Women sitting on the right

ebnyasoo3

Hello,

I went to an eastern Orthodox Church and I noticed that most of the women sat on the north side unlike us, Copts, where women sit on the south side.
When I asked the deacon about the reason, he told me that women sit on the north since the icon of St Mary on the iconstasis is located on the north side of the altar.

Do you know why women sit on the south side in the Coptic Church?

In Christ,
Ebnyasoo3

Hezekiel

Hi ebnyasoo3,

Interesting question and although I had been to an Eastern church once before , I did not register the seating order. Their way of crossing which looked rather odd to me took away much of the attention .I think, by south ( I have no sense for these directions)  you mean, the right side. From what I know, it has to do with a verse in the pslams; 'the queen sits at the right hand of the King' and as such the women sit on the right hand of the men.

ebnyasoo3

Hezekiel,

Thanks for your response. I didn't think about this verse but it makes sense.

In HIm,
Ebnyasoo3