Church wedding: what you need to know about the ceremony.
Wedding is one of the seven church sacraments, which is carried out according to strict rules. That is why most clergy advise preparing for it correctly.
But as practice shows, in major cities, due to the large number of people wishing to get married, this sacred action is carried out without preliminary confession of the newlyweds and their communion.
In our article we will try to understand the sacrament of wedding in more detail, and also tell you which church rules it is better not to violate.
I would like to say right away that there are days when not a single priest will perform your wedding. According to church canons, this sacrament is prohibited from being performed on Tuesday, Thursday and all Wednesdays and Fridays preceding Lent. Saturday is also prohibited, since on this day absolutely all people must prepare for Sunday service.
That is why most priests advise newlyweds to get married on Sunday before 16-17 hours. In the evening, even on Sunday, no one will perform the sacrament. This is due to the generally accepted church structure, according to which the evening service begins at 17-18 hours, after which all clergy must go to rest.
If you ask a priest this question, he will probably tell you that you cannot get married while on your period. Moreover, some clergy prohibit women from even entering church these days. But if you try to find the answer to this question in the Bible, you will find out that there are no such restrictions in it.
A similar lock appeared in those days when women did not wear underwear and knew nothing about the existence of gaskets. For this reason, if they were present at church service during menstruation, they left behind characteristic marks. In view of this, priests began to prohibit women from entering church during menstruation.
For a wedding, a white dress is preferable The choice of wedding dress must also be approached responsibly. Ideally, it should be white and completely cover the bride's arms and legs. This outfit symbolizes the bride's chastity and virginity. If a girl gets married a second time, she can afford to wear a red or pink outfit. Wedding dresses in black, blue and purple, it is best not to wear to a wedding.
This is due to the fact that most often such outfits are worn for mourning ceremonies. As for the veil, you must wear it. According to church rules, a woman cannot enter church with her head uncovered, so if your outfit does not require a veil, then throw a shawl over your head at the wedding.
I would like to say right away that the wedding of a Muslim man and a Christian woman is impossible not according to Christian or Muslim laws. In this case, the newlyweds will have to decide who will accept the other’s faith. As for marriage between a Catholic and a Christian, everything is much simpler.
Since Catholicism is considered one of the branches of Christianity, in this case a wedding is allowed without renouncing one’s faith. The newlyweds will just have to decide in which temple the ceremony will be held and be sure to receive a blessing from the patriarch.
Only baptized people are married No church will agree to marry unbaptized newlyweds. You will also receive a refusal if one person from the couple is not baptized. This is due to the fact that such people do not have an intercessor before God, which means no one guides or protects them in life.
It is believed that the Guardian Angel, whom a person receives at baptism, is the link that connects an ordinary sinful woman or man and the Almighty. That is why priests insist that a wedding is possible only if a person has undergone baptism.
Initially, I would like to clarify that the church does not welcome divorce and advises people to do everything to save their marriage. But if the family cannot be saved, divorce is allowed.
True, in this case you will need to ask the patriarch himself for permission to debunk it. If you do not do this, then before God you will continue to remain a wife and husband.
In the monastery people get married only with permission Although there is no direct ban on getting married in a monastery, as a rule, the ceremony is not performed there. Sometimes an exception is made, but only if the abbot of the monastery gives permission.
Usually, newlyweds are refused due to the fact that in such places there live people who have given up worldly joys. In view of this, the ceremony is not performed so that the clergy do not become sad for their old life and did not give up serving God.
In the 18th-19th centuries, marriage was considered official only after the newlyweds were married in church. That is why it was forbidden to hold wedding banquets without this ceremony. Nowadays, the church is not so strict about this and allows a special ceremony to be held on the wedding day or immediately after official registration marriage in the registry office.
Moreover, most priests agree to this procedure only after the couple has officially registered their relationship. This is due to the fact that modern man is obliged to live in a generally accepted legal field, which dictates certain rules for the cohabitation of two recently strangers.
Parents must be present at the wedding Parents not only can, but simply must attend the wedding of their children. If you have read the Bible, then you probably know that according to its commandments, children are obliged to honor the people who gave them life. For this reason, during the ceremony, special prayers must be read for the mother and father, in which they are thanked for their lives and asked for blessings for marriage.
In ancient times, Krasnaya Gorka was considered the most ideal time to create new family. This was due to the fact that after celebrating this holiday, people began field work, and a new member of the family helped make everything a little faster. In addition, people believed that a wedding held on Krasnaya Gorka would make the newlyweds’ marriage strong and happy.
Modern lovers have little faith in omens, but sometimes they also decide to celebrate their wedding on this day. As for Trinity, it is not advisable to get married on this day. Since it is one of the twelve holidays, on the eve of which they do not celebrate church ceremonies, then it is simply incorrect to hold a wedding on this day.
It is not advisable for two couples to get married at the same time. Although priests now decide to marry several couples at the same time, according to church rules this is prohibited. During the ceremony, the priest must ask for a blessing for the newly formed family, but it turns out that instead of two names, he pronounces four at once.
It is believed that in this case, couples get happiness in half and as a result the marriage is not very strong. In view of this, it will be better if you agree with the priest to perform the wedding ceremony exclusively for you.
In principle, if you remove the wedding ring from your hand a couple of days after the wedding, then nothing bad will happen. Yes, it is a symbol of your love and devotion, but it does not have much impact on your marriage. If we talk about whether it is possible to sell a ring that was placed on your hand in church, then it is worth considering the ethical side.
Since the ring was bought specifically for you, its sale can greatly upset your other half, and you will simply quarrel. Therefore, try to take care of your wedding ring and only occasionally remove it from your hand.
The wedding can be filmed Initially, weddings were considered a sacrament that was forbidden to be filmed. But since we live in an age of rapidly developing digital technologies, clergy have become calm about the fact that newlyweds are trying to capture this solemn moment on camera. Therefore, most temples allow you to do this, although sometimes they ask you to pay an additional fee for filming.
If you try to familiarize yourself with the generally accepted church rules, you will understand that people who are in the sixth degree of kinship can marry before God. And since second cousins are considered relatives to the sixth degree, marriage between them is possible. Another question is how loved ones will react to this. Therefore, before you decide to take this step, be sure to ask for blessings from your parents and the patriarch.
You can get married after the birth of a child You can and should get married after the birth of a child. If you do not do this, then you will remain strangers before God. In view of this, if you were unable to get married before the baby was born, then do it immediately after you can go to church after giving birth. Please note that the ceremony will be possible only after the special Introduction of the woman in labor into the Temple of God.
Until recently, there was a direct ban on the marriage of godparents to one child. The priests explained this by saying that the spiritual parents of a little man cannot marry in a way that could bring him trouble. Modern clergy are less superstitious, so they allow godparents to get married; they simply require special permission from the bishop of the diocese to which the person belongs to perform the ceremony.
Before the wedding you must confess and receive communion As you probably understand, a wedding is a rather serious ceremony for which you need to properly prepare. This means that you have to come to it in a difficult way. good mood, and with a pure soul. Therefore, it will be better if, before the ceremony itself, you confess your sins and take communion.
After this you will definitely need to visit evening service and you can calmly prepare for the celebration. If you perform the ceremony without special preparation, you will transfer it to your new life all the burden of previously committed sins.
Cheating on your wife is not a ban on a couple getting married. True, you must remember that before you decide to take this important step, you will need to forgive your loved one for the offense committed. If during the ceremony one of the spouses is offended by the other, then the wedding will not bring much benefit.
For married men You cannot get married without first annulling your previous marriage. In principle, if a man was not married in a previous marriage, then the ceremony can be performed. Another thing is that a modern person must take into account the fact that now even the church asks for official confirmation of marriage registration and only after that conducts the ceremony. Therefore, we can definitely say that a man will not be able to marry his chosen one until the previous marriage is annulled.
We are accustomed to thinking that only gold rings can be exchanged in church. In fact, silver rings are also suitable for weddings and, most importantly, such wedding jewelry is even preferable for the bride.
It is believed that silver represents the purity of the Almighty and emits His light. Therefore, if she carries on her hand silver ring, you will always be under his protection. As for the men's ring, it can be gold.
Avoid eating before your wedding You can eat before the wedding, but not too much. It is advisable that it be a light meal that will not cause heaviness in the stomach. If you overeat, you will most likely not feel normal and the special moment will be ruined. In addition, keep in mind that gluttony is considered a terrible sin and, as popular wisdom says, “a full belly is deaf to prayer.”
There are no prohibitions in church rules regarding the sale of wedding attire. But still, most priests advise taking care of the wedding dress and under no circumstances selling it. This is due to the fact that during the ceremony it is imbued with special energy, which protects the resulting family.
Our grandmothers believed that if wedding dress cover a sick child, he will recover very quickly. There is also a belief that by selling a dress, a woman gives away part of her family happiness with it.
In view of all this, it will be better if you do not take risks and do not sell your wedding dress. As for whether it can be worn, it is allowed to do so. You can only wear it on the brightest holidays or to celebrate a wedding anniversary.
Yana Volkova May 31, 2018, 21:13
The wedding ritual for a believing Christian couple is a very responsible, but at the same time, quite natural process. Especially if the bride and groom grew up in families where Orthodox traditions revered from birth. But people come to God in at different ages. And not everyone is familiar with the rules in the significant matter of marriage in heaven. How to choose best time for a wedding? When can the church categorically refuse in carrying out the ritual or, conversely, recommends holding a ceremony As soon as possible?
Before deciding which day is best for newlyweds to get married in church, it’s worth note for other equally significant things:
The most unfavorable month for a wedding is May. Traditionally, this time was the hardest for working in the garden and field. And the autumn reserves became very scarce after the winter, which made festive table not at all rich. IN modern world when similar prejudices are considered a relic past, May remains among the most beautiful months of the year: renewed nature, fresh greenery and blooming gardens will create a wonderful background for the celebration. And the church does not prevent weddings in May at all.
As for special days of the week, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and even Monday are considered the most successful for a wedding. But on Saturday such a ceremony can be held only in case of special agreements with the priest. This day of the week is considered All Souls' Day, and the church asks newlyweds to refrain from church weddings. Couples are also not allowed to get married on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year.
People define the first Sunday after Easter as the most successful time of the year for a wedding ceremony.
On Red Hill Day, priests conduct a large number of weddings for everyone. In addition, any weddings on holidays, associated with the Virgin Mary, especially Pokrov Holy Mother of God, are considered the key to a successful marriage and happiness in the family.
Priests do not marry newlyweds during fasting, on the days of continuous weeks and on the eve of big weeks. Orthodox holidays. Each church also holds its own patronal temple holidays, which do not fall into the general church calendar and which are not suitable for church weddings.
Orthodox church wedding calendar - a lifesaver for the bride and groom
This means that consultation with a specific priest in a specific church is extremely necessary. He will be happy to help you choose the right day for a wedding.
Is it possible to get married without registering a marriage at the registry office?
For true believing couples, wedding as a process is much more significant than a registered state marriage. Many come to church and ask to perform the ceremony without first signing at the registry office. Like, no meaning There is no marriage certificate for them, but only God's blessing. But do people get married in churches without a “stamp in their passport”?
View this post on Instagram
From the point of view of Orthodox rules, whether the state registration of marriage took place before or after the ceremony is not important. The rules of the church do not prohibit first getting married and then signing. But the clergyman cannot verify in any way whether one of the couple is hiding a real marriage with another person.
A priest will only agree to marry a couple without a signature that he knows well from birth, trusts their feelings and is ready to take responsibility for family life newlyweds
Such friendly relations between the priest and the bride and groom are very rare. That's why they ask first register the relationship at the registry office, so that civil servants can prevent possible bigamy. And after receiving the marriage certificate, the wedding ceremony is held.
Should the wedding take place before or after the wedding? How late can you be for a wedding?
The most common case is when the wedding ceremony takes place on the wedding day. In the morning, the couple goes to the Wedding Palace, goes through the registration procedure there, receives a certificate and hurries to the church to get married. And although this saves the newlyweds a fair amount of time and money, their emotional stress on their wedding day doubles. After all, you have to be nervous about the church sacrament too.
View this post on Instagram
Sep 25, 2018 at 3:35 PDT
It happens that newlyweds prefer to get married in a secluded environment without prying eyes and pathos. On the wedding day, this is unlikely to be possible, since all attention is focused on the bride and groom everywhere. But often a couple is simply not sure whether it is possible to undergo a wedding ceremony after the wedding. Priests to the question “How many days months or years after the wedding can you come to church for a wedding?” The answer is very simple: if newlyweds are ready to legitimize their marriage before God, then they can do this at any time after official registration in the registry office.
Wedding in church for already married couples - a ceremony after testing feelings in everyday life
Priests are increasingly encouraging young people to get married only a few years after the official wedding. In this case, the husband and wife approach church marriage more carefully and confidently.
The passing years only strengthen their love and loyalty to each other.
For church rules, in fact, it doesn’t matter how many years a couple lives together as husband and wife - whether they come back in a year or 10 years. And the ceremony itself, carried out after several years of marriage, is absolutely no different in significance from the ceremony that would be held on the wedding day.
How can older people get married in church? Ritual for newlyweds in retirement
If we talk about age restrictions, it was previously stated that women who have reached 60 year old age and men after 70 years old. The priests explained this by saying that one of the main goals of marriage is the birth and raising of children. And women and men after a certain age are no longer able to perform this function fully (although stories are known of older ones). But nowadays the church has become more loyal to older people who have decided to register their marriage in heaven. IN wedding prayer the priest simply omits the words about children and performs the ceremony.
View this post on Instagram
Reasons preventing a wedding: when is it possible and not? Is there a church marriage after 3 civil ones?
The Orthodox Church tries to follow a lot of important and necessary procedures in the wedding process. For example, without confession and communion, it is almost impossible for a couple to undergo a wedding ceremony. And although the church is loyal to those who turn to her for help and advice, a wedding, as a confirmation of marriage in heaven, is not allowed for everyone. A couple may be refused if:
- Both the bride and groom turned out to be clergy.
- One of the couple is in another undissolved marriage (civil or church).
- The young are relatives (up to the 3rd generation inclusive).
- Belonging of one of the couple to another faith or to an atheistic teaching.
- The husband or wife has already had 3 or more marriages.
View this post on Instagram
Unbaptized people are also not allowed to undergo the wedding ceremony.
In addition, if all ages are submissive to love, then such things will not work with a church marriage. And if very young partners are interested in the question of how old they can get married in church, then the couple is definitely underage may forget about the wedding sacrament.
Many young ladies are worried about the ban on getting married during menstruation. After all, it often happens to hear that you can’t even just visit church and touch icons on those very notorious critical days. But to great joy, many priests are already accepting the explanations of their colleagues, who call to be more humble about the sinfulness of the female lunar cycle.
And no matter how guilty Eve was in the past, modern women More and more often the road to the temple is open on any day of the month
Advanced priests claim that modern hygiene products simply will not allow sinful blood to fall on the church floor when menstruation occurs on the wedding day. But anyway, it's better check your priest's loyalty. And in case of refusal, transfer the sacrament to another day.
View this post on Instagram
It is also unlikely that a Catholic and an Orthodox woman will get married. For such purposes, special permission is required from both one side and the other. And it is given extremely rarely, although does not imply a change of faith for a Catholic. There were cases when a wedding in the Orthodox Church was allowed, but only on condition that the children born in such a marriage accepted Orthodox faith. But it is forbidden for Orthodox Christians to get married in the Catholic Church.
View this post on Instagram
Is it possible to get married a second time?
Couples go to church to get married with the firm intention of living their “happily ever after” with their partner, confident in their feelings and attitude towards each other. But life is an unpredictable thing. Divorces happen even more often than we would like. What does the church say in the case when feelings have faded, the marriage has been dissolved and the choice ex-husband and wives fell on other people? Is it possible to have a wedding ceremony again?
The decision of the hierarchy to develop a document on church marriage, the need for which has long been overdue, evokes joy and gratitude, as does the opportunity to take part in the discussion of the draft of this document. However, it should be noted that the proposed project needs significant improvement.
First of all, it is striking that the title of the document does not quite correspond to its content. The title “On some canonical aspects of the Sacrament of Marriage” would be more appropriate for the text under discussion. The intention of the authors of the document is unclear. It would be useful to indicate at the beginning whether it is intended to cover the topic of marriage in its entirety? But this is impossible to do in such a short document.
The document does not in any way correlate the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church with other Local Churches, as well as the practices and teachings on marriage Catholic Church. For example, nothing is said about the discipline accepted in the Russian Church of performing marriages only in strict set days, while in the fraternal Orthodox Churches weddings, as a rule, take place on Saturday and weddings are allowed during periods of fasting. This raises questions for the children of the Russian Church who are faced with similar cases.
Maybe we should reconsider these strict standards in the spirit of economy, because Is the prohibition of getting married on the Sabbath ignored by a huge number of people due to the difficulty of arranging a wedding on another day?
It is surprising that a document devoted to such an important church issue has only two or three phrases as a theological introduction, which, moreover, uses very vague formulations, which can hardly be acceptable in the doctrinal part of the text.
For example, in the very first sentence of the document, the concept of a “union” of a man and a woman is introduced, which God supposedly established in paradise. But in the text of Holy Scripture such a concept is not used. It says there that “The two will become one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but one flesh” (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6; Mark 10:8). Obviously, the word "union" can be interpreted in a wide and ambiguous way, and therefore, when using it, it is necessary to explain what is meant.
The formulation of the goal of Christian marriage as “the joint achievement by spouses of indestructible unity with Christ in His Everlasting Kingdom” obviously cannot be used specifically for marriage, given the Savior’s call to all who believe in Him, and therefore to the celibate and monastic: “That they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they also may be one in Us” (John 17:21).
The phrase of the preamble: “The Christian life of spouses presupposes the cultivation in love of the gift of grace received in the Sacrament of marriage, which is manifested, among other things, in childbearing and the joint work of raising children” should be considered vague and unclear. After all, children are also born and raised in a non-Christian marriage.
Phrase " Marriage presupposes the open expression of the will of a man and a woman, as a result of which rights and obligations arise in relation to each other, as well as to children"does not quite adequately convey legal side marriage.
The emergence of rights and obligations is more likely to be associated with the conclusion of a contract, rather than with some vague “open expression of will.” However, it is unclear to what extent a topic that is particularly important to Catholic teaching on marriage should be discussed “ marriage contract» in the submitted document dedicated to Orthodox understanding"church" marriage?
By quoting from the Epistle to Diognetus that in the first centuries Christians “married in the same way as other subjects of the Roman state,” the document rather misinterprets the meaning of the quoted text and risks leading the reader to the conclusion that originally “ecclesiastical marriage” didn't exist at all. The original Eucharistic dimension of Christian marriage, professed by Orthodox theology, is being completely forgotten.
It is obvious that the document should clearly distinguish between the pastoral approach to practicing Christians and to those who are just seeking to begin their churching, which is especially important in cases where people newly coming to the Church are in prodigal cohabitation.
The topic of the Church’s attitude to “prodigal cohabitation” is one of the most pressing in modern church life. Modern Russian legislation does not use the concept of fornication and does not condemn illegal cohabitation. In European countries and America, illegal (i.e., prodigal) cohabitation between men and women (and now same-sex cohabitation) is recognized by many people and the state as the norm.
In this regard, in Russia, the importance of legal registration of marriage in the eyes of the younger generation is inevitably decreasing. The Church certainly must respond to this trend, which is constantly intensifying in connection with the processes currently taking place throughout the world, and not just in our country.
Unfortunately, this issue was not discussed in detail in the proposed draft document. Prodigal cohabitation by modern unchurched youth is often called “civil marriage” and is perceived as the norm, and every priest faces this situation almost every day. It seems that, with all the strictness of church canons, the pastor must treat such people informally in each specific case, bearing in mind the missionary concern for attracting the lost to repentance and churching.
It is necessary to distinguish the motives of people involved in adultery. There are people who in this way try to find their way to a true marriage, having sincere love for each other. Others cohabit to satisfy sexual needs. Finding a path to admonition and spiritual healing presupposes paternal condescension towards the “prodigal son” and a careful attempt in each individual case, through churching, to “transform” prodigal cohabitation into a church marriage.
The position of the Church in similar situations and the possibility of applying canonical norms in modern life it would be very important to formulate, discuss and explain in detail, because The current practice in churches often makes one think that the priest is not at all familiar with the Orthodox canons. A more detailed presentation of the pastoral approach to this problem would significantly enrich this document.
The document also did not provide sufficient clarification on the question of the Church’s attitude towards marriages of Christians with non-Christians. The document calls for “showing pastoral leniency” towards persons married to non-Christians – and nothing more. However, church canons strongly condemn the deliberate marriage of a Christian woman to a non-Christian, subjecting such “Christian women” to lifelong excommunication. The document needs to pay more attention to these increasingly common cases.
The document does not sufficiently elaborate the section on preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage, while such preparation, in essence, very often has the meaning of catechesis and should unacceptably be performed by a priest instead of formally marrying everyone indiscriminately.
The document does not define the concepts of “divorce” and “dissolution of marriage”.
The statement about the “termination of a marriage” in the event of the “natural death of one of the spouses” is decisively at odds not only with the Orthodox teaching on marriage, but also with the prayers of the ceremony of marriage, for example, with the prayer “The Sequence of Betrothal,” which speaks of “an indestructible union of love.” .
Considering the illness of one of the spouses with AIDS and other diseases as a “reason for divorce” in the light of modern medical advances may require reconsideration. The point about “falling away from Orthodoxy” as “a reason for divorce” needs clarification. It is necessary to clearly formulate what is meant by “falling away.” The very concept of “reason for divorce” needs the same explanation: does it mean that a person can get a divorce in such a case, or is he obliged to do so?
The phrase “The decision on divorce is made in the diocese” is at odds with the already established practice, when the Church, represented by the bishop, testifies that the marriage has broken down, and this is noted in the corresponding formula of the certificate issued. The Church categorically cannot accept the adoption of a “decision on divorce,” which would be direct opposition to the words of the Savior: “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Mark 10:9).
Unconvincingly and without taking into account the unrepealed norms of the Synodal period, the issues of registered but not married marriages, age limits for those entering into marriage, and when a married marriage is declared invalid are considered. No clear indication is given in what exact cases the “rite of second marriages” and “the rite of wedding of spouses in the many years of existence” are applied. The text does not evaluate the increasingly widespread practice in the West of considering same-sex cohabitation as legal marriage. There is no important reminder that “abomination of marriage” is heresy.
The text says nothing about the marriage of clergy, who are called upon to demonstrate the ideal of Christian marriage. Also in the document, the most important topic in the doctrine of marriage, childbirth, is practically absent. In particular, nothing is said about the attitude of the Church to the conscious refusal of childbearing in marriage and whether it is possible to perform the Sacrament of marriage on persons who understand marriage as a means of satisfying their sexual needs, but do not consider it necessary to burden themselves with the birth of children.
In such cases, God's commandment “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it...” (Gen. 1:28), which is certainly connected according to God’s plan with the married life of a person, is completely ignored, which hardly allows us to consider such a marriage Christian.
It is unclear from the text of the document whether proposals on the topic of marriage prepared by the Commission under Holy Synod Russian Orthodox Church on the development of a catalog of topics for the Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council in 1968.
Previously, the idea was expressed that the development of such a document should be preceded by serious work on the codification of marriage law and a discussion of related pastoral and canonical issues. A dogmatically verified formulation of the Orthodox teaching on marriage is needed, the absence of which makes the document unfounded and contradictory.
I would like to hope that this undoubtedly valuable and promising discussion will allow us to further develop an authoritative church document and streamline pastoral practice in matters of church marriage, which is especially necessary at the present time.
2013-03-16 The ritual of the sacrament of wedding in the church. Church calendar weddings 2019
Church wedding- a serious step in the life of lovers who want to spend their whole lives together. This is a beautiful, touching and very important ceremony. Wedding- this is a more significant event than the registration itself, because it is this marriage that will take place in heaven. And if you are already on the site wedding photographer, then this article will definitely be useful to you. I will share with you, future newlyweds or couples already married but not married, how to properly perform this ritual and what subtleties there are in performing it.
What do you need to know when performing a wedding ceremony?
The very first thing you should worry about is whether it is possible your church marriage. There are factors that do not allow a wedding ceremony. It is forbidden to get married:
Choosing a wedding location
Then you must decide which church you are going to get married in.Please note that you must first agree on your decision with the priest. He must give his blessing. If there are no factors interfering with your decision, then you will needchoose a wedding date. Please note that now in most churches only those who have already officially registered their marriage are married. By the way, you can get married not only on your wedding day, but also a week later, a month later, and even several years later.
Choosing a wedding date
When choosing a date for a wedding in a church, look at the wedding calendar for 2019.
In the above wedding calendar for 2019 year, temple holidays of a particular church are not taken into account; in different churches these are different dates. Therefore, before you finally decide on the date weddings in 2019, consult your priest.
Necessary items for the wedding ceremony
To commit wedding ceremony to you must have the following things:
)
Appearance brides
To look your best and avoid possible misunderstandings, follow the following recommendations(but this is not critical):
Preparation for the wedding
Before weddings you and your loved one will need to perform all the necessary rituals: communion, fasting, prayer, mutual forgiveness. After this, prayers, memorial services and funeral services usually take place in the church for about an hour. On your wedding day you will need to arrive at the start of the service. Before this, it is forbidden to eat, drink or smoke anything the day before, from 12 o’clock at night. You will need to find out in advance whether several couples will be getting married at the same time. Although this is prohibited according to church regulations, in practice this is not observed, because there are quite a lot of people willing, and the duration of one wedding is 30-40 minutes. IN weekdays(Monday, Wednesday and Friday) there are much fewer people. Your friends and relatives should already be present during the liturgy, but in extreme cases they can come up to the beginning of the wedding. Two of your loved ones will need to become your witnesses. They will hold crowns over your heads. Please note that witnesses must be baptized. Discuss in advance with the priest whether it is possible to take photographs and videos during the wedding - this is not allowed in all churches. You will also need to give your wedding rings to the officiating priest in advance so that he can bless them by placing them on the altar.
(Photo: Ukraine, Kiev, 2012, St. Andrew’s Church. More photos -)
Wedding ceremony
Rite of the Sacrament of Wedding consists of two stages - engagement and wedding itself.
The first part of the wedding ceremony: Engagement
Wedding ceremony begins with betrothal, which can be performed separately. As a sign of the firmness of mutual promises, the priest puts consecrated rings on the fingers of the betrothed. In his prayers, the church representative asks for perfect love, unanimity in truth, firm faith, immaculate life and childbearing for them. Rings are very important during engagement: they are not just a gift from the groom to the bride, but a sign of an inextricable, eternal union between them.
The second part of the wedding ceremony: Wedding ceremony
After the young couple has been engaged, the second part of the ceremony begins. It begins with the priest asking the bride and groom: do they marry freely, are they not bound by promises to others? Afterwards, he places crowns on their heads, and the wedding ends with the priest’s triple blessing: “Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor.” Then the Apostle and the Gospel are read, the Lord’s Prayer is offered. At the same time, those who have entered into marriage drink wine three times from a common cup and three times, preceded by the priest, they walk around the lectern.
Answers to frequently asked questions regarding weddings:
What days can you get married? - The permitted days for weddings are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
How long does a church wedding last? - The wedding time usually lasts about 40-60 minutes.
How much does a church wedding cost?- Each church has its own prices. Approximately 300 - 800 UAH.
Where to buy wedding candles, towels, icons? - can be bought in icon shops at churches or specialized stores (for example, I bought in the icon shop at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra)
Is it possible to get married if the bride is pregnant?- Can. But in any case, you will need to discuss this issue with the priest.
On Easter, on the eve of great holidays. Weddings on the days of the twelve holidays are not prohibited, but undesirable. We strive to live the day of the great common church holiday together with the Church, without overshadowing the church joy with our small personal joy, our small personal needs. If it is necessary to get married on these days, agreement with the priest is required;
On the eve of patronal feasts (each church has its own patronal feasts);
On Syrnaya, throughout the week. Weddings during the weeks leading up to Lent and other continuous weeks are not prohibited, but are undesirable.
During, and posts;
Exceptions to these rules can only be made by the ruling party. If the wedding took place on a day when it is prohibited by church regulations, then this does not make the sacrament invalid.
About meaning and on the ABC OF FAITH portal.
According to modern practice According to the Russian Orthodox Church, the Sacrament of Marriage must be preceded by civil registration of marriage, as additional evidence of the responsibility of those entering into marriage and the seriousness of their intentions.
To go to the daily calendar, press a number.
wedding days
In the Churches of Constantinople and Greece it is forbidden to marry: during the Great Lent (from Cheese Week), the Assumption Lent, the Nativity Lent (from December 18 to 24), on Easter, the Nativity of Christ, Pentecost and Epiphany, as well as on the day of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, if it falls on a fast day.
In the Church of Cyprus - during the Great Fast (from Cheese Week), the Nativity Fast (from December 13 to December 25 inclusive), on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as on continuous weeks (i.e., on Cheese and Bright weeks and the week of the Holy Spirit), 5 and January 6 (Baptism of the Lord), on the day of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist.
In the Romanian Church - during the Great Fast (except for Cheese Week and, with the bishop's blessing, on the Annunciation), Assumption, Nativity (with the bishop's blessing, weddings are allowed on St. Nicholas Day), on Wednesday and Friday, on Bright Week, on the eve and on the days of the Lord's holidays, during the period from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany.
In the Serbian Church - during four great fasts, on Wednesday and Friday, January 18 (the eve of the Epiphany) and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, on Easter and Bright Week.
Comparison of current practices Local Churches shows that only in the Russian Church weddings are not celebrated on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In the Greek-speaking Orthodox world, Saturday and Sunday are the main days of weddings, and there are no known criticisms of this practice by representatives of Athonite monasticism, which for centuries had an exceptional influence on Christian life Orthodox Balkan peoples. And one of the canons of the Byzantine collection “Alphabetical Syntagma” by Matthew Blastar (XIV century) prescribes that mourning for deceased relatives is not a reason for postponing marriage. It is also clear that in most Churches weddings on the eve of fasting days are not prohibited, and the modern Russian practice of banning weddings on Tuesday and Thursday contradicts both the general church tradition about fast days, and the practice of other Churches. At the same time, it is known that this practice developed very late, not earlier than the 17th century.
