In a message dated 5/10/2005 8:11:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > The monther did not go to church then because she was not > 'purified/cleansed' from childbirth, and could not go into the church until she was. This > usually occurred 6 weeks after the baby's birth, when her body returned to > 'normal'.... sort of a thing left over from before christianity with the same > thinking that the monthlies made a woman 'unclean'.... Interesting, isn't it! > Thank you for the explanation ... all these years, I always thought that my mother was not at my baptism because it might have been mother-in-law trouble. :)) My two godparents, father and grandmother (his mother) were there for the ceremony. Plus ... I was not given the name my mother wanted (birth certificate name) ... still don't know who wanted the Baptism name. When I asked years later, I was told the priest said my birth name could not be used because it was Greek and not a Christian name!!! I'll say, it's interesting! Sandra