Churching of a Baby Common Misconception

Admittance to the Sanctuary

According to current liturgical practice, male infants only are brought into the sanctuary while female infants are brought before the Holy Doors. This practice is, in fact, a late development, which is recorded in the more recent codices and printed Euchologia.

Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki (+1429), for example tells us that in his time, due to the dangers of infant mortality, most children were baptized by the fortieth day after birth. Hence, at the time of churcing all baptized infants were admitted to the sanctuary, regardless of gender. Only the unbaptized were brought before the Holy Doors. Thus, baptism, not gender, determined entrance into the sanctuary.

Today, infants are baptized well after the fortieth day. The current practice which distinguishes between male and female children and excludes female babies from the sanctuary is untenable and untraditional, as earlier codices did not make such a distinction. As St. Paul says, “there is neither male nor female, for all are one in Christ” (Gal. 3:28). Hence, gender should not be an obstacle because men and women are recipients of the same grace.

Therefore, all infants, regardless of gender should be admitted to the sanctuary. St. Symeon of Thessaloniki makes note of the fact that the fortieth day churching of infants constitutes an offering, and he adds, “what better space could be more appropriate for the dedication of the infant to God than the sanctuary?”

Excerpt from Ierotelestikon - A Handbook on Orthodox Liturgical Practice, History, Meanings, Challenges by Fr. Alkiviadis C. Calivas, 2023, page 130.