Orthodox Christianity and Tattoos
From Leviticus to the Coptic wrist cross — a question with a longer history than most expect.
There is no canon of an Ecumenical Council forbidding tattoos, and Orthodox practice on the question is not uniform. Some of the oldest continuous Christian tattoo traditions in the world are Orthodox.
The Coptic wrist cross
Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt have tattooed a small cross on the inside of the right wrist for centuries. It functions as a confession of faith that cannot be removed under pressure, and it identifies the bearer at church doors. The Razzouk family in Jerusalem has tattooed Christian pilgrims since the sixteenth century.
The Levitical prohibition
Leviticus 19:28 forbids cutting the flesh and 'printing any marks' — a prohibition aimed at pagan mourning rites. The Orthodox reading is that the ceremonial law of Israel is fulfilled in Christ, so the verse is not applied as a standing rule; the Church's concern is with what the mark means, not with ink as such.
The pastoral answer
- Nothing prevents a tattooed person from being baptised, chrismated or communed.
- Images that are demonic, obscene or blasphemous are a matter for confession, not for laser removal.
- Tattooing an icon or the face of Christ on the body is widely discouraged: an icon is venerated, and the body goes places an icon should not.
- Practice varies by jurisdiction and by priest. Ask your own priest before, not after.
Frequently asked
- Does the Orthodox Church allow tattoos?
- There is no universal prohibition. Coptic Orthodox Christians have used a tattooed wrist cross for centuries, while other jurisdictions discourage tattoos as a matter of pastoral counsel.
- Can you be baptised Orthodox with tattoos?
- Yes. Tattoos are no obstacle to baptism, chrismation or communion.