THE HOLY MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE

In the Holy Mystery (Sacrament) of Marriage the committed, exclusive union of a man and a woman is blessed by God in Church.  The wedding service of the Orthodox Church is deeply meaningful and very beautiful.  The following information is offered for the benefit of couples who would like to be married in our Greek Orthodox Church.

MARRIAGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The sacrament of matrimony must be performed in accordance with the Orthodox Sacramentary Book (Εὐχολόγιον) and always in the Church. Marriages are NOT performed in Parks, Halls or other public places.

The Date of the Marriage Ceremony

According to our Greek Orthodox tradition the Marriage Ceremony is not normally celebrated during fasting periods and certain Church feast days, such as

✤ January 5-6 (Epiphany)

✤ Lent and Holy Week

✤ August 1-15 (Fast of the Theotokos)

✤ August 29 (Beheading of St. John the Baptist)

✤ September 14 (Elevation of the Holy Cross)

✤ December 13-25 (Christmas Fast)

✤ On the day of any of the other Major Feast Days. These are the following:

• February 2, the Presentation of our Lord
• Ascension of our Lord
• Pentecost
• Weddings will also not be conducted on the first Sunday after October 28 due to the Doxology and the Festivities for the Greek OXI-Day 1940.

Weddings are not allowed on these days unless absolutely necessary and then only by special permission from the Archbishop.

The Legal and Ecclesiastical Requirements for Marriage in the Church

The following details the information necessary to consider in order to be joined in matrimony in the Greek Orthodox Church.

MARRIAGE LICENSE.  A Civil Marriage License is mandatory before a Priest can conduct the Sacrament of Matrimony. In addition, an Ecclesiastical License from the Archdiocese is also mandatory. The Priest must fill out the Affidavit requesting permission to conduct the Sacrament at least two weeks before the date of the wedding. In the application the Priest must include the date of the scheduled wedding. Under no circumstances may the Priest conduct the Sacrament of Matrimony without the permission of the Archdiocese.

If the couple has participated in a Civil Wedding, they must provide a copy of their Civil Marriage Certificate when applying for the Ecclesiastical Marriage.

MIXED MARRIAGE.  A mixed marriage is one between an Orthodox and a non-Orthodox Christian baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. To conduct such a mixed marriage, the non-Orthodox must present a Baptismal Certificate.

According to the Department of Registry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, the following Mixed Marriages ARE PROHIBITED in the Greek Orthodox Church, GREEK ORTHODOX AND

• SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
• ASSEMBLY OF GOD
• MENNONITE
• SALVATION ARMY
• QUAKERS
• CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST
• JEHOVAH’S WITNESS
• SWEDENBORGIAN
• MORMON (LATTER DAY SAINTS)
• UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
• JEWISH
• MOSLEM
• NON-CHRISTIAN
• BUDDHIST
• HINDU
• SIKH
• MEMBERS OF OTHER FAR EASTERN RELIGIONS

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive!

In any of the above cases the non-Orthodox person must be first Catechized and then Baptized in the Orthodox Churchfor the Sacrament of Matrimony to take place. Also note that in the above cases Catechism may take several months, depending on the disposition of each Catechumen.

PREVIOUS MARRIAGES.  If an Orthodox Christian has had a previous marriage in a non-Orthodox Church (with a non-Orthodox person) or a Civil Ceremony and has been divorced or widowed, he/she must present a Civil Divorce Decree or a Death Certificate.

A divorced person, before entering a second or a third Ecclesiastical Wedding, must have received Ecclesiastical Divorce if the previous marriage took place in the Orthodox Church.

THE KOUMBARO/KOUMBARA.  The best man or woman (sponsor) must be an Orthodox Christian and in good standing ecclesiastically and up to date with his/her obligations towards the Community. If he/she is married, he/she must have been married in the Orthodox Church.

MARRIAGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

STEP 1:  See “What you need to know” before anything else!  

STEP 2: Think of a date for booking, call the parish priest to make an appointment, and then speak with him about the details.

STEP 3: The Priest will ask you and your future spouse to come and see him together. Make sure you bring your, your future spouse's, and your witnesses' BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATES with you. These documents serve as proof that both you, your future spouse and the witnesses are baptized in the Orthodox Church. In case of a mixed marriage (one Orthodox, one non-Orthodox) the other prospective spouse must provide the priest with their Baptismal Certificate as well. If either you or the witness do not provide the Baptismal Certificate during the meeting, the Priest will not book a date for the Sacrament. If you or the witness have been baptized at St. Demetrios Parish in Hamilton, you do not need to bring your Certificate(s), as the Priest will check the corresponding entry in the parishes Registry Book.

STEP 4: Arrange for a Wedding Rehearsal. Upon your meeting with the Priest, he will provide you with the details of the Sacrament. Witnesses and newlyweds have an active role during the Sacrament of Matrimony; it is therefore wise and practical that you arrange a rehearsal before the Sacrament so that everyone knows where to stand, what to do, how to move etc. 

STEP 5: Prepare for the Sacrament. Ensure you have everything for the day of the Sacrament: Rings, Stephana, Lambades, a bottle of red wine etc. The Priest will provide you with the same details upon your meeting and during the rehearsal. 

STEP 6: The day of the Sacrament. If you did the rehearsal, then you know what to do and where to stand. The Priest will guide you through the Sacrament when necessary. Approach with befitting piety and respect for the Sacrament and pray as your new life begins with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

STEP 7: After the Sacrament. Having become one in the presence of God and the Church, you are now a family of your own. Whatever you do you do it as a family whether it is inside the Church, at home or in the outside world. The Priest will be your spiritual guide whenever you need to consult him. Do not hesitate to ask for his advice, as through marriage you have become his spiritual children.