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Mar 25th, 2025
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Does anyone know when it became unpopular ? A guy at my church told me it was still done among Ukrainian Catholics well into the 20th century in Ukraine. I'm guessing the practice only continues among Ethiopians and Old Believers today.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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Lawrence:
It was still the custom in the OCA parishes I used to attend up to the mid 1970s: men on the right; women on the left.
BOB
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A Serbian Orthodox church I visited recently still has women on the left, men on the right.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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It is still the custom in some of the Greek Orthodox monastic communities here and in Greece.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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The original reason to segregate the sexes in Church was to avoid scandal at the Kiss of Peace (people were a bit more naive in those days). At present, some Old-Ritualist churches may still practice this segregation, but not all of them.
Fr. Serge
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Its still very much the custom in ROCOR churches. I know because I go to one which is segregated.
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What do families do if the church is segregated?
-Alexis
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What do families do if the church is segregated?
-Alexis Women (girls) on the left, men (boys) on the right. 
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It is still quite the norm at all monasteries and most parishes that I am familiar with. Personally, I like it because it maintains order in the Church during Services, and cuts down on distractions. It also permits those who are altitude impaired to more fully follow the services. As far as families go, small children of both sexes go with their mothers and grandmothers on the left under the guidance of the Theotokos, whose Icon graces the left side of the Church. Boys, upon reaching the age where they can stand and participate in the Service, stand with their father, uncles and grandfathers. It cuts down on the cheerio factor as well, as boys are usually in a hurry to be big enough to stand with the men. It is a pious tradition, and we all would do well to emulate it.
Alexandr
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Same here. The Malankara Catholic and Orthodox Churches have this practice as well. Segregation is also due practical consideration, especially during prostrations..
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In the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada ( www.uocc.ca [ uocc.ca]) in Eastern Canada it is still the norm for men on the right and women on the left. Small children go with their mothers. It is also a custom for a godmother to taker her goddaughter up for communion if under age 7 and godfather to take up his godson. I don't think having men on the right and women on the left is something that will ever change. On the other hand when I went to Western Canada for the Dauphin Festival, I was really surprised to see men & women intermingled, so I can't speak for Western Canada.
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In our parish, which is an English language Mission of the Eastern American Diocese of ROCOR, our people generally - but not invariably - stand with men on the right (the side with the Icon of the Saviour on the Iconastasis) and women on the left (the side with the Icon of the Mother of God on the Iconastasis). Children of either sex stand with the parent with whom they are most comfortable at the time, often going back and forth as the spirit moves them. Many times there are adults that choose not to conform to the general pattern. As with the issue of head coverings for women, not everyone chooses to follow the traditions of the Church. Still these traditional behaviours prevail in our parish without anyone forcing compliance. Fr David Straut St Elizabeth the New-Martyr Orthodox Church Rocky Hill, New Jersey www.saint-elizabeths.org [ saint-elizabeths.org]
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the malankara orthodox in Singapore have men on the left and women on the right, curiously the reverse of the byantine tradition. can anyone else verify if this is the usual malankara tradition?
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Joined: Nov 2002
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While we're on this subject, does anybodys EC/EO parish still have the spring clips on the backs of only the right side pews? I paid a visit to a former OCA building recently, and the minister who had been there for the last 30 years was astounded when I told him the reason for the clips was because the women were on the left side. The men sat on the right and clipped their hats on the back of the pew in front of them. It was really strange to see pews with three bar crosses in a church that hasn't been an eastern christian church for over 30 years!
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