POINTS  FROM  CORRESPONDENCE

 

“When N. and I were in Syria in September, we visited Saint George’s Monastery.  I was the only woman in the church that covered my head.  A monk from this monastery came up to me and asked me to take my hat off in church.  When I asked him why, he said it was disrespectful for women to cover their heads in church in their country.  I found that most odd.  Have you ever come across anything like this before?  Could this be an Antiochian Orthodox custom?”  N. E., Bracknell

 

I HAVE MET this problem with women being told not to cover their heads before, with other parishioners that have been abroad.  I think that are perhaps several reasons for this curious reversal of the Biblical injunction. 

 

With one family, it happened in Greece, and I suspect there that there in some churches there may be an element of wanting to appear “modern” and “European” and so they discourage women from covering their heads, or perhaps they are a little ashamed that Orthodox women come from the West and have their heads covered when their own women do not.  If this is the case, then it is reprehensible.

 

You were in Syria, and it may be somewhat different there.  There seems to be a feeling in the Middle East that they should distinguish themselves from the Moslems, which is perhaps more understandable, and of course they should, but not by breaking a Scriptural and Traditional norm, but by their greater virtue and piety. 

 

On the other hand, I read a piece a few years ago by a lady from what was then the independent ROCOR who visited Russia, and in an MP church the priest refused to allow her to kiss the Cross because she approached with her head uncovered.  It appears that in even in what then prided itself on being a traditionalist church sometimes the best standards were not adhered to, and she apparently had no idea that it was disrespectful for a woman to be in church with her head uncovered.

 

I should add, though, that it is not simply a matter of having one’s head covered - one should be modestly dressed in church.  There is little point in having a minimal head “covering” if one is wearing a very short skirt, a figure hugging costume or a very low decolletage!  Furthermore, and this is something which in a slightly sexist way is often ignored by all churches:-  men should also be dressed modestly and not in a way that could in any way be construed as provocative.

 

It is both odd and sad how the question of modesty seems to be ignored in our materialistic society.  I remember when I was once visiting Capernaum in the Holy Land, which was only an archaeological site, - and one of little religious significance to the Jews I would presume, - a young lady in the queue behind us was refused entry into the site by the Israeli attendant because she was wearing shorts.

BTW, did you take off your hat?    Dear readers, she did.

 

WE might add to this reply that it is also odd how nowadays people will show respect for the sensitivities of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and other religions; but even Christian people see no need to respect their own holy places and time-honoured practices.