), and it is customary for the priest to be from the white (non-monastic) clergy. In the practice of the Orthodox Church, weddings are usually performed after betrothal.

The wedding takes place like this: after the betrothal, the bride and groom, holding lighted candles, enter the temple from the vestibule (or from the western wall of the temple they approach closer to the altar) and stand on a white cloth lying in front of a lectern with a cross and the Gospel.

The priest, having asked about the firmness of their intentions, proclaims a blessing and a great litany, reads the priestly prayers and then with a blessing places crowns on the heads of the bride and groom and three times proclaims the secret prayer “Lord our God, crown (them) with glory and honor.”

The prokeimenon is read and the Apostle () and the Gospel () are read, the litany is pronounced and the prayer “Our Father” is sung. Those getting married drink wine from a common cup, and then the priest leads them around the lectern three times, at this time the choir sings the troparia “Isaiah rejoice...”, “Holy martyrs...”, “Glory to Thee, Christ God...”, after which the priest takes off the crowns and reads concluding priestly prayers and pronouncing dismissal.

In the Orthodox Church, weddings are permitted for those entering into a second marriage, but the rite of a second marriage is less solemn, with the reading of prayers of repentance.

In the Russian Orthodox Church on all occasions, during Easter week, on Christmastide, on the days before the twelve feasts and Sundays (i.e. on Saturday), as well as on the eve of Wednesday and Friday (i.e. on Tuesday and Thursday). Cm. .

A marriage cannot be concluded if at least one of the two persons wishing to marry has not reached marriageable age.

For the wedding it is necessary

• preliminary interview with a priest;
• wedding couple of icons – the Savior and Mother of God.
• wedding candles - sold in the Church Shop;
• towel (wedding towel) - plain: white (for laying under your feet). Long enough for two people to stand on;
• wedding rings. According to the Church Charter, rings must be made of different metals: the groom’s ring is gold, the bride’s ring is silver (it is advisable to observe this).

Wedding cost

All church Sacraments cannot have a cost, but are performed for a donation. Many temples indicate the recommended size.

Obstacles to marriage

• Before the wedding, the bride and groom must register their marriage at the registry office. Lawless cohabitation cannot be sanctified;
• The bride and groom cannot be: related by blood(up to the fourth degree of relationship, for example, with a second cousin); in spiritual kinship(if those wishing to marry are godparents of the same person or wish to marry a godson).

The bride and groom need

• confess on the eve of the wedding (preferably at the end of the evening service);
• come to the Temple on the wedding day at the beginning Divine Liturgy and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ;
• wear crosses.

Requirements for witnesses

• in pre-revolutionary Russia, a church marriage had legal force, so the wedding was necessarily performed with guarantors - popularly they were called groomsmen or best men, and in liturgical books- receivers; the guarantors confirmed with their signatures the wedding act in metric book; they, as a rule, knew the bride and groom well and vouched for them;
• currently, the presence of witnesses is not a mandatory, but desirable condition for the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage; this is a tradition, not a canon: their presence is determined by the desire of the bride and groom;
• the modern role of witnesses is to spiritually support those entering into marriage with prayer and advice based on the experience of their godly Christian marriage;
• it is advisable to find witnesses who Orthodox and God-loving, which means they are churched;
• Divorced spouses or people living in a “civil” (not registered in the registry office) marriage cannot become guarantors for a wedding. The first, not retaining the grace they received in the Sacrament of Wedding and setting a bad example for the newlyweds, cannot be faithful mentors for the family being created. The latter, living in , cannot begin to Church Sacraments until the ungodly relationship ends.

Some features of the bride's clothing

• the bride must have a headdress covering her head (veil or scarf);
• shoulders must be covered (cape, scarf, veil);
• dress - white. If people who have already been married for some time are getting married, or are getting remarried, then the bride is no longer required to wear a white dress;
• cosmetics - in minimal quantities.
• because If you also have to attend the Liturgy on the wedding day, then in total, in terms of time, it will take several hours. To keep you comfortable, consider wearing comfortable shoes.

Age of those getting married

• the lower age limit for performing the Sacrament of Wedding should be considered the onset of civil majority, when it is possible to conclude a marriage in the registry office;
• Church marriage law also sets the highest limit for marriage: for women - 60 years, for men - 70 years. This rule does not apply to those already married.

does not sanctify the union between or with...

• Gentiles– representatives of non-Christian religions (for example, Muslims). A non-Christian cannot be baptized. Therefore he cannot participate in the Orthodox sacrament what a wedding is.
• unbaptized(and are not going to be baptized before the wedding);
• atheists;
• people who are members of blood And spiritual kinship;
• people who do not have the spiritual capacity for marriage– i.e. with people whose officially confirmed mental illness deprives them of the opportunity to freely and consciously express their will.
• In special cases, an exception may be made for religiously mixed marriages. Only the ruling bishop can give a blessing for this;

• Orthodox Christians, with permission, can marry heterodox(with Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, Armenian Gregorians) provided that their children are baptized and raised in Orthodoxy.

Marriage to a clergyman

• if your chosen one is a person who has decided to become a priest, then your marriage is possible only until the moment the ordination of your fiancé, i.e. before he takes holy orders;
• you cannot marry a monk or nun because of their vows to God.

Behavior in the Temple during the Sacrament of Marriage

• The Sacrament of Wedding is not just a ritual, it is a prayer; treat with attention and reverence the prayers that are pronounced by the priest: throughout the entire Sacrament, the Church prays for almost no one else, just for the bride and groom (and one prayer “for the parents who raised them);
• everyone present at the wedding, to the best of their ability (with prayers, their words and thoughts), should pray for those two who are getting married;
• If possible, refrain from unnecessary conversations.

Tradition of parental blessing

• the groom and his parents come to the house of the bride’s parents and ask them for their daughter’s hand in marriage;
• upon consent to marriage, parents on both sides bless the newlyweds for a family union: the groom with an icon of Christ the Savior, the girl with an icon Holy Mother of God;
• the young make the sign of the cross and kiss the holy images;
• handing over icons, parents say that the time of raising children is over for them and with faith and hope they entrust their children to the all-powerful intercession of the Lord and Mother of God;
• icons, after the Wedding, are placed in the red corner, in the house where the bride and groom will live;
• if one of the parents is not alive, then the survivor blesses;

Why do people get married on fasting days: Wednesday and Friday?

• The wedding is followed by the wedding night. If you get married on Tuesday or Thursday, then the wedding night falls on the time one-day posts Wednesday and Friday, which is unacceptable.
• When getting married on Wednesday/Friday, the wedding night occurs during the period when the fasting period has ended (Wednesday evening and Friday evening).

Brief description of Engagement

• Betrothal (precedes the wedding) - seals the mutual promises of those entering into Marriage and marks the fact that Marriage takes place before the face of God, in His presence, according to His all-good Providence and discretion.
• For greater awareness that the betrothal is taking place in the face of God, the bride and groom appear before the holy doors of the temple, and the priest, symbolizing the Lord Jesus Christ, is in the altar.
• The priest leads the couple into the temple - from this moment the couple, in the face of God Himself, in his Temple, begins their new married life.
• The ritual begins with censing. The priest blesses the groom three times, who makes the sign of the cross each time, then the bride, saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” and gives them lighted candles. Candles signify pure and fiery love, the chastity of the bride and groom and the abiding grace of God.
• Prayers are said praising the Lord; prayers for those getting married on behalf of all those present in the Temple. Then, at the command of the priest, all those present bow their heads before the Lord, expecting spiritual blessing from him. The priest secretly reads a prayer, after which he puts a ring on the groom, making the sign of the cross three times, and on the bride. After the blessing, the couple exchange rings three times in honor and glory. Holy Trinity Who accomplishes and approves everything.
• A prayer is said to the Lord that He Himself will bless and approve the Betrothal and send a Guardian Angel to the bride and groom in their new life.

Brief description of the wedding

• Following the priest with the censer, the bride and groom with lighted candles enter the middle of the temple. The choir greets them with singing, glorifying their God-blessed marriage.
• In front of the lectern (on which lie the cross, the Gospel and the crowns) a cloth (white or pink) is spread on the floor. Those getting married stand on it. The priest asks questions to the groom (then the bride) - whether they confirm a free and relaxed desire to get married and the absence in the past of each of them of a promise to a third party to marry him.
• The priest proclaims the participation of the newlyweds in the Kingdom of God, then a short litany about mental and physical well-being is pronounced.
• This is followed by three prayers in which the priest asks the Lord to bless this marriage; to bless, preserve and remember the newlyweds and that the Lord would unite the newlyweds, marry them into a single whole and give them children.
• At the end of the prayers, the priest marks the groom with a crown, gives him to kiss the image of the Savior attached to the front of the crown and says: “The servant of God is getting married...”. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is attached to the bride's crown.
• The newlyweds, adorned with crowns, stand before the face of God, awaiting God's blessing. Exclamation: “Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor!” pronounced by the priest three times with a triple blessing of the bride and groom.
• If possible, guests silently help the priest, repeating: “Lord our God! Crown them with glory and honor!”
• Then the Epistle to the Ephesians is read, in which marriage is likened to the union of Christ and the Church: this is the self-sacrifice of Christ for sinful people and His followers, ready life to give for your faith and love for the Lord. They are trying to convey to those getting married the fear of saddening their loved one and disrupting the spiritual unity of the family. To lose love means to lose the presence of God in family life. Husband and wife are equal and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The Gospel of John is read about God's blessing of the marital union and its sanctification.
• A prayer for the preservation of those getting married in peace and unanimity, so that the marriage is honest and they live to old age, fulfilling the commandments of God from a pure heart.
• After the proclamation: “And grant us, O Master, to dare to call upon You with boldness and without condemnation...” all those present at the Sacrament sing “Our Father.” As a sign of submission and devotion to the Lord, the bride and groom bow their heads under the crowns.
• The cup of communion (with red wine) is brought and the priest blesses it for mutual communion between husband and wife. They take three sips of the common wine, after which the priest connects the husband’s right hand with right hand wife, covers their hands with stole and places his hand on top of it, signifying that the husband receives a wife from the Church itself, uniting them in Christ forever.
• Signaling the marriage as an eternal procession hand in hand, the priest leads the newlyweds around the lectern three times with the singing of troparions: “Isaiah, rejoice...”, “Holy martyr” and “Glory to you, Christ God, praise of the apostles...”. At the end of the solemn procession, the priest removes the crowns from the spouses and addresses them with welcoming words.
• What follows is a prayer to the Lord for the reception of the newlyweds’ crowns undefiled and undefiled in the Kingdom of God. The second prayer (with the newlyweds bowing their heads) - these same petitions are sealed with the name of the Holy Trinity and the priestly blessing.
• The chaste kiss of the newlyweds is evidence of holy and pure love for each other.
• Now the newlyweds are led to the royal doors, where the groom kisses the icon of the Savior, and the bride kisses the image of the Mother of God; then they change places and are applied to the icons again. Here the priest gives them a cross to kiss and hands them two icons: the groom - the image of the Savior, the bride - the image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Pseudo-church superstitions associated with weddings

• younger brothers/sisters cannot marry earlier than older ones;
• you cannot get married while pregnant;
• You cannot get married or get married on a leap year;
• a fallen ring or an extinguished wedding candle - portends all sorts of troubles, a difficult life in marriage or the early death of one of the spouses;
• the one of the couple who first steps onto the spread towel will dominate the family all his life;
• the one whose candle turns out to be shorter after the sacrament will die earlier;
• You can’t get married in May, “you’ll suffer for the rest of your life.”

How can you get debunked?

• The dissolution of a God-blessed Marriage is a great sin, therefore there is no such thing as "debunking" does not exist. It is impossible to bless sin; the Savior Himself commanded: What God has joined together, let no man put asunder ().
• If the first marriage actually broke up, then the innocent party may be given a blessing for the second marriage, and, as a last resort, for the third, but no more. A blessing can only be given by a diocesan priest, but not by a priest.

Wedding for Orthodox parishioners is not only a beautiful rite that marks the blessing of a couple for family life, but also one of the greatest sacraments.

Description

You need to understand the seriousness and responsibility of marriage before the face of the Lord. Although this process and is currently reversible, but this is not recommended. That is why you should weigh all of the above and once again ask yourself and your future spouse whether each of the couple is ready to take this path. It happens that one of the young people is not a believer. Based on this, there are many nuances associated with a wedding. On the eve of this event, the young couple is often interested in the details of the process. After all, it’s really important to know what you need for a wedding? And how exactly does everything happen?

Rules

Absolutely everything is important in a wedding ceremony. Has equal value internal state, as well as the thoughts of the bride and groom, and even a handkerchief wrapped around a candle. Next, you should understand what actions the wedding itself consists of. The rules of this process are divided into religious and social. Without compliance with some, it is impossible to fulfill others. One of the social rules includes, for example, the preliminary registration of a marriage at the registry office with the issuance of an official document confirming this fact. Next, a few more points need to be met in order to go through the wedding. The rules also state that the eligible age of the newlyweds for the ceremony must be at least 18 years old.

However, there are certain cases in which it is allowed for the bride to be 16. It is also prohibited for any of the future spouses to have a registered and not yet dissolved marriage with a third party. Newlyweds cannot be admitted to the wedding ceremony if they are related by blood or in a corresponding relationship up to the third generation. Compliance with all rules is mandatory.

Do you need to be baptized?

There are a few more necessary items that are needed for the wedding. For example, both of the established couple must undergo the rite of baptism in their lives. If for some reason this has not yet happened, then this process must first be carried out before the wedding. A separate case to consider is the desire of a couple to tie the knot in the face of the Lord, when one of the newlyweds is a representative of a different religion. For example, a parishioner of the Catholic and Lutheran churches. This situation is resolved as follows.

A couple is allowed to attend a wedding ceremony only if each spouse undertakes to raise the children born in this union in accordance with the traditions and canons of the Orthodox religion. The wedding of newlyweds who are already related to the church is considered unacceptable. For example, godchildren or godparents. It is not allowed for a couple to tie the knot in the face of God if the bride or groom openly declares atheism or does not perform the ceremony according to their personal will. In this case, the supporters of the wedding, as a rule, are the parents of one of the parties. IN similar situation the priest has the right to refuse to perform the ceremony. The last rule states that you are allowed to get married no more than three times in your entire life. Although, of course, it is better to carry out this ceremony once and forever.

Favorable days

Wedding days require special attention. After all, the ceremony is held at a strictly defined time. So, the ritual is allowed on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. It should be remembered that the wedding ceremony is not allowed to be held on days during fasting. For example, in Veliky, Rozhdestvensky, Uspensky, and also Petrov. A wedding should not be planned during Christmas time, the period from January 7 to 19, Maslenitsa and the week after Orthodox Easter. Religious holidays are also excluded from the permitted dates. For example, Candlemas - February 15, the Ascension of the Lord, the Holy Trinity, the Beheading of John - September 11, the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary - September 21, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord - the 28th of the same month, and also the Intercession - October 13. There are no wedding processions on the days preceding these dates. Finding out in the temple chosen for the ceremony what is needed for the wedding, the newlyweds, as a rule, find out on what days it is recommended to hold it. Each church has its own internal holidays, often associated with the ministers of a given parish. It is best to learn about all the specific nuances from the abbot.

Communion and confession are obligatory rites before a wedding

An important stage in preparation for the sacrament is communion, as well as confession of each of the couple. In anticipation of these rituals, one should fast for three days. It imposes a restriction for this period in the form of a ban on the use alcoholic drinks, as well as intimacy between spouses. This period is best devoted to reading prayers, communicating with the Almighty and getting into the right frame of mind. This puts thoughts in order and also brings peace. After three days of fasting, you should definitely confess, repenting of your sins. After all the previous rituals have been completed, the spouses are considered ready for the wedding.

Crosses and rings for wedding

What do you need for a wedding? On the day of the ceremony, everyone who is going to attend it must have crosses with them. First of all, this concerns, of course, newlyweds. Pectoral crosses are one of the main and integral attributes of the ceremony. Second important element serve as rings. Previously, it was necessary to prepare a pair of rings, one of which was made of gold and symbolized masculinity and his strength. The second was made of silver and personified feminine energy. Nowadays these traditions are not obligatory. The main thing is that the spouses like the rings and are comfortable.

It is important to comply next rule. The rings must be given to the priest who will conduct the ceremony before it begins. They will be on the throne for consecration.

Icons

Icons are what you need for a wedding. There should be two of them: one - the Most Holy Theotokos, the other - Christ. After the ceremony, the icons must be taken and placed in the newlyweds’ home. This will serve as a very strong amulet to protect the home and family as a whole. You should also purchase wedding candles in advance and be sure to wrap them in a white scarf so as not to get burned by melted wax. An important attribute of the ceremony are towels with wedding symbols. One of them will be spread under the feet of the spouses, the second will be tied around their hands. At the end of the ceremony, they should be folded for storage in the newlyweds' home.

Requirements for the bride herself

The bride must comply with certain requirements. A wedding in a church does not allow revealing outfits, including exposure of the neckline, shoulders and back. Today it is difficult to find a dress that meets such requirements. And if this happens, it is unlikely that the outfit will respond modern trends fashion. Therefore, in this case, a wedding cape is used. It can be in the form of a jacket or coat. These outfit elements should also be light color and cover the specified parts of the body. The wedding cape can be openwork or lace. Such an element is capable of making appearance The bride is simply stunning. It is also necessary to remember that it is mandatory for all representatives of the fair sex to cover their heads during the ceremony. For the bride it could be a veil or a hat. Any other headdress that matches the wedding dress is also suitable.

Cost of the ceremony

When everything is prepared and the appointed day has arrived, they proceed directly to the ceremony itself. Newlyweds are naturally interested in the question of how much the wedding will cost them. The price of the church action itself, as a rule, is not mentioned by the clergy. Because in the temple only voluntary donations are accepted in the amount that the newlyweds themselves and their relatives consider necessary and sufficient. The main expenses are spent on purchasing wedding paraphernalia. This includes pectoral crosses, wedding candles and scarves, towels, icons, the bride’s cape, and also, of course, the outfits themselves.

Many newlyweds make the procedure much easier by first going through the betrothal ceremony. If it is carried out on the wedding day, then it takes much more time. This sacrament usually takes place a month before the main procession. The newlyweds can choose to invite guests to one of the pre-wedding ceremonies. According to many couples, such a division of rituals is very justified. After all, at one of them the newlyweds are present together, not counting the priest. This procedure is perceived as a real sacrament. After all, the presence large quantity people does not contribute to this feeling in any way. If the betrothal ceremony is performed separately, this significantly reduces the duration of the wedding procession. This solution is convenient if elderly guests or children are invited to the ceremony.

So, you have decided to join your destiny with your loved one, not just receiving the blessing of the registry office, but also getting married in Orthodox Church. It is important that this event turns out to be not just a tribute to fashion, but becomes a serious, deliberate step, and for this it is important to know its features. Who can get married and when, under what conditions is the sacred sacrament performed and what needs to be prepared for this?

The editors of the site learned all the details of this amazing and powerful ritual.

Who can and cannot get married

The first requirement for those getting married is to be baptized in the Orthodox Church. If the bride or groom is not a member of the Orthodox Church or the situation with baptism is not clear, it is important to come to the church at least a month before the expected wedding date and discuss the nuances with the priest. Sometimes it is allowed to marry newlyweds, even if someone in the couple is not Orthodox, but! - provided that children born in this marriage will be baptized in Orthodoxy.

The second requirement is the marriageable age of the young: the bride must be 16 years old, the groom -18. True, the priest will probably make an exception for a younger bride if she is expecting a child (or, as we say in Ukraine, “if there is hope”). The Church is interested in children being born in a married marriage.

It is curious that the couple will be married even if the future spouses have not received the blessing of their parents. In this case, everything is decided by the blessing of the clergy.

IMPORTANT.Atheists and unbaptized blood and spiritual relatives (for example, godfather and goddaughter), as well as those marrying for the fourth time, cannot get married. The wedding ceremony can only be performed three times. And then provided that the person is widowed or the previous marriage was dissolved according to church rules.

When you can and cannot get married

It is important that you can get married on the day of marriage in the registry office (but this is very difficult to bear physically), and even if your legal marriage is many years old.

By the way, if one of the couple has any misunderstandings with documents or other problems, do not be afraid to contact the priest - they will definitely meet you halfway in the church.

Don't get married:

During fasting:
Rozhdestvensky - lasts November 28 - January 6;
Great - seven weeks before Orthodox Easter;
Petrov - depends on the date of Easter, lasts from 8 to 42 days;
Uspensky - lasts from August 14 to August 27.
Take this nuance into account when planning your wedding (fasting involves abstinence from food, alcohol consumption, loud celebrations, and carnal intimacy);

. weddings will be denied on significant days:
September 11 - Beheading of John the Baptist;
September 27 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross;
from January 7 to January 19 - Christmastide;
on Maslenitsa;
on Bright Week (the week after Easter);

If one of the couple planning to get married is married to another person who was not dissolved in the order established by the church;

People get married in church not every day, but 4 days a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On the days of four fasts, during them, church marriages are not celebrated;

If the blessing of a clergyman is not given for marriage and wedding.

IMPORTANT. There is one piquant point: according to church laws, you cannot appear in the temple at “ critical days" Well, it makes sense to calculate and choose the right time for the ceremony.

How to prepare for a wedding

It is important to choose a church and a priest who will perform the ceremony. It is advisable to give preference to the temple that you have been going to since childhood, or the one in which you feel comfortable and calm.

You need to agree on a wedding date in advance - several weeks in advance. It is also important to discuss in time: how long the ceremony will last, what to bring with you to the temple, whether it is possible to film the ceremony in the temple or do a photo shoot, how much the ceremony will cost (it is paid).

IMPORTANT. The priest may offer you additional church services: e.g. bell ringing, church choir singing.

How to choose guarantors

Guarantors are witnesses at a wedding who hold the crowns during the ceremony. It is customary to choose them from close (friends), baptized, unmarried or legally married people (the church is not allowed to choose divorced or civilly married people). Guarantors perform the same duties as godparents: they help young people in life with advice and spiritually guide the family.

IMPORTANT. If it was not possible to reach an agreement with witnesses, the wedding can take place without them.

Which wedding dress to choose?

An important rule: young people must wear baptismal crosses. The bride is supposed to wear a dress that is not short (below the knees), without a deep neckline and too open shoulders (a stole can be thrown over the shoulders). A veil is allowed, but massive headdresses or hats are not allowed, since the bride will be wearing a church crown on her head.

The groom is supposed to be in a suit, but... not in a sports suit or too bright or extravagant, and for female guests of the ceremony it is advisable to wear a dress or a skirt below the knee, and for married women - with their heads covered.

IMPORTANT.The bride should not come to church with very bright makeup, and besides, you cannot kiss the cross and the icon with painted lips. By the way, people believe that a wedding dress cannot be given or sold: it is stored like a baptismal shirt, kryzhma and candles.

What you need to prepare for a wedding

Two scarves (they are used to wrap wedding candles).

IMPORTANT. The wedding towel is kept, like wedding candles, which can be lit to cleanse the house on difficult days or when someone in the family is sick.

How to behave during a wedding ceremony

The priest will tell you how the ceremony will take place. The wedding takes place at the entrance to the church, the bride stands to the left of the groom, both stand on a towel and keep candles lit until the end of the sacrament. During the ceremony, the newlyweds are blessed by the priest - after a special prayer, he must change the wedding rings from the young man’s hand to the bride’s hand three times.

Next, the confessor asks the question: “Is the wedding taking place of your own free will? Are there any obstacles? After the young people answer and pray, the young people become spouses before God. They kiss the church crowns and drink the church wine in three gulps.

At the end of the ritual, the priest leads the spouses around the lectern, then to the Royal Doors, the young man kisses the icon of Christ, the young woman kisses the icon of the Mother of God. Afterwards, guests can congratulate the newlyweds!

Getting married is a big event that requires serious preparation. More and more young people decide not only to get married, but also to get married in a church. How does this happen, what is necessary, how to prepare correctly?

Although the ritual is very beautiful, external shine is not its goal. The Church considers marriage one of his sacraments, so believers should take it seriously. You only need to get married when full confidence is that the whole life will be devoted to the chosen one (chosen one).

Why is a wedding necessary?

Two believers become not just a family, but a small church of Christ. It is created so that people support each other, raise children in Orthodox faith. Maintaining godliness over the years is no easy task. That is why crowns are used during the ceremony. After all, they symbolize martyrdom - the renunciation of one’s own desires and whims in the name of the good of others.

Christ the Savior in the Gospel does not speak so often about family life. But the first miracle he performed happened during the wedding feast. Obviously, the feast was not held by very rich people, since they did not have enough wine. But it was the height of the fun; announcing that there was no wine meant bringing shame on the whole family. And the Lord comes to the aid of the young, turning water into wine. Thus He shows that an honest marriage is acceptable higher powers.

Obstacles to a wedding, how to choose a day

When intending to enter into a church marriage, you should remember that according to the canonical rules, “debunking” does not exist. However, in practice, divorces are common today even in the church environment. However, you cannot marry in a temple more than three times. The bride and groom must be baptized and have a legal marriage at the registry office.

There are other prohibitions.

If prior consent has been obtained from the priest, you can choose a day. This should be done together with a clergyman; he knows all the intricacies. The sacrament can only be performed in certain days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. It is forbidden to hold a ceremony during long periods, there are four of them in a year:

• Great (before Easter - he is the only one who is transitory);
• Petrov;
• Uspensky;
• Christmas.

An Orthodox person must devote this time to correction and contrition for sins. They will also not perform the sacrament on Holy Week, Maslenitsa, or Christmastide. It is forbidden to get married on certain holidays - it is better to find out exactly about this from the abbot.

What you need

For those who are far from church life, important is the question of the cost of the ceremony. It will be different in each temple. Somewhere they may not take money at all, especially if their own parishioners decided to get married. You will only have to pay for the choir, dress, and necessary ritual items (more on this below). Some churches set their own prices, while others have a “price list.” You must first choose a place, then clarify how much money you will need. But in general, the sacrament will cost several times less than an ordinary “civil” wedding. That is why they are often held on the same day.

• There is no need to set the table for the priest. For him, rituals are part of service. The parish minister's time is usually scheduled minute by minute; the priest will have no time to sit at the festive table. Yes, this is not entirely appropriate.

Since the wedding is church ceremony, you will need the appropriate attributes. The bride and groom must wear crosses.

• The rings are chosen according to the taste of the newlyweds - in church shops they are sold with prayers, crosses, etc. Before the start of the ceremony, they must be given to the priest for consecration.
• Parents should bless the young with the help of the images of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. Previously, they were passed down by inheritance, today most often they buy new ones. You can purchase a special wedding pair.
• Wedding candles - the newlyweds light them during the ceremony. These are usually long twisted candles made specifically for a special occasion. You will also need a towel on which the bride and groom stand during prayers. Traditionally it is white. Everything you need can be bought directly in the temple.

Priests usually ask that guests and witnesses look decent - there should be no bare shoulders or knees. This also applies to the bride. If the dress is open, you should add a cape. A veil is also required, and for other women - scarves.

Regarding shooting, ministers can offer own master. He will know well the procedure during the ceremony and will be able to capture everything key points. Temples have special rules of conduct; the photographer must know them well. And the shooting is carried out only in motion; you cannot ask the priest to stop in order to “catch” a good angle.

Ritual

It is impossible to say in advance exactly how long a wedding in a church lasts - it depends on the priest, singers, and other participants in the ceremony. Approximately - from 40 minutes to 2 hours. This must be taken into account when planning the start time of subsequent events (usually after the temple everyone goes to the banquet).

The ritual itself is very beautiful, has ancient roots. First, a betrothal ceremony takes place near the entrance. Previously, it was held separately, about a month before the wedding. Now, for the convenience of people, everything is done in one day. During the engagement process, the newlyweds are given candles and then they exchange rings.

Then the bride and groom go to the middle of the temple, stand near the lectern, behind the priest. Guests should be at some distance so as not to interfere with the movements of the priest and his assistant.

Witnesses during the ceremony must hold crowns over the heads of the young. This is physically quite difficult, so you should choose people who are strong and of sufficient height.

• Previously, witnesses played a special role - they vouched before God for the fact that the young people were ready for marriage, and were their spiritual mentors. As a rule, these were mature people, already married and with children. Today, such people as witnesses are not so easy to find, so their presence is rather a tradition.

Several times during the sacrament, the priest will alternately address the young people with questions. You need to answer them Church Slavonic language, so the answers should be learned in advance (they are not just “yes” or “no”).

The bride and groom are given wine to drink from the same cup- this symbolizes their future common life. During the sacrament, you will need to mentally pray, and when necessary, perform sign of the cross. You can get married, but still not understand the full meaning of this ceremony. After all, he is, first of all, spiritual. Therefore, you should not do it just for the sake of beautiful pictures.

Church preparation

Before getting married, it is necessary to perform some other church rituals. As a rule, they are advised to take place a couple of days before the ceremony. Both the bride and groom must visit the confessor. After all, calling on God’s help for new family only possible with a pure heart. After this, you must wait to receive communion.

For churchgoers, attending the sacraments will not be something unusual. And if young people don’t go to church often, then they will have to try. Must read required amount prayers, do a lot of spiritual work. But this is a great opportunity to delve deeper into the Christian life.

On the wedding day itself you should avoid copious libations, riotous fun, especially quarrels. And in church you must behave appropriately: you cannot talk over each other, be distracted, this prevents those around you from concentrating on the essence of what is happening. This also applies to guests. It is indecent to walk around the temple, turn your back to the icons, or laugh. In this way, disrespect is shown not only for believers who truly pray, but also for God himself. Indeed, in the moments when the priest reads prayers for the young, he asks them for a blessing for the rest of their lives.

The decision to get married must be made by the young unanimously and consciously. They must understand that marriage is serving the Lord, doing His will together. You should not go to church at the behest of your parents or because of fashion. Only with mutual agreement to spend your whole life together can you receive God's blessing for marriage. Otherwise, it will be just a beautiful ceremony.

Despite the fact that church marriage is not mandatory in Russia and the CIS countries, many couples decide to take this important step. And if some families sincerely want to marry in heaven as a sign of confirmation of pure love and faith in God, then others simply follow fashion, including the sacrament in the wedding plan.

For whatever reason you decide to get married, the wedding portal site reminds you: be sure to follow the church rules for preparing for the sacrament!

Before the wedding: will there be a sacrament?

Before you begin preparing for your wedding, you need to find out whether the church will allow your couple to get married in a church ceremony. After all, there are prescribed taboos to the ritual.

The wedding will not take place if:

If at least one of the above points occurs, alas, the church will not be able to bless your union.

Are there any obstacles to the sacrament? Then we offer you a little instruction in preparing for the wedding:

A wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church is held only if the couple has formalized their relationship. It doesn’t matter whether you decide to seal your union directly on the day of the celebration or years later, the church may ask you to provide a marriage certificate.

Confession and Communion before the wedding

The decision to get married should not be made spontaneously. Everyone in a couple must be sincerely confident in their intentions. An important role is played by cleansing the soul through prayers, Confession and Communion.

Maximum detailed information The church will definitely tell you how to prepare for the rituals. Do not hesitate to ask questions, because this will help avoid awkward situations directly during the rituals.

Before Communion and Confession, one should fast. For three days, the newlyweds read prayers (the priest will tell you which ones), visit evening services, refuse for this period from sexual relations. Eggs, meat and dairy products will have to be excluded from food.. All this must be observed before the preparatory rites for the wedding.

One of the main tasks of the church is to help a person improve his own soul. Church teachings call to get rid of evil thoughts, empty and abusive words, and to accept everything humbly and calmly.

As a rule, Confession and Communion take place immediately before the wedding. But this is not a mandatory requirement. The bride and groom can attend church the day before and separately.

Every church ceremony is aimed at healing human soul. And if you really decide to seal your relationship Church marriage, then both should want it. And the groom. And the bride.

The portal Svadbaholik.ru advises only those couples who are confident in the strength and purity of love in the family to go to church. This may take years, even decades of married life. But only then will you be able to fully appreciate the depth and significance of the sacrament of marriage. And you will treat the question of how to prepare for a wedding with maximum responsibility.