Bible Encyclopedias
Sexes, Separation of, in Churches.

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The rules of the primitive churches required the separation of the sexes in the churches, and this was generally observed. The men occupied the left of the altar on the south side of the church, and the women the right on the north. They were separated from each other by a veil or lattice. In the Eastern churches the women and catechumens occupied the galleries above, while the men sat below. In some churches a separate apartment was also allotted to widows and virgins. See Coleman, Christ. Antiq. s.v.