User:Darlynm2020/sandbox

During the early medieval time, Church fathers prohibited sexual relations with menstruants, lactating women and parturients. However, these prohibitions were not followed and instead ignored, by the twelfth century many canon legist no longer prohibited sexual relations with menstruants. A change that became controversial. Jews maintained the Levitical purity laws that made them believe they were pure and holy for not engaging in any sexual relations while women were in their menstruation period. on the other side, Jews believed Christians were impure and idolatrous for engaging in sexual relations with menstruants. Other denominations, such as those of Oriental Orthodox Christianity, follow the rules similar to those laid out in the Holiness Code section of Leviticus, somewhat similar to the Jewish ritual of Niddah. Pope Dionysius of Alexandria held with regard to menstruating women that "not even they themselves, being faithful and pious, would dare when in this state either to approach the Holy Table or to touch the body and blood of Christ." As such, Oriental Orthodox Christian women, such as those belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church, do not attend church while they are menstruating.