In order to make a marriage in the registry office, you need only a mutual desire, a fee of the state duty and a statement. The rules of the wedding in Orthodoxy are much more difficult, and if any of them is not observed, then the wedding will be impossible.
The rules of the wedding in the Orthodox Church
Before deciding on such a responsible step, be sure to study all the rules of Orthodox wedding, since each of them is strict and compulsory.
- For the wedding, both spouses must be baptized Christians. Sometimes wedding is allowed with Christians of other directions - Catholics, Lutherans, Protestants. However, children born in this marriage must be baptized in strict order. Wedding with a Buddhist, a Muslim and a representative of any other faith is impossible.
- Wedding ceremony is possible only after the conclusion of an official marriage in the registry office. Cases, when this way meets difficulties, are solved individually - for this you should apply to the church.
- Wedding is possible only in certain periods, when the church fast does not pass. When choosing the date of the wedding, refer to the Orthodox church calendar.
- Wedding, as well as official marriage, is available for people over 18 years of age.
- There are no restrictions on the guests of the sacrament - you can invite everyone you want.
- The wedding can take place on the same day with the conclusion of an official marriage, but it is physically very difficult.
- The wedding will be denied to persons who are of any degree of kinship.
- It is necessary to get married in smart clothes. Ideally, the bride should have a dress that hides hands, shoulders, back and of course legs. If the dress is sleeveless, you need a cloak on your shoulders.
- The wedding is allowed to be imprinted on film, but it must be done after preliminary agreement with the priest.
- Dissolve the church marriage is extremely difficult, so you need to conclude it only when you are confident in the partner and in your union. The wedding can take place no more than three times in life. If someone from a couple already was in a church marriage, first it is necessary to achieve its dissolution.
- It is impossible to marry individuals, one or both of whom are actually married to someone else.
- Any questions that you have, it is necessary to decide strictly with the priest, and not with the watchman, the grandmothers-parishioners or the saleswoman in the church shop.
All the rules of the wedding ceremony are strict, and if they are not respected in the wedding, the couple may refuse. By the way, if the established donation for the wedding is too great for you, you can talk with the priest, explain the situation and agree on a different amount.
Weddings rules for selecting witnesses
Considering all the rules already considered, before the wedding couple also have to choose witnesses, or best men. They have to fulfill a responsible mission, which is regulated by additional rules.
- If for ordinary marriage it is customary to choose unmarried young people as witnesses, then traditionally they chose a couple with children, preferably a wedding one, for the wedding. At present, this is not an obligatory rule. Witnesses can be married, or have no relationship to each other. Do not choose a couple who is about to get married: the ritual gives birth to a spiritual kinship between them (like godchildren and a godfather, for example), and this is undesirable. For a married couple already, there will be no negative effect.
- Witnesses must be baptized, familiar
with the rules of the church. This is a strict rule, and if you do not comply with it, you may be refused at the wedding. - It is believed that witnesses will always be associated with the newlyweds, so it is worth choosing a wise, responsible couple.
- In order to make it easier for witnesses to hold a crown over the head of the newlyweds, they should be of the same height or higher, and also rather strong and enduring.
If you are at a loss, how to choose a suitable pair for all parameters, it is better to marry without witnesses, the church is not forbidden. This is better than taking witnesses of spiritual marriage of people who do not keep the commandments and lead unrighteous lives.