The sacrament of the wedding in Orthodoxy carries a deep meaning. According to the Bible, marriage is necessary not only for the continuation of the family, but must also embody the unity of body and spirit, harmonious existence and mutual assistance. Married life is of great importance in the Bible, marriage means the attitude of God to people, Jesus Christ to the church. According to church canons, the Christian marriage is indissoluble.
Sacrament of Orthodox wedding
If the family has decided to legalize their relationship not only to their state, but also to the Almighty, then they conclude also a spiritual registration of marriage and conduct a wedding ceremony . It is important to realize that the wedding should be not just a formality, but a deliberate mutual decision. Spouses should remember that church marriage is not so easy to dissolve. Therefore, think carefully about whether you are ready for such a responsible step.
The sacrament of the wedding implies preparation. First, decide on the date, because according to the canons of the Orthodox Church, the wedding does not take place on certain days - therefore, it is better to specify in the Temple whether you can marry on the chosen day. A few weeks before the proposed date, decide in which Church you will contract your marriage before the Most High. Be sure to come to the interview with the priest - he will tell you what rules exist in this Temple, how the sacrament of the Wedding will be held, how the guests will be accommodated, what is the cost of the rite.
Pay attention to the wedding costumes: they must be modest and symbolize purity and humility. The bride must be in a white long dress, with a head and shoulders covered (this can be a veil or a handkerchief). Also, in advance you need to prepare engagement rings - usually made of silver, wedding candles, four handkerchiefs for them, a towel, as well as icons of the Virgin and Christ the Savior. Very often you can buy ready-made sets for wedding in church benches.
Honeymooners need to visit the Liturgy to get cleansed from their sins, and also it is necessary to confess and receive Communion. All these moments it is important to clarify in advance a representative of the clergy: the priest is all available to tell and answer your questions.
How is the sacrament of the wedding?
Young people come to the Church together with their guests after the registry office, accompanied by guests. At the appointed time, the beginning of the liturgy begins. The wedding ceremony takes place in two stages: betrothal and then the wedding itself. The deacon prepares a dressing-down with wedding rings, and the priest gives the bride and groom a lighted wedding candle. After this, the priest, holding the bride and groom before the newlyweds, asks them to exchange them three times. The bride and groom three times move the rings to each other, and then each of them puts on his own. At this moment the newlyweds become one whole.
Then comes the most important moment of the sacrament of the wedding: the priest takes the bridegroom's crown and performs the cross of the cross with this crown. The groom kisses the image of the Savior, which is attached to the crown. The priest puts a crown on the head of the future spouse. Further the priest performs the same ritual with the bride, the only difference is that on her crown there is an icon with the image of the Virgin, whom the bride also kisses. Usually a crown above the head of the bride is held by a witness.
This ritual of laying the crowns symbolizes that the husband and wife are one to the other - the king and the queen.
After that, the priest consecrates the cup with the Cahors and gives it to the newlyweds. They take turns taking three sips from it, one cup symbolizing a common destiny. Then the priest connects the right hand of the bridegroom with the right hand of the bride. They pass three times around the analogue - now they will always go hand in hand.
Young lead to the royal gates, where the groom first kisses the image of Christ the Savior, and the bride - the icon of the Mother of God, then they change. The priest gives a cross, which the bride and groom also kiss. After that they are served two icons - the Most Holy Theotokos and Christ the Savior. The prayer is read. After that, the wedding ceremony is considered complete, the newlyweds become a family before the Most High.