Genealogy Chat

It wouldn't let me add a reply.

I happen to have a B of CP handy - there is something called THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN AFTER CHILDBIRTH commonly called THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN The woman, at the usual time after her Delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some covenient place, as hath been accustomed, or as the Ordinary shall direct; And the Priest shall say unto her, (then follows: thanks for deliverance ... great danger of Child-birth ... hearty thanks unto God ...) I expect a Google on "churching of women" should tell it all.

Same here - couldn't reply - but would have given the same answer - was present at a 'churching' in the Catholic Church when I was a Godmother in the early 1960's

I think my mum said something about being unable to take any of us to church for baptism the godparents took us, this was in Ireland in the fifties. Lynda

I think you cannot reply on the thread because the originator has used quote marks in the title - this happened to a question I posted - the originator needs to go in and update the message by removing the quote marks ' '.

Churching of Woman was still happening in the 60's wen I had my 5 children, before you started to go out and about, you were expected to go to church and blessed for the safe delivery. Mind you, most birth's were home birth's then.

I was 'Churched' after the birth of my 1st daughter in 1966 but the custom died out shortly after because by the time I had my 2nd child in 1972 I didn't need to be 'churched'. I do't like the unclean bit but I do think its a nice idea to thank God for a safe delivery. Dedrah

Thank you for your replies. Yes, I known 'unclean' isn't a nice description, but it's the word my Grandmother used to my mother - it all comes down to a generational thing really, I suppose. Helen

In the Old Testament, men were told not to have sex with a woman who was having her period; she was thought of as 'unclean', and this lasted for seven days. A man with a discharge of any kind was 'unclean' until 7 days after it stopped. When a man had 'an emission of semen' he was unclean until evening. When a couple had sex and there was an emission, they were unclean until evening. There were instructions in all cases about things that were touched also being unclean and about washing. I guess it was basic hygiene in some ways. A woman who had a baby was ceremonially unclean for 7 days if it was a boy and 2 weeks if it was a girl. She had to wait 33 days after the boy's circumcision to be 'purified from her bleeding'. In the case of a daughter, she had to wait 66 days. 'Churching' sounds as if the Anglican/Catholic Church carried this on.