regardless of marital status. Girls from about 3 years old.

In Old Believer churches even infant girls wear kerchiefs.

M.

 

[Colleen1]

We do not separate at my parish. About half the women cover their heads. It's never brought up or even encouraged or discouraged. Half the women just do it and the other half don't.

Do you mind me asking what type of Orthodox church you go to?

 

[MrJim]

Head coverings and gender separation during worship...my conservative Mennonite friends approve

 

[Dorothea]

Nope. None of the EO Churches I've been to (which have been GOC, AOC, and OCA).

 

[Colleen1]

Nope. None of the EO Churches I've been to (which have been GOC, AOC, and OCA).

Oh okay