Ahh... answers finally, after a fashion.

For those just tuning in I have been wondering about a couple of specific subjects during my trek to Orthodoxy.  One of these was the issue of Piercing and Tattooing, being that I am of the pierced, tattooed freak variety of person.

I have received varying answers to this query ranging from "That is mutilation and therefore BAD." to "There is always a certain amount of grace afforded to those coming into the Church, these things having transpired before Chrismation."

While both are valid answers.. one better than the other, neither of them reflect a firm stance on the subject by the Church only conjecture on the part of individuals.  I was hoping for clear, or at least a less murky stance that would clearly communicate the decision of the Canonical Orthodox Faith^TM.  Well today it seems that I finally have that, one of the features that I love most at the OCA.org is the Further Q&A on the Orthodox Faith by Fr. John Matusiak.  Fr. Matusiak is a wonderful choice for this task, I have found his correspondence wonderfully succinct and focused, and today I was blessed by running across this entry, Piercing & Tattoos.

Here is a snippet from his answer to the question: Many young people in our community are looking at traditional/cultural body piercing and tattoos, and are wondering what view the church has on such practices.

Unfortunately, there is little in the way of precedent on the matter of body piercing and tattoos. There is nothing, at least to my knowledge (which is somewhat limited), in the Holy Fathers on such matters, and I do not believe that any hierarch or Synod has addressed this currently popular practice.

What we do find throughout history, however, are some proscriptions on self mutilation, and I have seem some writings lately which condemn piercings and tattoos on the grounds that they constitute self mutilation. On the other hand, there are those who see piercings and tattoos as a passing fashion fad, much like teased hair and white wet-look lipstick in the 1960s or purple spiked hair and black lipstick in the punk era. Yet the Church has always warned against undue concern for one's appearance or undue concern for calling attention to the self, especially when doing so becomes obsession and, therefore, a sin.

In my book you have to give credit to any Priest who references the Punk era..  If you have the time I would highly suggest reading Fr. Matusiak it is well worth your time, and if you read it for no other reason then you simply must read it for the story he relates from his own parish concerning this subject.