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The Eastern Orthodox Church, which generally encompasses Mediterranean and Eastern groups, including Greek, Russian, Lebanese, and Romanian people, has a set of requirements for couples wishing to marry in the Church. While the specifics may vary depending on the jurisdiction, there are some common guidelines. Both spouses must be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, and at least one of them must be an Orthodox Christian. The wedding ceremony typically takes place in an Orthodox Church and is officiated by a priest, who blesses the couple and exchanges rings and crowns during the service. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not recognize marriages between Orthodox Christians and non-Christians, and there are specific dates and seasons when the Church does not officiate weddings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding location | Must take place in an Orthodox Church |
| Couple's religion | Both must be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. At least one must be an Orthodox Christian |
| Previous marriages | If either party has been previously married and divorced, they must present a copy of the civil divorce decree. If the previous marriage was in the Orthodox Church, they must also have received a "Decree of Ecclesial Divorce" |
| Widowed | A legal death certificate for the deceased spouse must be produced |
| Wedding date | The Church does not officiate marriages during certain seasons or on certain dates, including all Wednesdays and Fridays (unless during feast periods), the Nativity Fast, the Apostles' Fast, the Dormition Fast, and other specific dates |
| Wedding participants | The wedding party does not have to be Eastern Orthodox Christians, except for the Koumbaros/Koumbara, who must be a member in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Groomsmen/Best Man | Must be of Orthodox faith |
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What You'll Learn
Both parties must be baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity
For a wedding to be recognised by the Orthodox Church, both parties must be baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity. This is a requirement that is shared by all jurisdictions. The Orthodox Church does not bless or perform marriages between Orthodox Christians and non-Christians, as the sacramental nature of the marriage bond requires the couple to pledge their lives to Christ together.
The Eastern Orthodox Church allows interfaith marriages, but one partner and one witness must be Eastern Orthodox. The non-Orthodox spouse is not required to convert to Orthodoxy, but they must have been baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity.
The wedding ceremony itself is steeped in ritual. The bride wears a veil during the service and the reception, and the couple are crowned to symbolise their growth as mature Christians and their commitment to each other and Christ. The crowns also represent martyrdom, sacrifice and steadfast devotion. The couple must deny themselves and take up their cross as they relate to their spouses in building up the marriage, and to commit themselves as responsible parents to their children. The sponsor or koumbaros/koumbara (male/female) stands as a witness on behalf of the Church and exchanges the rings and crowns. The sponsor must be an Orthodox Christian and, by custom, may eventually baptise the couple's first child.
The Orthodox Church requires pre-marital counselling to be completed before the wedding. This explores the sacramental nature of marriage, as well as practical issues and problems that may arise in the initial years of marriage.
In summary, for an Orthodox Christian wedding to be recognised by the Church, both parties must be baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity. One party must be Eastern Orthodox, and the couple must agree to raise their children in the Orthodox Church. The wedding ceremony is rich in symbolism and ritual, and the couple must complete pre-marital counselling.
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At least one party must be an Orthodox Christian
The Eastern Orthodox Church requires that at least one party must be an Orthodox Christian for a wedding to be performed in the church. The other party must be a Christian who has been baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity and must provide a certificate of baptism from their church. They are not required to convert to Orthodoxy, but the couple should be willing to baptise their children in the Orthodox Church.
The wedding must take place in an Orthodox Church and be officiated by a priest. The couple must also have a Koumbaros/Koumbara, or sponsor, who is a member in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church. This person stands as a witness on behalf of the church during the ceremony and exchanges the rings and crowns.
The Orthodox Church does not officiate marriages on certain dates, including all Wednesdays and Fridays (unless during feast periods), the Nativity Fast, and the Apostles' Fast, among others. The church also prohibits certain marriages, such as those where one party is widowed and has not provided a death certificate, or where one party has been divorced and not received a blessing from their bishop.
The Eastern Orthodox religion encompasses people from Mediterranean and Eastern groups, including Greek, Russian, Lebanese, and Romanian cultures. The traditional wedding service is rooted in Byzantine ritual and includes the betrothal (engagement) and the crowning of the couple, which symbolises martyrdom, sacrifice, and steadfast devotion.
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The wedding must take place in an Orthodox Church
The wedding ceremony is a holy mystery (sacrament) in the Eastern Orthodox Church, in which a priest officiates a marriage between a man and a woman. The wedding must take place in an Orthodox Church for the Church to recognize and affirm the validity and authenticity of the marriage. The appropriate place for a sacrament of the Orthodox Church is the Holy Sanctuary. It is not customary to perform sacraments outside the Church, for example, in a home, backyard, or local park. The Church does not bless or perform marriages between Orthodox Christians and non-Christians. Both spouses must be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, and at least one of them must be an Orthodox Christian. The non-Orthodox spouse must have been previously baptized in the Trinitarian Doctrine and in the name of the Holy Trinity. The Eastern Orthodox Church allows interfaith marriages, but one partner and one witness must be Eastern Orthodox.
The wedding ceremony in the Eastern Orthodox denomination consists of two main pieces: the betrothal (engagement) and the crowning (marriage). The couple will first exchange rings as a voluntary pledge to enter into marriage. The priest will bless the bride and groom three times each. The rings are placed on the ring finger of the right hand. After a blessing, the priest will crown the couple. The couple will exchange the crowns three times. The bride wears a veil during the wedding service and during the reception that follows. The groom must be of Orthodox faith. The bride and/or groom who are of the Orthodox Faith are encouraged to participate in the sacraments of Holy Confession and Holy Communion the week before the wedding.
The Orthodox Church requires a practicing Orthodox Christian Sponsor (koumbaros - male, Koumbara - female). The Sponsor is the one who stands as a witness on behalf of the Orthodox Church during the ceremony and exchanges the rings and the crowns during the ceremony. The Sponsor is usually chosen very carefully and is a very important individual. The Koumbaros/Koumbara must also be a member in good standing of the Orthodox Church. If the Koumbaros is from another parish, he/she must bring a letter of introduction from his/her priest.
There are certain dates on which the Orthodox Church does not officiate marriages. These include all Wednesdays and Fridays (unless they are during feast periods), any evening that comes before one of the Twelve Major Feasts, Nativity Fast (Nov. 15 – Dec. 24), Apostles’ Fast (the Monday after All Saints to June 29), Dormition Fast (Aug. 1 – Aug. 14), Aug. 28/29 (the Beheading of St. John the Baptist), and Sept. 13/14 (the Exaltation of the Holy Cross). The Church also does not officiate marriages on any day that calls for fasting (colored red on the liturgical calendar).
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The couple must not be cohabiting
The Orthodox Church has strict rules about cohabitation before marriage. A baptised Orthodox Christian whose wedding has not been blessed by the Orthodox Church is no longer considered in good standing with the Church. This means that they may not receive the Sacraments of the Church, including Holy Communion, or become a sponsor of an Orthodox marriage, baptism or chrismation.
The Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament intimately tied to the life of the Church, and therefore it must be administered within the Church, which resides in physical buildings under the authority of bishops. The Church does not bless or perform marriages between Orthodox Christians and non-Christians. This is because the sacramental nature of the marriage bond requires the couple to pledge their lives to each other and to Christ. If one half of the couple does not believe in Christ, they cannot pledge their lives together in this way.
The wedding ceremony itself reflects this teaching. The bride and groom are crowned to symbolise their growth as mature Christians, prepared for the responsibilities of a Christian marriage. In marriage, the couple must deny themselves and take up their cross as they relate to their spouses and commit to building up the marriage. The couple must also be willing to baptise their children in the Orthodox Church and raise them in accordance with the Orthodox faith.
The Church does allow for marriages between Orthodox Christians and non-Orthodox Christians. However, the non-Orthodox spouse must be a Christian who has been baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity and must provide a certificate of baptism from their church. The wedding must take place in an Orthodox Church, and the non-Orthodox spouse is not required to convert to Orthodoxy, but they must have been previously baptised in the Trinitarian Doctrine.
In summary, the Orthodox Church strongly discourages cohabitation before marriage, and couples who choose to do so may face consequences such as being considered out of good standing with the Church and being unable to receive the Sacraments.
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The couple must be willing to baptise their children in the Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church requires couples to meet certain conditions before they can be married in church. These include that both parties must be baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity, and at least one of them must be an Orthodox Christian. The wedding ceremony must be conducted by an Orthodox priest of a canonical Orthodox jurisdiction, according to the liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church, in a canonical Orthodox Church, and with the authorisation of the Archbishop or Metropolitan.
In addition, the couple must be willing to baptise their children in the Orthodox Church. This is a requirement for the Church to recognise and affirm the validity and authenticity of the marriage. The couple should also be prepared to raise and nurture their children in accordance with the Orthodox faith.
The Orthodox Church allows interfaith marriages, but the non-Orthodox partner must be a Christian who has been baptised in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The non-Orthodox spouse is not required to convert to Orthodoxy, but they must be willing to raise their children within the Orthodox Church.
It is important for couples to discuss these matters before marriage to avoid any potential conflicts or disagreements in the future. The decision to baptise children in a particular faith can be a significant source of tension and disagreement between spouses, so it is advisable to address these issues early on.
The Orthodox Church encourages couples to seek guidance from their local priest during the planning process. The priest can provide direction and help ensure that the couple is prepared for the responsibilities of a Christian marriage.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, both parties must be baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity. Additionally, at least one of the parties must be an Orthodox Christian.
Yes, for the Church to recognise and affirm the validity and authenticity of the marriage, the wedding must be performed within the context of an Orthodox Church.
A state marriage license is required. The couple must also attend pre-marital counselling classes and, the Sunday before the wedding, it is recommended that they attend the Divine Liturgy and receive Holy Communion. They must also have an Orthodox sponsor (koumbaros or koumbara) who is a member of the church in good standing. If either party has been previously married and divorced, they must present a copy of the civil divorce decree.
