Contemporary
Church Etiquette

The following is intended to address countless questions asked by our faithful and to help our parish family together create a sacred and respectful sanctuary in which to worship the Lord our God.

Appropriate Clothing for Worship

Of course, it goes without saying that God loves us no matter what we wear. That said, though God accepts us however we are, we must present ourselves to him in a humble, respectful and dignified manner. This does not mean that our sanctuary should become a fashion show or that we must spend great wealth on our clothing. Rather, quite simply, respectful, appropriate attire is a sign of our praise and honor for the Lord God our Creator.

Females may cover their heads when entering the church sanctuary. Men should remove headwear prior to entering the church sanctuary. (The reason for the difference you may ask? A woman’s hair is considered her crown jewel; covering her hair or head is a sign of humility before God.) Women should refrain from wearing excessive makeup, particularly lipstick when receiving Holy Communion. Shoulders should be covered at all times. Spaghetti straps, tank tops, strapless dresses, bare mid-riffs, low-cut tops, short skirts, shorts, clothing that is too tight, blatant brand names, visible undergarments, “flip-flip” sandals, and the like are not acceptable attire for worship. Jeans and sneakers should be avoided where possible.

The most important item to wear to church is a cloak of humility and respect. Again, God indeed loves us no matter what we wear. Nevertheless, it is our duty (and privilege) to show Him how much we love Him by dressing respectfully and with dignity.

Crossing in Front of the Altar

At times, we are required to cross the center aisle or in front of the Holy Altar, either to take a seat in an empty pew, to cross from one side of the sanctuary to the other, etc. We must remember to cross ourselves when passing in front of the Holy Altar as a sign of respect and in acknowledgement of God who is present on the altar.

Personal Conversations and Cell Phones

Personal conversations of any kind should not take place in the church sanctuary. Ideally, this would be both during Divine Liturgy and at other times. To have a conversation in the sanctuary, particularly during Badarak, is the equivalent of saying to God (who is invisibly enthroned on the Holy Altar during Divine Liturgy) that He is less important than whatever it is we have to say to the person sitting next to us.

We encourage, and in fact are pleased to see our parish family in fellowship and conversation. Such conversations, however, should be reserved for after church during fellowship hour or outside the church sanctuary. Not only are our comments or conversations inappropriate (sometimes) for a church sanctuary, but they, intentionally or unintentionally, disturb and distract those who are worshipping near us.

As we have shared with parishioners for years, cell phones in church are unacceptable at all times, no exceptions.

Participation in Divine Liturgy

Parishioners are, as always, encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy by singing the hymns or sharagans of the Badarak and participating in a prayerful and reverent manner. Parishioners are requested to refrain from reciting or chanting the prayers of the Celebrant or Priest. Not only do other parishioners indicate this is distracting, but often the Priest, ordained through the Sacrament of the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood, is praying to God, as the Shepherd or Pastor of the parish, on behalf of the faithful. Likewise, prayers are said when blessing the communion as bread and wine are mysteriously transformed to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. These prayers are properly reserved for the clergy and Celebrant of the Badarak who have been ordained and given the right to bless the Holy Eucharist.

Approaching to Receive Holy Communion

We must bear in mind what is taking place prior to receiving Holy Communion. We have just knelt, before the priest and before God, confessing our sins, asking God to make us worthy of forgiveness and His Kingdom. When we rise from confession, we must remain in a contemplative, self-reflective and prayerful spirit as we approach to receive the greatest of all sacraments, Holy Communion, the life-giving Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This must be all that is in our minds as we approach to receive the Eucharist.

Likewise, to facilitate this sacred moment for communicants, parishioners who are not receiving Holy Communion must refrain from any and all conversation. It is appropriate to stand during Holy Communion as this is a Sacrament of the Church. This is an appropriate time for all to take time in self-reflection and prayer.

The End of Divine Liturgy

Divine Liturgy has not ended until the final blessing from the priest — “Let us depart in peace, and may the Lord be with us all, Amen.” Faithful should not collect their personal belongings during the final hymn, “Orhnetseets uz Der.” This hymn does not translate to: “It is time to collect your belongings and leave.” Rather, it is a prayer of praise heralding that at all times we will praise God, and that words of praise will be on our lips. Further still, this is distracting to fellow worshippers.

Let us remain patient and wait the extra 30 seconds to conclude the Divine Liturgy as a family, receiving the blessings of God and proclaiming together, as a church family, as well as in our own lives, “we will praise Him always!”

Credit: St. James Armenian Apostolic Church Sunday School — Watertown, MA