The Church explained what to do with tattoos
The presence of drawings on the body does not close the way to the temple, but can be a serious reason for repentance if the image was stuffed for the sake of fashion or vanity.
Many believers are worried: will they be allowed to enter the church with a tattoo and is it not a terrible sin? The Chairman of the movement “Orthodox Russia” Mikhail Ivanov reassured parishioners: in itself, the presence of a picture on the skin is not considered a misdemeanor, which prohibits participation in the sacraments or entry into the temple.
However, this issue should be approached consciously. According to Ivanov, the human body is not just a physical shell, but a gift of God and a real temple. “We’re not going to paint indelible pictures on church walls, so why do we allow ourselves to do this with our own body?”.
What about the existing tattoos? If the image is blatantly blasphemous, pagan or satanic, the clergy strongly recommend that it be reduced if possible. If this is a harmless drawing, made in his youth by frivolity, it is not necessary to remove it. The main thing is not to repeat such experiments in the future and repent at confession in the thoughtless disposal of your body.
Ivanov paid special attention to the motives of people. If the tattoo was made solely for the sake of beauty, the desire to stand out from the crowd or follow trends, the basis of such an act is pride - the root of many sins.
