Celebration of 8th of March in the Orthodox Church
(
07.03.2009
)
The Deputy of the President of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, father Vsevold Chaplin, considers the expressing of greetings to ladies in occasion of the International Women’s Day the 8th of March, as an appropriate act, but we should be careful not to disturb the continuation of the Great Lent.
“This year, the celebration of the Women’s Day coincides with the Week of Orthodoxy. The Orthodox Christian may completely express his good feelings to all of his sisters in Christ, to all the women belonging to his family, to the women co-workers etc.” – stated father Chaplin to “Interfax Religion” agency.
However, he issues a call not to forget that these days are at the time of the Great Lent and “any kind of celebrations shouldn’t disturb the Lent.”
Besides this, father Vsevold said that we must have on mind that “women are always worth of our attention, not only on this day and not only in the Week of Myrth-bearers when, according to the Orthodox tradition, the women are celebrated.”
“Such tradition of celebrating the 8th of March entered in our lives, but the Orthodox believers do not forget that it is connected to the revolutionary movements, which brought a lot of suffer to people, particularly to women, many of whom glorified the Church of Christ with their martyrdom because of Christ.”
According to the words of the priest, “the life itself denied the expressions celebrated by various movements, and which have been trying to equalise women and men in their social positions and roles.”
The priest noticed that women and men have a different nature, “but such difference in both cases is deeply respected in Church, because it carries the appearance of God in it. Both man and woman have precious value in the eyes of God”.
