The wedding ceremony is not only beautiful and ancient tradition, but also a responsible step towards creating a strong and happy family. Sometimes a couple comes to this important step years later, only when people are finally convinced of their feelings and intention to live together for the rest of their lives.
Exist certain days for a wedding in a church. The most successful day for the sacrament of Wedding is considered to be the 1st Sunday after Easter, which is popularly called Red Hill, in 2017 this day falls on April 23rd, and in 2018 this day falls on April 15th. For the convenience of determining the date, a wedding calendar for 2017 - 2018. From the wedding calendar you will learn on which days, according to the canons of the Russian Orthodox Church, the wedding ceremony can be held, and on which days not (calendar at the end of the article), but let’s start with to whom who can and cannot get married in the Church.

Who can get married in the Church

1. The basic requirements for newlyweds are to be members of the Church (to be baptized, to wear pectoral cross);
An important condition for recognizing the validity of a church marriage is the unity of religion.

2. Have a certificate from the registry office of state registration of marriage. This point is explained very simply - the registry office will not register people who are already married and do not have an official divorce. In addition, the registry office will not register people who are not capable of marriage (insane, sick), people who are closely related, people who have not reached marriageable age, who are forcibly forced into marriage. I would like to note that the presence of a registration certificate for those getting married is a necessary measure. In part, this requirement is imposed on the church government agencies. In the time of our grandfathers, quite a lot of married couples were without official paper, and some couples manage to get married without a state certificate even now (for example, if the priest knows you very well, and you plan to sign at the registry office after the wedding)

Who should not get married in the Church?

1. People who have been married more than 3 times. In church, the first time is considered the norm. The second time they get married in the Church is disapproved and a second marriage is allowed out of leniency towards human infirmities (the ritual itself changes somewhat, for example, crowns are not worn). They marry a third time in exceptional cases, if the reason is valid and the person has repented. No one will be married a fourth time - even widowhood after a third marriage does not give the right to marry a fourth time. State registration in this case does not have such a limitation - and can register at least the sixth or seventh marriage;
2. To clergy, i.e. those who took holy orders. Marriage is possible only before ordination to the priesthood. A priest can only have one wife if he is a married priest. A monk cannot have a wife at all due to the vows he has taken. Violation of this rule threatens with deprivation of holy orders;
3. Monks and nuns, after taking their vows, are also not allowed to get married in the Church;
4. Guilty of the dissolution of a previous marriage. For example, a person guilty of adultery, which caused the dissolution of his first marriage, cannot enter into a new marriage;
5. For those who do not fall within certain age limits. On this moment The lower age limit for a wedding should be considered the onset of civil majority (the age at which marriage is permitted in the registry office). Church marriage law also sets an upper limit for marriage: for men - 70 years, for women - 60 years;
6. An obstacle to marriage is the lack of consent on the part of the parents of the bride or groom. This type of obstacle should be considered only if the parents of the future spouses are Orthodox Christians. Children of Orthodox parents cannot marry willfully, without parental consent;
When receiving the blessing of the parents is impossible due to their unbelief, it is worth asking the blessing of the bishop to enter into a church marriage without the permission of the parents. The bishop has the right to bless a marriage even if the parents do not agree to the marriage of their children for illegal reasons.

Why don't they get married during Lent?

This is explained by the fact that during Lent, believers are supposed to attend divine services, and not have a wedding feast. Previously, only a wedding was called marriage, and the word “marriage” itself comes from the Slavic word “brashno”, translated meaning “feast” or “food”. Fasting is a time of abstinence, including marital abstinence. You are not supposed to visit places of entertainment during fasting - a person must cleanse himself morally during this time. If you look at the wedding calendar, there are more days in the year when weddings are not performed than days when weddings are allowed.
On the eve of the wedding, Orthodox Christians must fast; before the sacrament they should also attend the liturgy, confess and receive communion.

Remnants of paganism make themselves felt to this day, manifesting themselves in all sorts of fables and all kinds of superstitions. The word itself " superstition"(derived from “sue” - in vain and “faith”, literally translated as “vain belief”) - a prejudice that is a belief in some otherworldly forces. There is, for example, a superstition that a ring accidentally falling during a wedding or a wedding candle going out portends misfortune: divorce or the early death of one of the spouses. There is also a widespread superstition that the newlywed who first steps onto the spread towel will be the head of the family.
There is also a widespread superstition that you can’t get married in May, and from the older generation you even hear that in Kiev (not to mention the villages or suburbs) you often hear “you’ll suffer for the rest of your life,” etc.
In general, there are a lot of superstitions regarding the wedding date. For example, total weddings in leap year- drops noticeably, and this is due solely to superstitions. 2016 is a leap year and for some reason many people believe that it is not advisable to get married in such a year. The year that comes after the leap year 2017 is considered among our people to be the year of the Black Widow, which means again not good for marriage. So, we have a delusional situation in which two whole years out of four are considered unsuccessful for unknown reasons. Here is what the church says on this topic: “Leap year” is a calendar year necessary for calculating exact astronomical dates. Therefore, people who consider a leap year to be unlucky for any business or undertaking (for example, marriage) fall into sin, because superstition lies in the fact that supernatural significance is attributed to natural objects. “The devil, trying to divert us from deeds of virtue and suppress spiritual jealousy, taught people to attribute happiness and unhappiness to days” (St. John Chrysostom)
Such fictions and superstitions should not worry a believer. And if you are taking such a step as getting married, you must be believers. Such accidents as the falling of a ring or the extinguishing of a candle should be treated precisely as accidents.

What to bring with you to the wedding

So, you have chosen a day and have been assigned a time convenient for you. In advance you will need to prepare:

1. Bottle of red wine (Cahors);

2. A small loaf or bread (left in the Church), not in all churches this is a mandatory item;

3. 2 candles, 5 towels (wedding set);

4. 4 handkerchiefs (two for witnesses to hold crowns and two for newlyweds to hold candles);

5. pair of icons: the Savior and the Mother of God

6. Rings (as a symbol of the eternity of marriage)

You will give the rings to the priest or his assistants, and they will be illuminated on the throne. You also give towels to your assistants before the wedding. Of the 5 towels, one should be large; it will be spread at your feet during the sacrament. A loaf or bread is placed on one, two more are placed on the icons with which you will leave the temple, and the last towel will be used to tie your hands during the Sacrament.

You must understand that not every church offers beautiful wedding candles and towels for them. Take care of this in advance; they can be purchased in large churches or Orthodox stores. Nowadays they sell ready-made, complete wedding sets, although in fact ordinary ones are also suitable for the sacrament church candles. All visible beauty is needed only for you and does not affect the amount of “grace” you will receive. The most important thing during a wedding is your prayer.

The splendor of the temple decoration - paintings on the walls, icons, a professional choir and the ringing of bells at the end - all this is needed to create a holiday, as well as wedding photographer, who, at your request, will photograph all this beautifully. I’ll also add on my own behalf that when taking photos or videos of a wedding, you need to take a blessing by asking permission in advance from the priest who will be marrying you. Photography is not prohibited, but the cameraman must be inconspicuous during the wedding and must not disturb anyone present. For example, when photographing a wedding, I don’t use flashes and shoot only with super-fast lenses and open apertures. Ordering wedding photo services- remember that a wedding is primarily a sacrament, and not a photo shoot - and your photographer must be a professional.

Nowadays, everywhere the sacrament of wedding begins with betrothal. The engagement takes place closer to the entrance and only after it the couple enters the center of the temple. During the engagement, the priest gives the betrothed two lighted candles - a symbol of joy, warmth and purity. After this, he puts on the rings, the first one for the groom, then the second one for the bride, and three times (in the image of the Holy Trinity) he changes the rings on their hands.
After the young couple enters the temple, the priest asks whether the marriage is being performed of their own free will and desire. Next, three prayers are said, asking for God’s blessing on those getting married. Then the crowns are brought out (which are popularly called crowns, because they are always decorated like crowns) - and placed over the heads of the newlyweds. The crown is an image of the crown of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it is also a symbol of martyrdom. Life is never cloudless and simple, and in order to live it together to the end you need to have patience, comparable only to the patience of martyrs. In some churches, witnesses do not hold crowns over their heads, but rather put them on their heads.

The main moment of the wedding occurs when the priest blesses the newlyweds three times with the words: “Lord our God, I crown with Glory and Honor.” Then a cup of wine is brought out (the red wine in it is a symbol of the blood of Christ, and the cup itself is a symbol of the common cup of everyday joys and sorrows that spouses must share until the end of their lives). The priest gives the bride and groom to drink from the cup in three doses. Then he ties their hands with a towel and leads them around the table with icons three times, while the wedding choir sings. The circle is a symbol of eternity and continuity, because the sacrament is performed forever. Walking behind the priest is an image of serving the Church.
At the end, the priest gives the young people to kiss the cross and icons, and then hands the icons into their hands and speaks a short sermon - instructions. After the instruction, the newlyweds can kiss, and relatives and friends who came can come up and congratulate the young Christian family.

Only the ruling bishop of the diocese (region) where the wedding took place can dissolve a church marriage, and only in the event of infidelity by one of the spouses or for another serious reason (for example, the death of one of the spouses). “What God has joined together, let no man separate”

Wedding calendar for 2017 (allowed days are marked in pink)

Wedding calendar 2017 and 2018 were created for reference purposes and may contain unintentional inaccuracies, in addition, the calendars do not take into account the temple holidays of a particular church (in different churches these are different dates), before choosing a final date, be sure to consult with your priest in advance!

Wedding calendar for 2018 (pink cells - allowed days for weddings)

Video: On which days you can’t get married. Priest Igor Silchenkov

Video: The Sacrament of Wedding in the Russian Orthodox Church. Step-by-step instruction

General explanations: On which days can you get married and on which days can you not?

The Sacrament of Marriage is not performed:

Tuesday and Thursday - throughout the year;

On Saturday - throughout the year;

On the eve of the twelve, temple and great holidays;

During the Great, Petrov, Assumption and Nativity fasts;

On Meat Week, during Cheese Week (Maslenitsa) and on Cheese Week; during Easter (Light) Week;

On the days (and on the eve) of the Beheading of John the Baptist - September 11 and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27;

Also, the Sacrament of Wedding is not performed on the eve of patronal church feasts (each church has its own patronal feasts).

Holidays:

Twelve's, no moving holidays:

Twelfth moving holidays for 2017:

Twelfth moving holidays for 2018:

Great Church holidays:

Church multi-day fasts in 2017:

Church multi-day fasts in 2018:

Solid weeks in 2017:

Cheese (Maslenitsa) – the week before Lent (without meat) from February 20 to February 25, 2017;

Solid weeks in 2018:

A week is a week from Monday to Sunday. These days there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday. Have continuous weeks five:

The Publican and the Pharisee - begins 2 weeks before Lent from January 29 to February 3, 2018;

Cheese (Maslenitsa) – the week before Lent (without meat) from February 12 to February 17, 2018;

Church one-day fasts, days on which there is also no wedding:

A wedding in a church is a sacred rite that gives a husband and wife a church blessing for a happy family life and the birth of children. Many couples decide to celebrate this beautiful and touching event. But in order for the ritual to be not just a tribute to fashion, but to become a serious, deliberate step, it is worth knowing its features.

Important conditions for a wedding

It is allowed to get married on the wedding day or after a period of time: a week, a month, years. The main thing is that all conditions provided by the church are met.

Who can get married?

An important condition for the ceremony is the presence of a marriage certificate. In addition, spouses must be baptized Orthodox Christians. However, in some cases, a wedding may be allowed if the spouse is a non-Orthodox Christian, provided that children born in marriage will be baptized in Orthodoxy. Compliance with the marriageable age is also important: the bride must be 16 years old, the groom - 18. There is no need to be afraid of refusal if the wife is pregnant, since, according to the church, children should be born in a married marriage. The wedding can be held even if the spouses have not received a parental blessing, since it can be replaced by the blessing of the confessor.

There are not many restrictions on the sacrament of marriage. The Church will not approve of the ritual between unbaptized, atheists, blood, and also spiritual relatives, for example, between godparents of the child, between godfather and godson. This ceremony is allowed to be held no more than three times. It is also prohibited to get married if this is already your fourth officially registered marriage.

When is the ceremony allowed?

Often newlyweds decide to get married on the day with the official registration of marriage. But, given that such a sacrament of Orthodoxy is a rather serious step, there is no need to rush into the ceremony: it can be postponed until the birth of a child or carried out after several years of official marriage.

This ritual is not performed every day. Newlyweds are married 4 days a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. However, it is worth considering that there are 4 fasts throughout the year, during which church marriages are not celebrated:
- 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.

The church will also refuse to hold weddings 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).

Even if the day you choose does not fall on the listed dates, it is still better to go to church to clarify everything with the priest. In addition, the bride must calculate that there are no “critical days” on the chosen date, since it is impossible to appear in church at this time.

What should precede the wedding ceremony?

TO this ritual it is necessary to prepare spiritually. This means that before the wedding the bride and groom need to pray, confess, take communion, and undergo a three-day fast (it is necessary to abstain from food of animal origin). Newlyweds should not enter into carnal relations before marriage, and this condition also applies to a couple who decided to get married after several years of marriage. They need to refrain from intimate relationships for several days before the ceremony.

Preparation for the sacrament of wedding

Choosing a church, communicating with a priest

To decide where to get married, you can go to different churches and choose the church where you feel most comfortable. For a magnificent, solemn ceremony, a large cathedral is suitable, for a quiet, secluded ceremony - a small church. Since the priest is an important character in the ritual, it is worth taking a responsible approach to his choice.

You must register for the wedding ceremony in advance (several weeks in advance). It is also worth discussing with the priest in advance all the issues: the duration of the wedding, what you need to bring with you, whether photography can be carried out, etc. It is worth considering that this is a paid ceremony, but in some churches its exact cost is established, in others voluntary donations are provided. This issue should also be discussed with the priest. Moreover, they often provide “ Additional services", for example, bell ringing, church choir.

Selection of guarantors

Two guarantors (witnesses) are usually chosen from close relatives. It is worth considering that they must be baptized. It is not allowed to take divorced spouses or a couple living in an illegal, “civil” marriage as guarantors. Their spiritual responsibilities are similar to those of godparents: they must spiritually guide the family they are creating. Therefore, it is not customary to invite young people who are not familiar with married life to be guarantors. If difficulties arise when searching for witnesses, it is possible to carry out the sacrament of wedding without them.

Choosing an outfit

• Bride
  
  The bride's wedding dress should not be higher than her knees, should cover her shoulders and preferably her arms, and should not have a deep neckline (you can use long gloves, a cape, a bolero, an openwork shawl, a stole, etc.). It is advisable to give preference to light colors along with dark and bright ones (purple, blue, black) should be abandoned. Sundresses and trouser suits are not suitable for the ceremony. The bride must cover her head. Considering that during the ceremony the newlyweds wear church crowns (crowns), you should not cover the bride’s head with a large hat, as it will look inappropriate.

  You can wear any shoes, but when choosing them, you should take into account that you will have to stand in them for quite a long time, so it is better to avoid uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. To decide on a hairstyle, it is advisable to check with the priest in advance whether the crowns will be placed on the head or will be held by guarantors. The bride's makeup should not be too noticeable; it is also worth remembering that it is forbidden to kiss a crown, cross, or icon with painted lips.

  It is believed that wedding dress cannot be given away or sold. It must be stored together with baptismal shirts, wedding candles, and icons.

• Groom

  For a wedding, the groom will wear a formal suit. There are no special prohibitions regarding the color of the suit. You should not come to church in casual, denim, or sportswear. The groom should not have a hat.

• Guests

  Guests entering the temple must comply with the requirements for all parishioners: for women - clothing closed type, hats, trouser suits are not recommended, for men - formal clothing, without a headdress.

  In addition, all participants and those present at the wedding ceremony: the bride, groom, guarantors and guests must wear crosses.

What to prepare for the ceremony

For the wedding you will need:
- rings that must be given to the priest before the ceremony for consecration;
- wedding candles;
- wedding icons (images of Christ and the Virgin Mary);
- a white towel (the newlyweds will stand on it during the ceremony);
- two scarves (to hold candles).

The towel on which the bride and groom stood during the wedding in the temple symbolizes the path of life, so it must be kept and not given to anyone. You should also store wedding candles, which can be lit during difficult childbirth or illness of children.

Photographer's choice

It is important to note that making a video or photographing a wedding ceremony is not allowed in all churches. Therefore, it is worth discussing this issue with the priest in advance. Considering that the lighting in churches is specific, it is advisable to choose a professional photographer who will take into account the nuances of shooting, will be able to choose the right angles, and take high-quality photographs that convey the atmosphere of the temple and the grandeur of the wedding ceremony.

Wedding ceremony

This ritual includes engagement and wedding. It is worth considering that during the ceremony the priest must call the newlyweds by the names that were given to them at baptism (sometimes they differ from the names “in the world”). Engagement passes at the entrance to the church. The bride should stand to the left of the groom. The priest blesses the newlyweds and hands over lit wedding candles, which must be held until the end of the service. After the prayer, he changes the wedding rings three times from the man’s hand to the woman’s hand. After this they become the bride and groom.

Wedding is held in the center of the temple, where the bride and groom will stand on a white towel. During the ceremony, the priest reads prayers, and the guarantors hold crowns over the heads of the newlyweds. After answering the priest’s questions, “Is the wedding performed of one’s own free will?” “Are there any obstacles?” and reading prayers, the newlyweds become spouses before God. Now they can kiss their crowns and drink wine from a cup in three doses, which symbolizes family life with joys and sorrows. After the priest leads them around the lectern and leads them to the Royal Doors, the husband kisses the icon of Christ, and the wife kisses Mother of God. Now guests can congratulate the newlyweds.

Remember that a wedding is not just a memorable, bright holiday, but also a very important step that should be taken once in a lifetime. It is possible to divorce (debunk) spouses only under serious circumstances, with the permission of the diocese. Therefore, the union of one’s life before God and the sacrament of wedding itself should be approached seriously, with understanding and taking into account all traditions and rules.

Among the seven main church sacraments refers to wedding. However, not all believers know the rules of weddings in Orthodox Church, therefore, getting to know them better will help you correctly observe the rituals at the time of such an important life step as starting a family.

According to the worldview of Christianity, two people create a union sanctified by God, becoming one. In this regard, the increasing practice of divorce in modern families is considered unnatural for true Christians. This is equivalent to a mother abandoning her baby.

Between the biblical Adam and Eve there is a relationship, as it were, on a two-way basis. This is a community of spirit and physicality. For for the first time, glancing at the woman, I felt her like In this regard, when deciding to get married, one must clearly understand the seriousness of the act.

Sometimes young lovers don’t know each other well and don’t notice the shortcomings behind the veil of attraction. And they inevitably manifest themselves in the future and often lead to a breakup. Often, upon coming to church, future spouses may receive an unexpected offer from the priest to wait with marriage for some time, sometimes quite a while, and only then think about starting a family, if the desire remains.

However, the church does not approve intimate relationships out of wedlock. If there has already been intimacy, then an offer is made to fast for 3 days, then you need to confess and take communion. It is obligatory before the wedding itself, in order to feel the unity of destinies, body and soul.

Preparation for the wedding

First of all, it is chosen, taking into account that the sacrament is not performed every day. This is discussed in advance with the priest.

When not to get married

The ritual is not performed on the days preceding fasting.

• Tuesday Thursday;
• The beheading of John the Baptist;
• on Christmastide;
• before and during the celebration of the Exaltation;
• on Bright Week;
• Saturday (day before Little Easter).
• on fasting days (4 per year).

Most often, according to a long-standing tradition, young people choose Antipascha. Its beginning is Krasnaya Gorka. From time immemorial, millions of families have been married on this day.

Spiritual preparation

Of course, inviting guests and organizing an event are important. However, first and foremost you need to think about the internal state of the newlyweds. They must wholeheartedly embrace the upcoming sacraments of Confession and Communion.

The wedding hour usually occurs after the liturgy, held every morning. It will be great if you manage to defend it and take communion before the main event. Don’t be afraid to get tired in church, save your strength for evening dancing. It is better to leave guests early and retire.

What is required for a church wedding?

First of all, the rules dictate that it is important to internally understand the responsibility of the step. Realize that there is no way back. Whatever happens in the future, the union sanctified by God must be preserved.

Unfortunately, many, seduced by the beauty of the sacrament, decide to participate in it without checking the strength of their love. It doesn’t matter to them that while the relationship is easy and they are ready for a new marriage, the next union may also be short-lived.
Only after you feel internally ready, you need to begin the process of preparing outfits, necessary items and attributes, documents, etc.

List of things you need for a wedding in the Orthodox Church

Marriage certificate

According to the law adopted by the Holy Synod, it is imperative to have a document from the registry office. If there is none, no one will marry the newlyweds. This is due to the seriousness of the couple’s intentions, since the church in Russia cannot fulfill the function of a legal relationship.

Icons of the Savior and the Mother of God

It doesn’t matter whether they are expensive, with or without frames, the main thing is that they can be held in your hands without effort. The tradition of giving icons to your children, blessing them, is very old. The parents gave the girl an icon of the Mother of God, and young man- Spasa.

After the ceremony they were kept in new family and in the future they were often passed on by inheritance, in turn, the next generation was blessed.

Wedding rings

Interestingly, initially a woman was supposed to wear a silver ring. She was subordinate to her husband and helped him in everything. The husband wore gold. He is held accountable to God for his mate when the time comes.

Today, newlyweds typically both wear gold wedding rings.

Wedding candles

As a symbol of grace, sanctifying the path of the young, the Holy Spirit is symbolized by this attribute. Purchased directly from the temple itself.

White circuit board

Previously, brides themselves prepared the fabric for the wedding, embroidering it by hand. Today, buy a light towel, preferably white. It is better that it is large enough so that you can stand on it during the wedding, at the moment indicated by the priest. It is laid on the floor. Acts as a sign of the purity of the aspirations of the people getting married.

Crosses

All those present in the church, guests and the young people themselves must mandatory have crosses on your body.

Donations

The size is indicated in many places. Usually payment is made in advance, so as not to forget to do it after a somewhat tiring sacrament. In the absence of a fixed amount, voluntary donations are made at the discretion of the young people.

What newlyweds should look like

The Church does not welcome laxity and too revealing outfits. You should enter the temple wearing closed clothes. A woman should have her head covered with a veil or scarf. No cleavage or bare shoulders or legs.

If a girl is chaste, then she dresses White dress, a woman chooses a light outfit for herself. You should have a bouquet of fresh flowers in your hands. It is better to wear low-heeled shoes so that you can go through the entire ceremony without fatigue.

For a man, a formal suit and trousers are desirable. You won't be allowed to attend the wedding wearing shorts, breeches, etc.

Witnesses

Today, choosing guarantors for a wedding is more of a beautiful tradition than a necessity. Since there are no legal issues the church does not decide, then the witnesses do not necessarily. Whether to invite them or not is up to the couple getting married. If there is a desire, then it is better to choose experienced, family-oriented and serious people.

Rules for the sacrament of wedding

A certain order has been established. As was said, the ritual follows the Liturgy. The young people who have fasted beforehand receive communion.

The wedding in the church begins with the engagement. A guy and a girl are standing in front of the church doors. The priest leads the couple into the temple, like Adam and Eve into heaven, burns incense, blesses the newlyweds and gives them candles.

After the blessing they are baptized three times. Special litanies are read by church employees. Everyone present can pray. Then a secret prayer is said for those getting married by the celebrant himself.

The next stage is putting on the rings. With a prayer to the man, then to the woman. Exchange them three times as a symbol of everything common in life. The personification of an endless union is such a ring. Prayer follows and the betrothal ends.

How does the wedding take place?

To the sounds of a special psalm, holding candles, a young couple goes to central part churches. There a towel is already spread out for them, and crowns are ready on a special stand (lectern), symbolizing martyrdom and triumph. Nearby is the cross and the Gospel.

Each of the young people is asked whether their marriage is voluntary; the answer, of course, must be in the affirmative. There is one more interest Ask, is not the heart promised to another. The answer is accepted in Russian or Church Slavonic. Depending on the temple.

Prayers are read again:

• Jesus Christ (one),
• Triune God (two).

Then the crowns are placed on the newlyweds, and all actions are accompanied by prayers. At the end, it is proposed to drink wine from a common cup, as a sign of common life together. The spouses' hands are bandaged, and they follow the priest around the lectern three times. The whole procedure lasts about an hour.

What to do with wedding attributes after the ceremony

In some families, it is customary to keep relics associated with the beginning of a new life. Usually they are stored in a special beautiful box or casket. Children's baptismal items are also placed there. All this can be shown to family members in the future, preserving the memory of significant events.

If there are candles left over from the wedding, you can light them on a significant day for someone in the family to ask the Lord for something important.

If all these attributes are not needed and there is no desire to store them, then you cannot simply throw them away, it is better to burn them yourself or give them to the temple with a request to remove them.

When is church marriage prohibited?

There are cases when a priest has the right to refuse a wedding.

• The marriage was registered in the registry office more than 3 times.
• One of the spouses is not Orthodox, not baptized.
• The wedding is forced by parents, and not of one’s own free will.
• There is no divorce certificate if there was a previous marriage.
• The couple are relatives or godfathers.
• The girl is under 16 years old, and the guy is 18.
• The woman is over 60 and the man is over 70.

Making a decision to get married in the Orthodox Church should be based on the purity of your intentions, the absence of self-interest, and the determination to be with your loved one until the very end.

During the Soviet era, getting married in a church became not only optional, but also a forbidden rite. Therefore, today people have forgotten what is needed for a wedding and how to prepare for it. However, more and more often young people, in addition to registering at the registry office, seek to get married. Such an entry into family life captures the pure aspirations of the bride and groom to spend their marriage faithful to each other and in accordance with the laws of God, and the church blesses this union before Jesus Christ.

What is needed for a wedding in a church - spiritual preparation and symbolic details

Preparation for the ceremony begins with a conversation with the priest. On it, he not only sets the wedding date, but can also invite the newlyweds to reunite with the church through confession and repentance, as well as to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This will allow you to prepare for the wedding properly, but only the bride and groom decide whether to do this or not. Before the rite of confession, you must adhere to spiritual and physical fasting: do not eat food of animal origin, do not get angry and do not have sexual intercourse.

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Preparing appropriate wedding attire

A wedding dress is the first thing a bride needs for a wedding in the Orthodox Church. It differs significantly from the wedding in some ways important details:

• long - even a short dress should cover the knees;
• sleeve - it is customary to emphasize the bride’s chastity with closed hands;
• modest neckline - replaces a deep neckline;
• color - the dress can be not only white, but also a pastel shade.

If the wedding is scheduled immediately after the painting, then Wedding Dress can be transformed with elongated gloves, a cape or a fur coat. This trick will not help if the wedding attire is a trouser suit, because women in trousers, as well as with their heads uncovered, are prohibited from entering the church.

You can hide your hair with an elegant hat, but you don’t need to secure it with hairpins or create a high hairstyle - in some churches it is customary not to hold the wedding crown, but to immediately put it on your head.

The ideal option is a veil, but you need to think about the length - on the one hand, it symbolizes a long family path, and on the other hand, it must be protected from candles in the church hall. The bride should not wear high-heeled shoes, and the groom should not wear narrow ones. comfortable shoes, since in a parish church the ceremony lasts at least an hour, and in a monastery even longer.

The groom's wedding dress code is very simple; a classic light-colored suit is optimal for him. Casual clothing and sporty style are highly discouraged.

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About the importance of a sense of proportion - the main thing is in the soul

The observance of traditions and the selection of attributes for sacred ceremonies should be approached responsibly, but without fanaticism. A correct attitude towards this issue is facilitated by reading the relevant church literature or talking with the priest, which will help to understand the meaning of the hidden symbolism of the sacred ritual. By at least partially understanding the background of the process, it is possible to weed out outdated requirements of church decorum from truly important spiritual moments.

For example, today it is no longer necessary to follow the tradition of selecting rings. Previously, it was mandatory for the groom to have Golden ring, and the bride - silver. In church they exchanged them, and in married life the husband wore silver and the wife gold. Currently, rings are usually purchased according to the tastes and material capabilities of young people.

Also, you shouldn’t worry too much about whether witnesses are needed at a wedding, since their presence is not a requirement of the church, but only a recommendation. Throughout the entire event, the best men must hold the crowns over the heads of the future spouses, and in the event of their absence, you need to think about who can replace the witnesses in this matter. Age and Family status friends also do not matter - gone are the days when their task included spiritual guidance new family.

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The hidden meaning of the attributes of the Orthodox rite

In order for the celebration to take place according to the mandatory canons, it is necessary to take care of the really important attributes:

1. Wedding rings are needed for a wedding, or more precisely, for the sacrament of betrothal, which takes place immediately before the main ceremony. They symbolize the eternal and inextricable bond of the engaged.
2. Wedding candles are kept young during the engagement ceremony, as a symbol of the unburnable love of future spouses. The allegorical meaning of this action is that young people learn to protect their warmth from life’s troubles in the same way as they protect the fire of these candles from extinguishing.
3. Two white towels (towels) or pieces of fabric, one of which is needed for framing icons. On the second, symbolizing a long journey together, young people stand in front of a lectern. In the old days, the bride decorated it with rich embroidery when preparing her dowry.
4. Two or four handkerchiefs are needed for the bride and groom to hold the candles, as well as for the witnesses to hold the crowns.
5. Cahors - symbol Blood of Christ. Sweet wine is poured into cups at the end of the ceremony and given to the newlyweds to sip three times, as a reminder of the grief and joy that they are now obliged to share in half.
6. Bread (or loaf) - a symbol of the body of Jesus, may be left in some churches as a form of gratitude. The loaf is also the first dish eaten after a wedding. Previously, it was baked by the mothers of the bride and groom, and it was not customary to trust such an important matter to strangers.
7. The consecrated icons of the Savior (groom) and the Mother of God (bride) are presented by the priest after a circular walk, marking the eternal procession of the spouses hand in hand. The images were passed down from generation to generation and served as a talisman for the entire family. Modern believers are trying to revive a forgotten tradition and, for this purpose, order the creation of icons from a master icon painter.

In the church office or with the priest, it is worth discussing the list of what is needed for the wedding in more detail. Each church may have minor additions.

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How should newlyweds and guests behave during a wedding?

Lack of awareness of what needs to be done before the wedding and during the ceremony, and what not to do, leads to a state of excessive constraint and awkwardness for the majority of those present. Some, on the contrary, begin to make noise, take video and photographs in the wrong place and distract those present from the sacrament of the ritual. Knowledge will help you show respect for church ministers and be more confident. simple rules:

• It is better to arrive at the church 15 minutes earlier than the appointed time;
• the bride and groom must wear a cross, preferably received at baptism;
• during the ceremony you cannot laugh loudly or talk to others;
• mobile phone worth turning off;
• in church it is not customary to turn your back to the iconostasis;
• benches are intended for elderly and infirm parishioners;
• keeping your hands in your pockets is indecent;
• You should not leave before the completion of the ceremony - this could offend the newlyweds.

Despite many conventions, in church, first of all, it is important to listen to your heart. This advice especially applies to newly-made spouses. Without being distracted by exciting little things, they will be able to remember all the details have a good day when in the face of God they were called husband and wife.

Sacramentally. It is one of the seven sacraments that people can perform to each other. Thanks to this great sacrament, we transfer ourselves, our desires, aspirations, our lives into the power of a loved one. And these actions are completely sanctified in the Orthodox Church. After the wedding, the spouses are assigned obligations that must be fulfilled. During the wedding, the priest blesses the newlyweds for a happy family life, for procreation, and for raising children.

When spouses get married, they make a commitment to God to preserve their union. Nowadays, church marriages are not legal, therefore, as a rule, people who have previously been registered with the registry office get married. How does a wedding take place in the Orthodox Church, what is the sacrament and how does preparation for the ceremony take place. Let's figure it out.

Basic Rules

Relatives of the newlyweds are usually present at the wedding. Previously, this sacrament required parental blessing. Today this is not a necessary condition at all. The sacrament is performed only by a real priest. The rules provide for some situations in which weddings are prohibited by the Orthodox Church. There are only six such prohibited points:

1. A couple is not married if one of the spouses has been married more than three times.
2. Close (blood) relatives up to the 4th degree of relationship are also denied a wedding.
3. A prerequisite is that the spouses must be baptized.
4. Atheists are not married, and what is the point of such people getting married and taking vows before a God in whom they do not believe?
5. They refuse a couple in which one of the newlyweds is in a marital relationship.
6. People with monastic vows or those who have taken holy orders do not get married.

A wedding is a sacrament consisting of two parts. First, the priest betroths the newlyweds, then crowns them.

An indispensable condition for those getting married is that each newlywed Orthodox Christian. In this case, the groom must be 18 years old at the time of the wedding, the bride must be 16.

Traditions

People have many traditions associated with weddings. They all have hidden meaning, which boils down to one thing - to protect the newlyweds and protect them from everything negative. For example, if a wedding ring falls during the sacrament, this is very bad sign, promising the breakdown of the family or the death of one of the spouses.

Under no circumstances should the towel used by the newlyweds be given or transferred to anyone. It is a symbol of life’s path, so the spouse should keep the towel at home like the apple of her eye.

Be sure, when the sacrament is over, give the temple a gift for the fact that your wedding ritual was performed here. According to a tradition that developed many centuries ago, you can give a linen towel and wrap a loaf of bread (certainly fresh) in it.

The candles that remain after the wedding, like the towel, must be kept for life. They light up extremely rarely, and only during difficult situations, for example, if too difficult birth, or when children are sick.

Before the wedding

Of course, this great sacrament requires compliance with several rules, which are carried out immediately before the wedding. Preparation for the sacrament begins with the manifestation of sincere feelings of the future spouses; before the sacrament, the newlyweds must cleanse themselves before each other, open their hearts to each other.

Not so long ago, only chaste people had the right to get married. Nowadays, everything has changed, of course. But the church requires repentance from newlyweds who entered into intimate relationships before marriage. Before the ceremony, the young must take communion and confess.

Think carefully about when and where you want to get married. Due to the fact that nowadays a wedding is a fairly fashionable and popular ceremony, in many churches you can pre-register for the sacrament.

What is possible and what is not

They don’t crown fasts. Also prohibited for weddings Easter week, it's Christmas time. Also, weddings are not performed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Don't forget that every year church calendar changes, and accordingly, the days on which the ceremony is not performed also change. Therefore, it is better to find out about everything in advance. To do this, contact the temple servants, the church shop.

Immediately before the wedding, starting from midnight, you cannot eat or drink anything. You should stop smoking and not have sexual relations. To ensure your wedding goes as smoothly as possible, use the following tips:

• Wear comfortable shoes; do not wear shoes with high and uncomfortable heels, because you will have to stand on your feet for more than one or two hours.
• The bride's head must be covered.
• The newlyweds must have crosses on their bodies (preferably the ones with which they were baptized).
• The rings are given to the priest even before the wedding begins, he sanctifies them, placing them on the Throne.
• Don't forget to take a white linen or towel with you, it is necessary for the newlyweds to stand on it.

If one of the relatives is late for the liturgy, then it will be possible to enter the church only at the beginning of the wedding.

Every married couple who wants to get married must certainly come to church with witnesses. Best men usually hold crowns over the heads of those getting married. The main condition is that the witnesses be baptized.

Filming with a video or camera in the church is generally prohibited.

What to get married in

Preparation also includes choosing a wedding dress. Clothing for an event that will take place in an Orthodox Church requires special attention. It is better if the girl wears a light-colored dress or a white outfit. You should absolutely avoid dark (brown, purple) and especially black outfits. The meaning here seems to be clear. White and light symbolize purity and chastity. Black and dark - mourning.

As for the length that the bride's clothes should have, it is desirable that the length be floor-length. Maximum - up to the knees. And, by the way, as you may have guessed, trouser robes are in no way suitable for the sacrament.

It is preferable that for the ceremony in the Orthodox Church the girl chooses a closed dress.

The back, neckline and shoulders must remain covered.

Prohibitions

Dear girls! Remember, the outfit in which you and your betrothed were married cannot be sold, given away or rented. These outfits are kept as a powerful amulet.

In the Orthodox Church, during the sacrament, representatives of the fair half cannot be present with their heads uncovered. When choosing a hairstyle, be sure to take this important point into account. By the way, about hairstyles. There is no need to make them too tall for the church. It is better not to abandon the traditional veil, but it must certainly cover the top of the bride’s head.

Don't overdo it with decorative cosmetics either. You should not choose too bright shades; it is better to give preference to naturalness and light notes. And one more important point. Remember, lips should not be painted! You can wipe off your makeup at the entrance to the church, and then, when the ceremony is over and you leave the walls of the temple, put on makeup again.

The groom's attire should be strict. As for color, then special rules does not exist for grooms. However, it is still better to give preference to light colors. The meaning here is the same as with the colors of brides' dresses. The ceremony does not accept casual, sports, or denim clothing. And one more thing - no hats on the groom.

Some requirements are also put forward for the attire of guests who plan to attend when the ceremony is held in an Orthodox church. Women should be in the temple with their heads covered and in closed clothes. Each guest must have a cross.

Wedding ceremony

As soon as you enter the temple, you should pray. After this, the groom becomes right side, the bride is on the left. Behind them are a witness and a witness. The wedding rings during the liturgy lie to the right of the holy altar. They are carried out by the deacon. After the triple blessing, the newlyweds pick up candles if this is the first marriage of the young couple. does not involve the presentation of candles.

Next comes the engagement. After the spoken words, the priest makes a gesture over the head of the spouse sign of the cross, dresses wedding ring on the ring finger right hand. After this, the same ritual occurs with the bride. Then the rings are changed three more times on the hands of the bride and groom.

The next sacrament is wedding. The priest also pronounces words, first over the groom, then over the bride. After which he signs the groom with a crown of a cross; at the end of the sign, the groom necessarily kisses the image of Christ. Next it is the bride's turn to do the same. Only at the end does she kiss the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Wedding process

The entire time the wedding sacrament is taking place, the witnesses hold crowns over the heads of the couple. By the way, according to the rules, there are no strict instructions as to whether these crowns need to be held strictly above their heads, or can be put on their heads.

The common cup has a special meaning - it means a common fate, with joys, sorrows and consolations, also common.

After drinking the wine, the priest joins the right hands of the newlyweds, they are covered with an epitrachelion. On top of the sacred stole, he takes the hands of the newlyweds with his hand and leads them three times in a circle near the lectern.

When the newlyweds finish the procession, the priest removes their crowns and makes a welcoming solemn speech. Next, the newlyweds follow to the royal doors to kiss the faces of the saints: the groom - the icon of the Savior, the bride - the Mother of God. There is also a tradition according to which young people kiss icons of the patrons of marriage.

Crackling candles during the wedding sacrament promise a not entirely calm married life for the newlyweds. And also, as the belief says, whose candle burns out more, that spouse is destined to go to another world sooner.

The first night and its rituals

Once upon a time, the first wedding after the sacrament was very significant and special. Its implementation had several regulations. Let's remember these rituals.

So, the marriage bed of the young. The young man’s mother, or his godmother. The rest of the relatives could not be allowed into the room with the young people.

Before leaving the newlyweds alone, the room and bed were sprinkled with sacred water three times in a cross shape.

If, during the preparation of the bed, linings were found on it (needles, grains, wool, etc.), the newlyweds were under no circumstances allowed to lie in this bed. With such actions, someone is trying to quarrel between spouses and make them infertile.

The following act was a kind of amulet and protection. Before the wedding night, the groom's mother showed everyone the room for the newlyweds, showed off the feather beds, and so on. But when the time came to retire to their chambers, the mother took the young couple to a completely different, pre-prepared and secret place, which no one knew about except her. The meaning of this ritual is to protect the newlyweds.

So that during the wedding no one would harm the young family or do anything bad, a special conspiracy was read by the eldest member of the family.

How much does a wedding cost?

No matter how sad it may be, today weddings have commercial benefits. Temples set their own prices for it, which may vary depending on the day of the week, holiday, time, and so on. So, if one of the newlyweds was already married, the cost of the “wedding” service increases, because before the sacrament itself, the priest must also read a prayer of repentance.

You will also have to pay more if on this day or time you want to be in the church yourself, without other wedding couples.

To prevent the cost of a wedding from becoming an unpleasant surprise for you, go to the temple in which you plan to get married in advance. Find out everything from the temple servants, ask how much it will cost and what you need to have with you during the sacrament. Good luck and be happy!