How does a wedding take place? How does an Orthodox wedding ceremony take place?

This article will discuss questions about witnessing a marriage before the Eyes of the Lord in Orthodoxy; accordingly, we will consider what is needed for a wedding in the Orthodox Church.

In the times of our distant great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers, wedding was the only correct and socially recognized way for people in love (and not quite in love) to live together and be considered a family. So-called cohabitation was despised and considered a low and unworthy thing. Few girls dared to do this. People knew what to do before a wedding in church as they now know the alphabet.

How did people think about weddings before?

Even secretly married people, as well as those forcibly married (this also happened), were almost impossible to debunk. Indeed, in order for such a marriage to be considered invalid before heaven, certain conditions had to be met. So in the case of a secret wedding, those around them had no choice but to come to terms with the independence of the newlyweds.

A record of the ceremony was made in the Church books, everything was recorded according to the words of those getting married, without presenting supporting documents. For some people, church records were almost the only documents in their lives, confirming birth, baptism and wedding.

The church lost its powers and no longer had the right to fill out any documentary paperwork.

A person who decided at that time to witness his marriage before God risked a lot. He could have been expelled from the party, but it is worth noting that being a “non-communist” in those days was not only shameful, but also dangerous. In addition to expulsion from the party, a person was also threatened with dismissal from work so that church “opium” would not spread in the team. That is why people grew up who could not even imagine such a ceremony as a wedding in the Orthodox Church. This, it must be said, did not have a very beneficial effect on post-revolutionary society.

Getting married and getting divorced has become very easy. A couple who wanted to live together was required to submit an application to the registry office and come to register their marriage at the appointed time. Printing, painting, and a new family was born.

Wedding in our time

Several more decades passed, and now the wedding ceremony began to spread everywhere again. But no one canceled the marriage registration.

Both newlyweds and more mature couples, who at one time were subject to “wedding bans,” are getting married.

It is possible that from time to time you have thought about how you can get married. And perhaps you, like many people, were interested in the question of what is needed for a wedding in a church.

The most important

You need to understand whether the desire to bind yourself with unbreakable bonds comes from the soul. Does your couple understand that such a ceremony imposes obligations on those getting married that must be fulfilled in this life until death? Thanks to the prayers read during the wedding, the couple becomes forever united. It will be very difficult to debunk such a union; many conditions must be met, proof that you cannot be husband and wife, and wait for the Metropolitan’s permission.

Unfortunately, many newlyweds do not understand the seriousness of this sacrament. That is why weddings are held as a kind of fashionable element of marriage. They do not hesitate to greet the newlyweds at the exit from the church, pouring champagne on the bride to the joyful and completely inappropriate cries at the church gates: “Bitter!”

And only after fully realizing the responsibility for such an important step do you have the right to think about what is needed for a wedding in a church, what inviolable dogmas exist and what items need to be purchased for such an exciting and serious ceremony.

Father won't marry you if...

• You are related down to the fourth generation.
• One of you is an atheist who is present at the ceremony only to please his other half.
• Do not try to get married if you have already gone through this ritual in your life and are not now debunked.
• Spiritual kinship will also not allow you to become spouses.
• Some of you adhere to a different religion.
• One of the couple has mental disorders.
• In Russia, people will also not get married if there are no documents permitting this action.

It is useful to find out in advance what documents are needed for a wedding in a church. Usually the required documents are, of course, passports and a marriage certificate. Since the revolution, the registry office authorities have remained authorized to issue marriage documents. Therefore, no one will marry you without stamps in your passport.

What is needed for a wedding in a church: a list of necessary attributes

1. The image of the Savior and the image of the Mother of God. It’s good if your family has preserved these icons, you can (even preferably) take them. If not, then it is worth purchasing in advance from the church.
2. buy them in advance at the church kiosk.
3. Wedding rings for the bride and groom.
4. Wedding towel.
5. Towel, napkins for candles (from burning drops of wax).
6. It may well be that before a church wedding you need to make a donation to the temple. Usually the donation price is fixed.
7. Pectoral crosses. You are baptized people, so crosses should be on you.
8. used for
9. Loaf (optional).

The bride must wear a white dress during the ceremony. Covered shoulders, a non-transparent dress, discreet makeup - this is what you need for a wedding in an Orthodox church. And even if a lady of very advanced years is getting married, this does not change matters. Pay attention to the bride's manicure; it should not be flashy.

The “youngest” age of the bride must be at least sixteen years old. The groom can only get married at the age of eighteen. The most mature bride who will be allowed to get married in a church is a lady who has reached the age of sixty. The most “mature” man who will be allowed to get married should not be older than seventy.

Rings: which ones are needed and what they mean

There is still debate about what kind of rings are needed for a church wedding. Previously, the groom put a silver ring on his future wife's finger, but the bride put a gold ring on her groom's finger. Wedding rings were accepted only as smooth ones, without engravings or decorations. Because the ring is a symbol of the endless love of a married couple, and the smoothness of this product meant that the newlyweds’ path through life would be as smooth as the surface of the rings. But sometimes people made engravings on the inside of the ring; this was only allowed if they engraved some words from a prayer to protect the marriage.

Today, young people put gold rings on each other’s fingers, sometimes with designs decorated with precious stones. Although if the ring is very elaborate, the priest may refuse to marry you. Therefore, try to adhere to the regulations. Simple wedding rings that you exchanged at the time of registration are perfect for a wedding.

Why go to church before the wedding?

When preparing yourself for the Sacrament of Wedding, you need to visit the church and talk to the priest. The church minister will tell you what your couple needs to do before getting married in church. Usually the need for fasting, the Sacrament of Confession and the Sacrament of Communion is stipulated. The priest will also coordinate the wedding day with you. It will not be possible to get married on any chosen day; there are also some Orthodox dogmas for such a ceremony. It will clarify for you whether witnesses are needed for a wedding in a church and what to do if for some reason there are still no witnesses. Different situations happen in life, in some churches they accommodate the newlyweds and provide people who help during the ceremony and hold crowns over the heads of the bride and groom.

Who are the witnesses? Who should not be used as a witness at a wedding?

Witnesses at a church wedding ceremony are people who act as guarantors. That is, these people vouch for your union before God. They are also obliged to help in your married life with advice in case of conflicts and other difficulties.

Allowed to be witnesses:

• For a married couple, especially if the couple has been married for many years, and their family for you is an indicator of a good and faithful family.
• Relatives from the bride's and groom's side. Here, keep in mind one small nuance: these witnesses do not have the right to enter into a church-sanctified marriage after they were guarantors at your wedding. This is explained by the fact that, having undergone the ritual, these people have already become spiritual relatives. And the wedding of spiritual relatives is strictly prohibited!

You cannot be witnesses at a wedding:

• The couple you wanted to take as witnesses is now divorced. Since people who failed to preserve their marriage bonds will not be able to teach the young anything worthwhile, but will only cause harm.
• The witness-witness couple live in cohabitation, that is, they have not even registered their marriage with government agencies.
• When planning to invite a couple as witnesses, inform them that in order to get married in a church, they need to provide their marriage certificate.

Responsibilities of witnesses

Witnesses perform several functions during the ceremony, here are the most important of them:

• Hold crowns over the heads of the young.
• Help with wedding rings, present them during the ceremony.
• Lay a towel under the feet of the young people in front of the lectern.
• During the three-fold procession, walk together with the bride and groom.

A wedding in a church takes place over a period of forty minutes or more. It is worth warning your guarantors in advance that the crowns are very difficult to hold.

What else do you need to know for a wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church?

• During the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds should not look back at people, nor should they look at the image. You need to look only at the clergyman so as not to miss important points and be able to answer questions on time.
• It is imperative to cross yourself only with your right hand. In the Orthodox faith, it is customary to address a priest with the word “father.”
• Under no circumstances should you be late for the sacrament of marriage! Think over this point and better enter the church a little early (about 20 minutes).
• Since a wedding is a fairly lengthy process, think about and take care of your shoes. Do not wear tight high-heeled pumps. Let your shoes be comfortable so as not to distract you from good thoughts and spiritual joy during the ceremony.
• Turn off your phones while visiting the temple.
• During the ceremony, the female part of the guests should be on the left side of the room, the male part, respectively, on the right.
• Issues related to photo and video shooting are discussed in advance.
• During the ceremony, you are not supposed to have your hands in your pockets or hold hands.

Wedding gifts for newlyweds. Which ones should you give?

• Usually this is an icon depicting Saints Peter and Fevronia - the patrons of all lovers.
• You can also give the newlyweds silver or gold.
• Chains made of gold or silver would be an appropriate gift. Only the chains must be without crosses.
• Noble candlesticks made of precious metals.
• Flowers - this gift is appropriate everywhere, and a wedding ceremony is no exception.

Blessing of parents

The blessing of the closest and dearest people - parents - is one of the most important points for creating a happy family. The thing is that the blessing given by the parents for a happy and long married life is considered a very strong amulet.

Signs for a wedding

• During the wedding process between a young couple, no one is allowed to pass, otherwise the family will be destroyed.
• The wedding crown must be worn on the head. If the crown is not worn, the marriage is not valid before the Lord.
• For a long and happy life, it is necessary to do this at the same time during the wedding when blowing out the candles.

For the best and correct choice, please visit several cathedrals before deciding which one you want to be married in.

Then the Epistle to the Ephesians of the Holy Apostle Paul (), where the marriage union is likened to the union of Christ and the Church, for which the Savior who loved her gave Himself, is read. The love of a husband for his wife is a similarity to the love of Christ for the Church, and the lovingly humble submission of a wife to her husband is a similarity to the relationship of the Church to Christ. This is mutual love to the point of selflessness, a willingness to sacrifice oneself in the image of Christ, who gave Himself to be crucified for sinful people, and in the image His true followers, who through suffering and martyrdom confirmed their loyalty and love for the Lord.

The last saying of the apostle: let the wife fear her husband - calls not for the fear of the weak before the strong, not for the fear of a slave in relation to the master, but for the fear of saddening a loving person, of disrupting the unity of souls and bodies. The same fear of losing love, and therefore the presence of God in family life, should be experienced by the husband, whose head is Christ. In another letter, the Apostle Paul says: The wife has no authority over her own body, but the husband does; Likewise, the husband has no power over his body, but the wife does. Do not deviate from each other, unless by agreement, for a while, to exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance ().

Husband and wife are members of the Church and, being parts of the fullness of the Church, are equal to each other, obeying the Lord Jesus Christ.

After the Apostle, the Gospel of John is read (). It proclaims God's blessing of the marital union and its sanctification. The miracle of the Savior turning water into wine prefigured the action of the grace of the sacrament, by which earthly marital love is elevated to heavenly love, uniting souls in the Lord. The saint speaks about the moral change necessary for this: “Marriage is honorable and the bed is undefiled, for Christ blessed them in Cana at the wedding, eating food in the flesh and turning water into wine, revealing this first miracle, so that you, the soul, would change” (Great canon, in Russian translation, troparion 4, canto 9).

After reading the Gospel, a short petition for the newlyweds and a priest’s prayer are said on behalf of the Church, in which we pray to the Lord that He will preserve those who were married in peace and unanimity, that their marriage will be honest, that their bed will be undefiled, that their cohabitation will be immaculate, that He will make them worthy to live until old age, while fulfilling His commandments from a pure heart.

The priest proclaims: “And grant us, O Master, with boldness and without condemnation to dare to call on You, Heavenly God the Father, and say…”. And the newlyweds, together with everyone present, sing the prayer “Our Father,” the foundation and crown of all prayers, commanded to us by the Savior Himself.

In the mouths of those getting married, she expresses her determination to serve the Lord with her small church, so that through them on earth His will would be fulfilled and reign in their family life. As a sign of submission and devotion to the Lord, they bow their heads under the crowns.

After the Lord’s Prayer, the priest glorifies the Kingdom, the power and glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and, having taught peace, commands us to bow our heads before God, as before the King and Master, and at the same time before our Father. Then a cup of red wine, or rather a cup of communion, is brought, and the priest blesses it for the mutual communion of husband and wife. Wine at a wedding is served as a sign of joy and fun, reminiscent of the miraculous transformation of water into wine performed by Jesus Christ in Cana of Galilee.

The priest gives the young couple three times to drink wine from a common cup - first to the husband, as the head of the family, then to the wife. Usually they take three small sips of wine: first the husband, then the wife.

Having presented the common cup, the priest connects the right hand of the husband with the right hand of the wife, covers their hands with the stole and places his hand on top of it. This means that through the hand of the priest the husband receives a wife from the Church itself, uniting them in Christ forever. The priest leads the newlyweds around the lectern three times.

During the first circumambulation, the troparion “Isaiah, rejoice...” is sung, in which the sacrament of the incarnation of the Son of God Emmanuel from the Unartificed Mary is glorified.

During the second circumambulation, the troparion “To the Holy Martyr” is sung. Crowned with crowns, as conquerors of earthly passions, they show the image of the spiritual marriage of a believing soul with the Lord.

Finally, in the third troparion, which is sung during the last circumambulation of the lectern, Christ is glorified as the joy and glory of the newlyweds, their hope in all circumstances of life: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, the praise of the apostles, the joy of the martyrs, and their preaching. Trinity Consubstantial."

This circular walk signifies the eternal procession that began on this day for this couple. Their marriage will be an eternal procession hand in hand, a continuation and manifestation of the sacrament performed today. Remembering the common cross laid upon them today, “bearing each other’s burdens,” they will always be filled with the gracious joy of this day. At the end of the solemn procession, the priest removes the crowns from the spouses, greeting them with words filled with patriarchal simplicity and therefore especially solemn:

“Be magnified, O woman, like Abraham, and be blessed like Isaac, and be multiplied like Jacob, walk in peace, and do the righteousness of the commandments of God.”

“And you, bride, have been magnified like Sarah, and you have rejoiced like Rebecca, and you have multiplied like Rachel, rejoicing over your husband, keeping the limits of the law; therefore God has been so pleased.”

Then, in the two subsequent prayers, the priest asks the Lord, who blessed the marriage in Cana of Galilee, to accept the crowns of the newlyweds undefiled and immaculate in His Kingdom. In the second prayer, read by the priest, with the newlyweds bowing their heads, these petitions are sealed with the name of the Most Holy Trinity and the priestly blessing. At the end of it, the newlyweds testify to their holy and pure love for each other with a chaste kiss.

Further, according to custom, 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 accordingly: the groom - to the icon of the Mother of God, and the bride - to the icon of the Savior. 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.

What should a wedding meal be like?

The Sacrament of Marriage is celebrated solemnly and joyfully. From the multitude of people: loved ones, relatives and acquaintances, from the shine of candles, from church singing, one somehow involuntarily feels festive and happy in the soul.

After the wedding, the newlyweds, parents, witnesses, and guests continue the celebration at the table.

But how indecently some of the invitees sometimes behave. People often get drunk here, make shameless speeches, sing immodest songs, and dance wildly. Such behavior would be shameful even for a pagan, “ignorant of God and His Christ,” and not just for us Christians. The Holy Church warns against such behavior. In the 53rd canon of the Council of Laodicea it is said: “It is not appropriate for those attending marriages (that is, even relatives of the bride and groom and guests) to jump or dance, but to sup and dine modestly, as is appropriate for Christians.” The wedding feast should be modest and quiet, should be free from all intemperance and indecency. Such a quiet and modest feast will be blessed by the Lord Himself, who sanctified the marriage in Cana of Galilee with His presence and performance of the first miracle.

What can hinder a Christian marriage?

Often those preparing for a wedding first register a civil marriage at the registry office. The Orthodox Church considers civil marriage to be devoid of grace, but recognizes it as a fact and does not consider it illegal, prodigal cohabitation. Nevertheless, the conditions for marriage under civil law and according to church canons differ. However, not every civil marriage can be consecrated in the church.

The Church does not allow marriage more than three times. According to civil law, a fourth and fifth marriage is allowed, which the Church does not bless.

A marriage is not blessed if one of the spouses (and especially both) declares himself an atheist and says that he came to the wedding only at the insistence of his spouse or parents.

A wedding is not permitted if at least one of the spouses is not baptized and does not intend to be baptized before the wedding.

A wedding is impossible if one of the future spouses is actually married to another person. First, you need to dissolve the civil marriage, and if the marriage was church, be sure to take the bishop’s permission to dissolve it and give his blessing to enter into a new marriage.

Another obstacle to marriage is the blood relationship of the bride and groom and the spiritual relationship acquired through succession at baptism.

When there is no wedding

According to the canonical rules, it is not allowed to perform a wedding during all four fasts, during cheese week, Easter week, and during the period from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany (Christmastide). According to pious custom, it is not customary to celebrate marriages on Saturday, as well as on the eve of the twelve, great and temple holidays, so that the pre-holiday evening does not pass in noisy fun and entertainment. In addition, in the Russian Orthodox Church, marriages are not celebrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays (on the eve of fast days - Wednesday and Friday), on the eve and on the days of the Beheading of John the Baptist (August 29/September 11) and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14/27). Exceptions to these rules can be made due to need only by the ruling bishop.
Cm. .

For many years now, the wedding ceremony has become increasingly powerful and popular. Some of the newlyweds pay tribute to fashion, others approach this sacrament with full responsibility, taking this step quite consciously, the lights believe in spiritual power and understand the meaning of the ritual. God gives the newlyweds his blessing on the bonds between spouses, the birth of children and their upbringing in Christianity.

Modern youth know about the sacrament of marriage from books and videos, which today can be viewed on the Internet. In Rus', this ritual was performed in ancient times. At a wedding, this action was the most important, and without a wedding in the church, marriage between a woman and a man was not recognized. In those days, it was believed that only before God could young people become spouses. For the first time, a person learned about the sacrament of weddings from the book “Genesis”, dedicated to the marriage of Isaac to Rebekah. How their wedding ceremony took place today can be found in the video.

Information also came to us from the writings of the Holy Fathers and surviving documents that stipulated the rules of the ritual. It is almost impossible to trace all the changes in the Orthodox Church that have taken place over the centuries. But historians managed to highlight the main points.

• Wedding crowns were placed on the heads of the newlyweds. They first began to do this in the East in the 4th century. At first, fresh flowers were used for these purposes. Later, crowns began to be made of metal. In appearance they resembled a crown.
• In the western part of the Byzantine Empire, marriage veils were used during the wedding ceremony.

Crowns and veils signified holy faith in the Lord God. It is believed that until the 7th century, marriages between spouses took place with blessed rings and a sacred prayer, similar to modern chants. The Church did not share the Orthodox wedding rite until the 9th century. A civil marriage was concluded between the spouses, after which she participated in the process of worship in the church. In this manner they partook of the Sacrament of the Saints of Christ, which meant a symbol of marriage. The newlyweds took full responsibility for the family, guided by state laws of the time.

At the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries, the first custom appeared in Orthodox weddings in the church, according to which the bride and groom received candles. Crowns began to be placed on their heads and the accompanying words were pronounced - “Christ crowns.” Next, the priest read a prayer, and upon completion, he joined the hands of the young people, saying the words “Christ, greets.”

Over the following years, the process of the wedding ceremony changed. Already from the 13th century, it was accompanied by the words: “The servant of God is getting married.” After 2 centuries, new traditions appeared: a certain prayer was read, and the crowns were in the church, and not in the house.

Modern wedding ceremony in church

The state authorities allow the wedding ceremony to take place. It can be held immediately after marriage registration or on any other day. According to church customs, not everyone can do this.

• Orthodoxy does not give consent to the procedure for unbaptized people, grooms under 18, and brides under 16 years of age.
• If the bride or groom professes a different faith, it is necessary to obtain permission for the wedding. In this case, the husband or wife must give a written commitment to raise children according to Orthodox laws.
• The Church does not approve of marriages between blood relatives (kinship up to the third generation inclusive). The permission of the head of the diocese will also be needed if spiritual relatives wish to get married. These may be godparents of the children of one married couple.
• The ceremony can be held no more than three times. But even the second time during the wedding, certain difficulties arise.

The wedding takes place only on the basis of a marriage registration certificate. There are certain days on which the ceremony can be performed. During multi-day fasts and church holidays, marriage is not celebrated. Some families get married after the birth of their first child. Others want to test their feelings and postpone this process for several years.

Church wedding procedure

As soon as the decision is made to hold a wedding ceremony, you should discuss the wedding day with the priest. The wedding can be filmed and photographs taken. You should also discuss with the priest where the photographer can be during the ceremony and what can be photographed. Preparations for the wedding must be done in advance. There are a few things to consider.

It is very important to prepare mentally for a church wedding: take communion and confess. Before the wedding you should fast for 3 days. On the day of uniting family ties before God, it is not recommended to smoke or drink alcohol.

Rules of behavior in the temple

Ceremonies and their guests must adhere to certain rules:

• Women must wear a headdress. The clothes of the bride, groom and guests must cover their shoulders and legs. Women are not recommended to wear trousers into church.
• Bright makeup is not acceptable; it should be close to a natural look.
• It is advisable to enter the temple in advance, 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
• Mobile phones should be turned off.
• During the wedding, moving around the temple is not allowed.
• On the left side of the hall are women, on the right are men.
• You are not supposed to stand with your back to the iconostasis.
• The right hand is used for baptism.

The wedding lasts within an hour. Not all guests can withstand such a lengthy procedure. Therefore, it is better for them to stay outside the temple or at its entrance. The rules must be strictly observed by all people present at a wedding in an Orthodox church.

Debunking procedure

Unfortunately, not all married couples are able to save their marriage and they have to break it off. The Church has a negative attitude towards divorce and the process of debunking, as such does not exist for it. But in some cases, the Orthodox Church may give permission for a second wedding. This applies to widows and widowers. Reasons for dissolution of a church marriage may also be:

• Cheating on one of the spouses;
• Inability to conceive a child;
• Forced marriage;
• Threat to the lives of children and spouse;
• Mental illness;
• Getting rid of a child without the consent of the husband;
• Various types of serious diseases, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, AIDS, etc.

Permission is given only to the spouse who is innocent of the breakdown of the family. But before you remarry, you need to repent and confess.

A wedding is an important event in the life of every Christian family. It is rare when couples get married on their wedding day (in order to immediately “kill two birds with one stone”) - in most cases, couples still approach this issue thoughtfully, realizing the importance of this rite and experiencing a sincere and mutual desire to become a full-fledged family, according to church canons .

How does this ritual take place, and what do you need to know about it?

How to prepare for the sacrament of wedding correctly?

A wedding is not a wedding where they walk for 3 days, fall on their faces in a salad and hit each other with their faces according to tradition. A wedding is a sacrament through which a couple receives a blessing from the Lord to live their whole lives together in sorrow and joy, to be faithful to each other “until the grave”, to give birth and raise children.

Without a wedding, a marriage is considered “incomplete” by the Church. And, of course, it must be appropriate. And we are not talking about organizational issues that are resolved in 1 day, but about spiritual preparation.

A couple who takes their wedding seriously will definitely take into account those requirements that some newlyweds forget about in pursuit of fashionable wedding photos. But spiritual preparation is an important part of a wedding, as the beginning of a new life for a couple - with a clean (in every sense) slate.

Preparation includes a 3-day fast, during which you need to prepare for the ceremony prayerfully, and also abstain from intimate relationships, animal food, bad thoughts, etc. In the morning before the wedding, the husband and wife confess and receive communion together.

Video: Wedding. Step-by-step instruction

Betrothal - how is the wedding ceremony carried out in the Orthodox Church?

Betrothal is a kind of “introductory” part of the sacrament that precedes the wedding. It symbolizes the consummation of a church marriage in the face of the Lord and the consolidation of the mutual promises of a man and a woman.

1. It’s not for nothing that betrothal takes place immediately after the Divine Liturgy – the couple is shown the importance of the sacrament of marriage and the spiritual trepidation with which they should enter into marriage.
2. Betrothal in the temple symbolizes the husband's acceptance of his wife from the Lord himself : the priest brings the couple into the temple, and from that moment their life together, new and pure, begins in the face of God.
3. The beginning of the ritual is censing : the priest blesses the husband and wife 3 times in turn with the words “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” In response to the blessing, everyone makes the sign of the cross (approx. - crosses themselves), after which the priest hands them the already lit candles. This is a symbol of love, fiery and pure, which a husband and wife should now have for each other. In addition, candles are a symbol of the chastity of men and women, as well as God's grace.
4. Cross censing symbolizes the presence of the grace of the Holy Spirit next to the couple.
5. Next comes a prayer for the betrothed and for their salvation (souls) , about the blessing for the birth of children, about the fulfillment of those requests of the couple to God that relate to their salvation, about the blessing of the couple for every good deed. After which, everyone present, including the husband and wife, should bow their heads before God in anticipation of the blessing while the priest reads a prayer.
6. After the prayer to Jesus Christ comes the betrothal : the priest puts a ring on the groom, “betrothing the servant of God...” and making the sign of the cross 3 times. Next, he puts a ring on the bride, “betrothing the servant of God...” and making the sign of the cross three times. It is important to note that the rings (which the groom must give!) symbolize an eternal and indissoluble union at the wedding. The rings lie, until they are put on, on the right side of the holy throne, which symbolizes the power of consecration in the face of the Lord and his blessing.
7. Now the bride and groom must exchange rings three times (note - in the word of the Most Holy Trinity): the groom puts his ring on the bride as a symbol of his love and willingness to help his wife until the end of his days. The bride puts her ring on the groom as a symbol of her love and readiness to accept his help until the end of her days.
8. Next is the priest’s prayer for the Lord’s blessing and betrothal of this couple , and sending them a Guardian Angel to guide them in their new and pure Christian life. The betrothal ceremony ends here.

Video: Russian wedding in the Orthodox Church. Wedding ceremony

The sacrament of a wedding - how does the ceremony take place?

The second part of the sacrament of marriage begins with the bride and groom entering the middle of the temple with candles in their hands, as if carrying the spiritual light of the sacrament. In front of them is a priest with a censer, which symbolizes the importance of following the path of the commandments and offering up their good deeds as incense to the Lord.

The choir welcomes the couple by singing Psalm 127.

• Next, the couple stands on a white towel spread out in front of the lectern. : both, in the face of God and the Church, confirm their free will, as well as the absence in their past (note - on each side!) of promises to marry another person. The priest asks these traditional questions to the bride and groom in turn.
• Confirmation of a voluntary and inviolable desire to marry secures a natural marriage , who is now considered a prisoner. Only after this does the sacrament of marriage begin.
• The wedding ceremony begins with the couple’s declaration of participation in the Kingdom of God and three lengthy prayers – to Jesus Christ and to the Triune God. After which the priest signs (in turn) the bride and groom with a crown in the shape of a cross, “crowning the servant of God...”, and then “crowning the servant of God...”. The groom must kiss the image of the Savior on his crown, the bride must kiss the image of the Mother of God that adorns her crown.
• Now the most important moment of the wedding begins for the bride and groom wearing crowns. , when with the words “Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor!” the priest, as a link between people and God, blesses the couple three times, reading a prayer three times.
• Blessing of marriage by the Church symbolizes the eternity of the new Christian union, its indissolubility.
• Afterwards there is a reading of the Epistle to the Ephesians by St. apostle paul , and then the Gospel of John about the blessing and sanctification of the marriage union. Then the priest pronounces a petition for the newlyweds and a prayer for peace in the new family, honesty of marriage, integrity of cohabitation and life together according to the commandments until old age.
• After “And grant us, O Master...” everyone reads the prayer “Our Father” (it should be learned in advance if you did not know it by heart before preparing for the wedding). This prayer on the lips of a married couple symbolizes the determination to do the will of the Lord on earth through their family, to be devoted and submissive to the Lord. As a sign of this, the husband and wife bow their heads under their crowns.
• They bring the “cup of fellowship” with the Cahors , and the priest blesses it and serves it as a sign of joy, offering to drink wine three times, first to the head of the new family, and then to his wife. They drink wine in 3 tiny sips as a sign of their inseparable existence from now on.
• Now the priest must join the right hands of the newlyweds and cover them with stole (note - a long ribbon on the priest’s neck) and place your palm on top, as a symbol of the husband receiving his wife from the Church itself, which in Christ united these two forever.
• The couple is traditionally led around the lectern three times : on the first circle they sing “Isaiah, rejoice...”, on the second - the troparion “Holy Martyr”, and on the third Christ is glorified. This walk symbolizes the eternal procession that begins from this day for the couple - hand in hand, with a common cross (the hardships of life) for two.
• Crowns are removed from spouses , and the priest welcomes the new Christian family with solemn words. Then he reads two prayers of petition, during which the husband and wife bow their heads, and after finishing they seal pure mutual love with a chaste kiss.
• Now, according to tradition, married spouses are led to the royal doors : here the head of the family must kiss the icon of the Savior, and his wife - the image of the Mother of God, after which they change places and again kiss the Images (only in reverse). Here they kiss the cross, which the priest offers, and receive from the minister of the Church 2 icons, which can now be kept as a family heirloom and the main amulets of the family, and passed on to future generations.

After the wedding, candles are kept in the icon case at home. And after the death of the last spouse, these candles (according to the old Russian custom) are placed in the coffin, both of them.

The task of witnesses at a wedding ceremony in a church - what do guarantors do?

Witnesses must be believers and baptized - a friend of the groom and a friend of the bride, who after the wedding will become the spiritual mentors of this couple and their prayer guardians.

The task of witnesses:

1. Hold the crowns over the heads of those getting married.
2. Give them wedding rings.
3. Lay a towel in front of the lectern.

However, if witnesses do not know their duties, this is not a problem. The priest will tell the guarantors about them, preferably in advance, so that there are no “overlaps” during the wedding.

It is important to remember that a church marriage cannot be dissolved - the Church does not give divorces. The exception is the death of a spouse or his loss of mind.

And finally - a few words about the wedding meal

A wedding, as stated above, is not a wedding. And the Church warns against possible indecent and irreverent behavior of all those present at the wedding after the sacrament.

Decent Christians dine modestly after a wedding, and do not dance in restaurants. Moreover, at the modest wedding feast there should not be any indecency or intemperance.