Giving thanks for the birth of a child

In early February, congregants in Palmer Hall participated in one of the most ancient rites in the Book of Common Prayer: “A Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child.” In its original, 16th-century form, this rite was more commonly known as the “Churching of Women.” The rite has roots in the Presentation of Jesus in the temple by his mother Mary, eight days after his birth.

The story is recorded in the Gospel of Luke: When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, [Joseph and Mary] brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Luke 2:22-24

By the Rev.

In traditional Jewish custom, purification rituals acted as a bridge between a person and their community during and after experiences of “uncleanliness” (think severe illness, menstruation and childbirth, or eating unclean foods). To our modern Christian context, these rituals may seem overly rigid or judgmental. In fact, they were deeply restorative in nature, serving to facilitate a person’s re-entry into community after a time of separation.

Churching of women stemmed from this biblical narrative of Mary’s own purification and re-entry into her community following the birth of Jesus. In the Christian rite, the focus is twofold: first, gratitude for the safe delivery of the mother through the perils of childbirth; and second, thanksgiving for the arrival of a new child. For the full rite, see the Book of Common Prayer, pages 439-445.

In February, the Palmer Hall community gathered around Aletheia Katta (just three weeks old!) and her parents, the Rev. Zaccheaus Katta and Sucharitha Ittamalla. Together, we prayed joyfully in thanksgiving for her nascent life, saying “I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication... How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me? Hallelujah!”

I hope we will use “A Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child” more frequently in Palmer Hall—there are so many new children born into our community all the time! More than that, it is my hope that the Palmer Hall community will continue to grow in how we accompany people on all paths to creating a family. I’m very grateful that the Episcopal Church also has liturgies to recognize and celebrate adoptions. For those for whom creating a family is a path of trial and sorrow, we also have rituals related to loss during pregnancy, infertility, or the death of a child.

If you or your family are interested in knowing more about any of these rituals, please reach out. It is our honor to create sacred space for every experience you carry.

The Rev Cate Anthony is an associate priest at St. Stephen’s. You can watch a video of Cate discussing the Palmer Hall service and the special community it has created at ststephensRVA.org/palmerhall