Orthodox right to be photographed in a kerchief for passport

[尼古拉前执事]

Orthodox Christian got the right to be photoed in a kerchief for passport

The citizen of Birobidgan, parishioner of ROCA(L) Valentina Ivanova succeeded to get the right to be photoed in a kerchief for passport. To do this she was not obliged to put an application to court, several meetings with municipal authorities (vice-mayor rank) were quite enough to get the permission, as Portal Credo.Ru informs.

The staff of the passport department tried to explain Valentina Ivanova that only Moslems have the right to be photoed in a kerchief for passport, which caused equitable surprise of the ardent Christian. After a heated argument the officials allowed Ivanova to be photoed in a kerchief but claimed that it should be tied at the nape to show the ears. This couldn’t satisfy Valentina who told that "red kerchief tied at the nape were first used by Komsomol girls who desired to look differently in comparison with Orthodox women".

Having studied a job description, the officials found out that one is allowed to be photoed in a kerchief in case "the face oval" remains visible. The next round of negotiations dealt with the clarification of the fact if ears should be included into "the face oval". After the discussion of the above mentioned question with Moscow colleagues Birobidgan officials gave Ivanova the permission to be photoed in a kerchief for passport.

[Justin Kissel]

I'd be legitimately afraid to contradict airport security today if they told me to do something. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing.

I guess passport office people would be a little less aggressive, heh.

[Methodius]

If we are called to be praying uncesingly and women are supposed to have their heads covered when they pray, it makes sense that an Orthodox woman might want to always wear her headscarf. Glad to hear she is allowed to do so.