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Churching

Old Boy

master brummie
Hi All,

There are many customs and superstitions that seem to be dying out. For instance when I was a boy if a woman had a baby almost the first thing they did when they could get out and about was to take the baby into a church. They called it 'CHURCHING' if I remember right. It was more urgent than getting the child baptised or christened as it was usually called in those days.

Similarly a woman would nevr go into church without covering their head. If they did not have a hat a scarf would do. Some ladies keep up this tradition but many do not bother.

Old Boy.
 
the practice of Churching still goes on There are books that examine the medieval ritual of churching, a rite of purification after childbirth performed on a woman’s first visit to church after giving birth.
 
Hi Old Boy, when I saw the title "Old Customs" I immediately thought of the time my elder sister had to be "churched" after the birth of her baby, in 1963, it wasn't the baby who was churched but the woman. I know some people would not let a women who had not been churched into their homes. My grandma was one, she wasn't a women with many superstitions so it was a surprise to me she was so strong in her belief in churching. I will ask my sister what took place in churching.
 
I find the whole concept of a woman being considered [by your church] to be 'unclean' after giving birth wholly abhorrent. Thankfully it is something that never happened to people close to me.

'Churching' is a throw back to medieval times and should not still be carried out.
 
Yes I remember that too and my aunt did her nut when I didn't go after having my twins. The thing that annoyed me was the women in the family were not religious and only attended christenings weddings and funerals. Someone I can't recall who showed me scriptural evidence [I think it was a neighbour] but that could be read into in different ways. I think they were afraid of what the neighbours would think if they didn't go along with this practice or just superstition. Jean.
 
Hi All,

They called it 'CHURCHING' if I remember right. It was more urgent than getting the child baptised or christened as it was usually called in those days.

Similarly a woman would nevr go into church without covering their head. If they did not have a hat a scarf would do. Some ladies keep up this tradition but many do not bother.

Old Boy.

some customs are worth saving but im quite happy to see the back of these particular ones!
 
I have just done some reading and it would seem that the Christian Churches used the event as a celebrations of having given birth. Sadly its inception was a cleansing and later silly superstition took over.

Never certain whether to believe Wikipedia but there is quite a good article on Churching.

Thanks Jean you have reminded me that when my first was born we were asked about Churching but neither I nor my Wife considered it.
 
It’s not only ‘Churching’ that is no longer practiced, Baptising or Christening doesn’t seem to be a priority with the modern parents.
 
Perhaps the idea of 'churching' was due to the risk of both mother and child dying - so at least they'd been to church!!!
I'm glad the custom has gone, the idea we are unclean appalling.
Many parents these days don't b other or have a naming service.
Sheri
 
I was Churched when I had my Daughter, what my belief of Churching was, it wasn't because you where unclean it was to thank God for the safe delivery of the baby, the baby didn't have to go it was for the mother

Jackie
 
I think that is the correct Christian interpretation but it became corrupted as some others have noted.
 
Being a Catholic, Lapsed, I was churched and the reason, because i had committed a sin. (How else does one make babbies) (well, one can today something else one is not supposed to do) out of the book written by man...Cat
 
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