Christian traditions require women to enter the temple with their heads covered. However, now this applies only to the Russian Orthodox Church. For example, believing women enter Greek cathedrals without headdresses.
Bible
The fact that women who converted to Christianity should cover their heads with a scarf during prayer is said in the Gospel of the Apostle Paul: “... Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head open shames her head, for this is the same as if she would be shaved, for if the wife does not want to cover herself, then let her have her hair cut, and if the wife is ashamed to be shorn or shaved, let her cover herself ... (...) Judge for yourself, is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?
In this epistle, the apostle Paul explained this rule to the Corinthians in an accessible way: “... The husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, and the wife is the glory of the husband. For the husband is not from the wife, but the wife is from the husband; and not a husband was created for a wife, but a wife for a husband...” Accordingly, covering her head with a scarf, a Christian woman recognizes the primacy of her husband and adheres to the established order - she receives the Lord through her man, and honors him as created in the image and likeness of God.
Apostolic message
As you know, the teaching of the Apostle Paul that women should cover their heads during prayer refers to the section “messages to the inhabitants of the city of Corinth”. In the middle of the first century, the apostle arrived in this coastal city from Athens and found the first Christian community there. Otherwise, however, it was still a pagan city of the Roman Empire.
"The Bible Encyclopedic Dictionary of Erik Nystrom" reports that in the first centuries of our era in Corinth there was one of the largest temples of Aphrodite at that time. The servants of the cult of this pagan goddess were ritual harlots, entering into an intimate relationship with whom, any person committed an act of worship to Aphrodite. A distinctive sign of all these priestesses - harlots was a shaved head on a bald head.
Meanwhile, historians who study the Bible suggest that girls who were transferred to the service of a pagan goddess as early as childhood could later hear the sermons of the Apostle Paul and accept them. But turning to christian religion and the community, it is clear that these women still remained physically hairless for a long time.
And now the parting words of St. Paul "... if a woman is ashamed to be shorn or shaved, let her cover herself ..." speaks somewhat about something else. To turn in prayers to Christ when you have the mark of a harlot on you is shameful both before people and before God. That is why the apostle recommended to cover the head of all women, without exception, and "... if the wife does not want to cover herself, then let her cut her hair ...". After all, all women, including those who repented of their sins, are equal before God and are equally loved by him.
Greek tradition
In Greek Orthodox churches it can be observed that women always pray with uncovered head. When entering the church, everyone, regardless of gender and age, even if they have hats on their heads, take them off. True, this tradition is not so ancient, it has existed for no more than two centuries and is related to the national liberation struggle of the Greeks against Turkish rule.
In the first quarter of the 19th century, Greece came under the rule of Ottoman Empire and all women were ordered to appear on the streets and in in public places wearing hijabs, even if they were not Muslim.
Greek women, like men, protested against forced Islamization and attended Christian services at night. At the same time, the Greek women took off the Turkish headscarves they hated as a sign of freedom in Christ.
Since that time, it has become an important religious-national tradition. As for the message of the Apostle Paul regarding the covering of a woman's head, the Greek priests point to the fact that nowhere in the Gospel is it indicated that women are forbidden to enter the temple without a headdress. This means that Greek women do not violate religious rules in any way.
Russian woman and her headdress
In Russia, since the distribution of "Domostroy" - a collection of advice and instructions from a Russian person on social, family and religious issues of the 15th century, the tradition has been preserved when "... not a husband was created for a wife, but a wife for a husband ..." Orthodox Christian , even if she is not married, enters the temple with her head covered. Thus, she demonstrates her modesty and humility.
However, the Russians Orthodox priests in recent times more and more often they argue that the presence of a headdress in a temple is her personal business and her legal right to demonstrate her attitude to centuries-old religious traditions. Let it go better woman he will enter the temple without a headscarf and turn to God with sincere love, than he will not cross the threshold of the temple at all.
This tradition dates back to deep Christian antiquity, namely to apostolic times. At that time, every married, respectable woman, leaving the house, covered her head. The head covering, which, for example, we see on icons Mother of God, testified to the marital status of the woman. This head covering meant that she was not free, that she belonged to her husband. To “bare the crown” of a woman or loosen her hair meant to humiliate or punish her (see Isaiah 3:17; cf. Num. 5:18).
Harlots and vicious women showed their special occupation by not covering their heads.
The husband had the right to divorce his wife without returning her dowry, if she appeared on the street with bare hair, this was considered an insult to her husband.
Girls and girls did not cover their heads, because the cover was a sign of the special status of a married woman (which is why, according to tradition, an unmarried virgin can enter the temple without a head cover)
So, at home, a married woman took off her veil, leaving the house, be sure to put it on.
Men, leaving the house, could not cover their heads. In any case, if they were covered on the street, it was from the heat, and not because it was supposed to be so. During worship, the Jews also did not cover their heads, with the exception of special cases. So, for example, they covered their heads during fasting or mourning. Those who were excommunicated from the synagogue and lepers were also required to cover their heads.
Now imagine the situation: the Apostles herald the advent of new times. The former has passed, the world has approached the line beyond which everything new will begin! People who have accepted Christ are experiencing a truly revolutionary mood. It is not surprising in such a state to reject the old, the former and strive for the new. This is what happened among the Christians of Corinth. Many of them are beginning to teach that traditional forms of behavior and propriety must be abolished. On this occasion Ap. Paul expresses his opinion and says that such disputes are extremely harmful, because they discredit Christians in the eyes of others. Christians appear to outsiders of the Church as brawlers, violators of generally accepted decency and norms of behavior.
In order to confirm his words, the Apostle Paul, as he loves and does very often, unfolds a whole theological proof that it is not necessary to violate the accepted norms of behavior.
Here is a passage in which Paul speaks on this subject:
1. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
2. I praise you, brethren, that you remember everything of mine and keep the traditions as I gave you.
3. I also want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, the husband is the head of the wife, and God is the head of Christ.
4. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered shames his head.
5. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head, for it is the same as if she were shaved.
6. For if a woman does not want to cover herself, then let her have her hair cut; but if a woman is ashamed to have her hair cut or shaved, let her cover herself.
7. Therefore, the husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God; and the wife is the glory of the husband.
8. For the husband is not from the wife, but the wife is from the husband;
9. And the husband was not made for the wife, but the wife for the husband.
10. Therefore, a woman must have on her head a sign of authority over her, for the angels.
11. But neither a husband without a wife, nor a wife without a husband, in the Lord.
12. For as the wife is from the husband, so is the husband through the wife; yet it is from God.
13. Judge for yourselves, is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14. Does not nature itself teach you that if a husband grows his hair, then this is a dishonor for him,
15. But if a woman grows her hair, is it an honor for her, since hair is given to her as a covering?
16. And if anyone wanted to argue, then we do not have such a custom, nor the church of God.
17. But, offering this, I do not praise you that you are going not for the best, but for the worst.
18. For, firstly, I hear that when you are going to church, there are divisions among you, which I partly believe.
19. For there must be differences of opinion among you, so that skillful ones may be revealed among you.
1 Corinthians 11:1-19
In Russia, a pious custom was preserved for a woman to pray in church with her head covered. By this, the woman pays respect and reverence to the early Christian church tradition to the opinion of the Apostle Paul. However, let's not forget that we are talking not in general about a female representative, but about a married woman. For her, a scarf can be a "status" thing, a sign of her marriage. Or, say, a sign of widowhood or just advanced age. Girls should not be required to cover their heads.
Father Konstantin Parkhomenko
HEAD COVERING
Head covering in public places was considered a common practice in many ancient cultures. To appear without a headdress to a decent woman in public was considered shameful and indecent. It was a similar disgrace for a woman to cut her hair. A woman had to grow her hair all her life and no haircuts were allowed.
This is quite understandable to the inhabitants of Russia. In Russia, this custom also took place. Appearing in public or allowing yourself to be seen by a stranger without a covered head was a shame and disgrace for a woman. This is well reflected in famous word, expressing shame and disgrace - “goof off”, i.e. allow yourself to be seen without a covered head, with "plain hair". The generally accepted norms of decency required a woman to have her hair uncut and to cover her hair whenever she went out of the house.
The apostle, referring to this issue, also refers not to the texts of Scripture, but to the realities of culture and the norms of decency. Paul writes: “Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head, for it is the same as if she were shaved” (1 Cor. 11:5)
Today, women in most countries, including Russia, can walk down the street and visit public places without a headdress. This is not perceived as indecent behavior, because modern culture has no such criterion of propriety.
Moreover, the apostle states that “if the woman does not want to cover herself, then let her have her hair cut; but if a woman is ashamed to be shorn or shaved, let her cover herself” (1 Cor. 11:6)
Cutting one's hair and going bareheaded were equivalent indecent acts, which is why Paul puts them together. If a woman cuts her hair, then this is the same shame for her as walking with her head uncovered. Today we cut our hair and this applies to both men and women. However, if we want to literally observe the texts of this message, then we must also accept that it is indecent and shameful for a woman to have a haircut. Despite this, the churches are full of Christian women with haircuts and it never occurs to anyone to condemn them for immorality. I want to emphasize once again that both of these actions (uncovered head and haircut) are equally immoral and shameful from the point of view of ancient culture.
So Paul again and again brings up "cultural" rather than divine arguments for this practice: "Judge for yourselves, is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you, ... if a wife grows her hair, it is an honor for her, since the hair is given to her instead of a cover? (1 Cor. 11:13-15)
He refers to "decency", "nature", calls on the Christians of Corinth "to judge for themselves" and not to oppose the generally accepted practice.
In concluding his argument, he relies on the tradition of covering the head as a final argument: “And if anyone wants to argue, then we have no such custom, nor the church of God” (1 Cor. 1 1:16). Custom, decency, nature - these are the reasons for observing this practice, from the point of view of the Apostle Paul.
Reading his reasoning, we can conclude that in the community of Corinth, some women, as "free in Christ" from the customs of the world, decided to abandon the accepted standards of decency and not cover their heads. The apostle tries to convince them that Christians should not abandon all norms of culture and should be decent people in their society.
This Christian principle still applies today. Obviously, if Christian women look indecent and immoral from the point of view of the culture of the 21st century, then this is unlikely to be consistent with Christian principles. In those Eastern countries, where the generally accepted norm of decency for a woman is to cover her entire body and head, Christian women must also comply with this so that the name of Christ is not blamed and that they and their faith are not perceived as immoral. That is, in all countries of the world, we, as Christians, must be decent people and not violate the moral standards of society, if this does not contradict the Word of God.
In conclusion, I would like to note that the head covering in ancient world did not have religious rule, as for Everyday life in society. In all public places, a woman must have her head covered, and accordingly, also in the church. If today's standards of decency in our country required that a woman should always cover her head and never cut her hair, then it would be necessary for Christian women to adhere to this, since it would be decent.
Today, Christian women of all continents and countries should be a model of decency and morality for the whole society. But the point is that in different countries these norms of decency are different. Therefore, Christians in different countries are different - faithful to God and faithful to the norms of decency of their society, if they do not contradict the first.
Should women cover their heads in church today? According to Paul, in a culture where this is a mandatory custom for all women, this should be done. In a different culture, this is not necessary. Women around you cutting hair and walking bareheaded and this is not considered immoral and indecent? If so, then you do not need to cover your head, either on the street or in church.
11.09.2014
Since ancient times, a woman has been going to the temple with her head covered - this is ancient custom, which originated on the basis of the words of the Apostle Paul. The apostle said that a wife should have a symbol on her head that denotes power over her. This is necessary, first of all, for the Angels.
This is where the tradition of covering one's head at the entrance to the church originated. According to the apostle, if a woman prays with her head open, it is shameful. An uncovered head is equivalent to a shaved one. With these words, the apostle emphasized the shamefulness of the clothes of modern women who show their bodies. A man has the right to go to church with an open head.
By the way, in ancient culture, the head was covered as a sign of modesty. Hair at that time was considered the most striking attribute female attractiveness and beauty. Family women did not have the opportunity to walk with their hair loose, and were required to wear such a headdress as a headscarf. The scarf was an indicator that the woman was busy and belonged to her husband. Covering the head with a scarf is closely related to another point. In ancient times, soothsayers and priestesses, falling into frenzy, loosened their hair.
Thus, they showed their mystical ecstasy, symbolizing the absolute detachment from public opinion. However, the Apostle does not connect this fact with the requirement to attend church in a headscarf. He makes this necessary by the fact that fellowship with God must be orderly and pure. Women's clothing should be in some agreement with Christian teaching.
The teaching interprets that a woman should not emphasize her figure and decorate clothes. If all the rest of the clothes look indecent, then the scarf on the head does not matter. On the contrary, the scarf in this case emphasizes the even greater shamelessness of the woman and causes temptation in other people. The Apostle Paul confirms his attitude towards women as subordinates before the demands of her husband and before God.
Nowadays, clothes carry a completely different semantic meaning. Women dress in a fashion that is not based on Christian teachings. Women are equal to each other, showing off the acquired novelties. According to Christian teaching, do not be shy about modest robes and pay attention to appearance others, worrying that people will misunderstand and have a bad opinion.
The apostle said that the clothes of a believer should not be defiant, but look modest, restrained and not be the subject of attracting everyone's attention. If you keep all the customs proposed by the church, then it is much easier for a person to tune in to prayer and be left alone with himself and God.
If a person attends church, it means that he believes and therefore he needs to adhere to certain requirements, the failure to comply with which is considered shameful. Therefore, based on the foregoing, believers consider it inappropriate to go to church without using a headscarf.
The tradition of covering one's head in church, this is not a law, but the insistent recommendation of the holy apostle Paul. In accordance with his Epistle to the Corinthians, a man should pray with an uncovered head, and a woman with a covered one. Since ancient times female hair were considered one of the most expressive elements of female attractiveness, and this was a counterbalance to modesty, one of the signs of which was covered hair.
Even in the pre-Christian era, hetaeras in Greece walked with uncovered hair, and family women had to express belonging to their husband by covering their heads, showing that they belonged to their husband.
Where did the tradition of covering women's heads come from?
According to the instructions of the apostle appearance a believer, regardless of gender, should be restrained and modest, and cannot be a source of temptation or embarrassment. should be in the mood for prayer, expressing respect and reverence for the holiness of the temple and the Liturgy taking place in it. Thus, Christian tradition is the inadmissibility of believing men in the temple in a headdress, and believing women - without a headscarf.
This tradition is based on the statement of the Apostle that Christ is the head of every man, the head of the wife is the husband, and the head of Christ is God. For a man who prays with his head covered puts his head to shame, but a woman who prays with her head uncovered puts her head to shame, equating it with a shaved head. The man is the image and the glory of God, and the woman is the glory of the man, because "the husband is not from the wife and for the wife, but the wife is from the husband and for the husband." The handkerchief is a sign of power over her, this is for the Angels.
The opposite statement is not based on a misunderstanding of the principle of equality of men and women before God. Jesus never discriminated against women during his sermons, and by the way, the same applies to pagans, whom Jesus never discriminated against. In practice, Mary Magdalene was the first to observe the Risen One, and here her advantage, for example, over the Apostle Peter. Before Christ, in the matter of achieving salvation and liberation, the acquisition of the Holy Spirit and the eternal man and woman, they are absolutely equal.
However, the error of some amateur theologians is that equality in Christ is not identical with equality in the flesh. In Christ, in fact, there are no gender and national characteristics, however, in nature we will all be different, until the very moment of transition into eternity. It is precisely these definite signs that the apostle Paul is trying to draw the attention of the Corinthians when discussing the covering of the head. He's not talking about covering or not covering his head" spiritual man that is in Christ, it specifically refers to human flesh, and it is certainly not yet in Christ.
The idea is that God subjugates all the elements of both the material and the spiritual world, and they (this is the main thing) are ordered among themselves and are in a harmonious system, with a number of levels and subordinations. This system is harmony and claims individual elements of this system into functions that are not characteristic of them lead to disharmony, perturbations and imbalance, and as a result, to its disorder.
With Christ, the idea of unity came to earth, and not the idea of equality, it is it that gives consistency, unanimity and lack of discontent, and while maintaining the individuality of each person, there must be mutual subordination - subordination and a certain system of hierarchy.
The apostle Paul finds an illustration of this interdependence in the human body, in which everyone is in a state of subordination to other members, having equal rights, but also unequal opportunities. The body functions successfully when not the equalization of all members takes place, but the coordinated interaction and unity of each in its place and with its functions. Consequently, equality in a certain respect does not exclude, but presupposes a hierarchy, that is, inequality. Paul writes that the whole body is not an eye or an ear. A married sister, covering her head, shows the surrounding world her submission to the position established by God. And this is a testimony not only for others, but also a sign for the Angels. By observing people, Satan and the fallen angels discover that God has received obedience from people that he did not receive from them, and this shames them. Satan is put to shame not only by Jesus, who submitted to the Father, but also by ordinary handkerchiefs, that is, by people who voluntarily submitted to God's institutions. This is the obedience of the wife to her husband, and the covering of the head is a sign of this state. Satan, on the other hand, is trying to convince women who are not strong in spirit that it is not necessary to cover their heads.
But in doing so, Paul points out that covering the head is a voluntary act. This is where the shame of angels is manifested, in voluntariness, when women, equal to men in terms of grace, in the flesh obey them, giving a sign of their obedience to God's institutions. Therefore, there should be no compulsory ecclesiastical law on head coverings for sisters.