Wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church: rules and preparation. Preparing for the wedding

Then the Epistle to the Ephesians of the holy Apostle Paul is read (), where the marriage union is likened to the union of Christ and the Church, for which the Savior who loved her gave Himself up. The husband's love for his wife is a semblance of Christ's love for the Church, and the wife's loving-humble obedience to her husband is a semblance of the Church's relationship to Christ.This is mutual love until self-denial, the willingness to sacrifice oneself in the image of Christ, who gave Himself to be crucified for sinful people, and in the image true followers of Him, who, through suffering and martyrdom, have confirmed their faithfulness and love for the Lord.

The last saying of the apostle: let the wife fear her husband - calls not to the fear of the weak in front of the strong, not to the fear of a slave in relation to the master, but to the fear of saddening a loving person, 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 a husband whose head is Christ. In another epistle, the Apostle Paul says: The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife. Do not shy away from each other, perhaps by agreement, for a while, for 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 particles 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 preaches the good news of God's blessing of the conjugal union and its sanctification. The miracle of the transformation of water into wine by the Savior typified the action of the grace of the sacrament, by which earthly conjugal love rises to heavenly love, which unites souls in the Lord. The saint says about the moral change necessary for this, “The marriage is honest and the bed is immaculate, for Christ blessed them in Cana at marriage, eating food in the flesh and turning the water into wine, showing this first miracle so that you, the soul, would change” (Great canon, in Russian translation, troparion 4, ode 9).

After reading the Gospel, a short petition for the newlyweds and a prayer of the priest are pronounced on behalf of the Church, in which we pray to the Lord that He will preserve those who are united in peace and like-mindedness, that their marriage is honest, their bed is not foul, cohabitation blameless, so that he may make them live until old age when fulfilling His commandments from a pure heart.

The priest proclaims: "And vouch for us, Master, with boldness, uncondemnedly sweep away, call upon Thee, Heavenly God the Father, and speak ...". And the newlyweds, together with all those present, sing the prayer "Our Father", the foundation and crown of all prayers, commanded to us by the Savior Himself.

In the lips of those who are married, she expresses her determination to serve the Lord with her small church, so that through them on earth, His will be fulfilled and reigned 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, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and, teaching the world, commands us to bow our heads before God, as before the King and Lord, and at the same time before our Father. Then a cup of red wine is brought, or rather, a cup of communion, and the priest blesses it for mutual communion between husband and wife. Wine at the wedding is served as a sign of joy and joy, recalling the miraculous transformation of water into wine, accomplished by Jesus Christ in Cana of Galilee.

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

Having taught the common cup, the priest joins the husband's right hand with the wife's right hand, covers their hands with the epitrakhil and puts his hand on top of it.This means that through the priest's hand the husband receives a wife from the Church itself, which unites them in Christ forever. The priest leads the newlyweds around the lectern three times.

At the first circumambulation, the troparion "Isaiah, rejoice ..." is sung, in which the sacrament of the incarnation of the Son of God Emmanuel from the Unmarried Mary is glorified.

At the second circumambulation, the troparion of the Holy Martyr is sung. Crowned with crowns, as conquerors of earthly passions, they represent the image of the spiritual marriage of a believing soul with the Lord.

Finally, in the third troparion, which is sung during the last round of the analogion, 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 martyrs, their preaching. Trinity Consubstantial ”.

This circular walk means 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 on 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:

"Exalted, bridegroom, like Abraham, and blessing like Isaac, and multiplying like Jacob, walk in peace and do the commandments of God in righteousness."

“And you, bride, exalted like Sarah, and rejoiced like Rebekah, and multiplied like Rachel, rejoicing in your husband, keeping the limits of the law, because God is so pleased”.

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

Further, according to custom, the newlyweds are brought to the royal doors, where the groom kisses the icon of the Savior, and the bride - 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 for kissing and gives them two icons: the groom - the image of the Savior, the bride - the image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

What should be a wedding meal

The Sacrament of marriage is celebrated solemnly and joyfully. From a multitude of people: relatives, friends and acquaintances - from the sparkle of candles, from church singing, somehow involuntarily it becomes festive and cheerful in the soul.

After the wedding, young people, parents, witnesses, guests continue the holiday at the table.

But how indecently some of the invitees sometimes behave at the same time. They often revel here, utter 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 only for us Christians. The Holy Church warns against such behavior. Canon 53 of the Laodicean Council says: "It is not fitting for marriages (that is, even for the relatives of the bride and groom and guests) to ride or dance, but modestly have supper and dinner, as befits Christians." The wedding feast should be modest and quiet, should be averse to 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 the performance of the first miracle.

What Can Hinder Christian Marriage

Often, those preparing for the wedding first register their civil marriage at the registry office. The Orthodox Church considers civil marriage to be devoid of grace, but as a fact it recognizes and does not consider it illegal fornication. Nevertheless, the conditions for entering into a 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, the fourth and fifth marriages are allowed, which the Church does not bless.

A marriage is not blessed if one of the spouses (and even more so 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 allowed if at least one of the spouses is unbaptized and is not going 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 your civil marriage, and if the marriage was a church marriage, you must take the bishop's permission to dissolve it and bless you to enter into a new marriage.

Another obstacle to marriage is the consanguinity of the bride and groom and the spiritual kinship acquired through baptismal acceptance.

When the wedding is not performed

According to the canonical rules, it is not allowed to celebrate a wedding during all four fasts, on cheese week, Easter week, in the period from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany (Christmastide). According to pious custom, it is not customary to marry 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, marriage is not performed 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 if need be only by the ruling bishop.
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What are the goals of your couple? Answer this question sincerely to yourself: are you doing this because of fashion or is it still at the behest of your heart? After all, performing the sacrament of a wedding with pure thoughts, you protect your family from evil tongues and envious eyes, from unexpected troubles and empty quarrels.

Portal Les Noces.ws brings to your attention the general rules of weddings in the Orthodox Church, as well as interesting superstitions and omens. Consider every little thing at such a crucial moment!

Wedding in Orthodoxy: a little history

As we managed to find out, the wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church was carried out in Russia. And if now the church seals only officially registered couples with spiritual marriage, then earlier it was the other way around: newlyweds who were not married were not recognized as a family. The ancestors believed that only before God can one become a spouse.

Unfortunately, it is not realistic to track the changes in the Orthodox Church regarding the sacrament of the wedding. However, historians managed to distinguish two main points of the ceremony: the laying of wedding crowns on the heads of the spouses and the use of wedding veils on the territory of the Byzantine Empire. The crown and veils are a symbol of holy faith in the Most High.

The tradition of holding wedding candles appeared only in the X-XI centuries. In the same period, the ceremony began with the words "Christ crowns", but already in the 13th century a new tradition appeared to include the words "The servant of God is crowned" into the ceremony.

Wedding rules

Not only the newlyweds, but also the guests should observe the rules established by the church. If you doubt their knowledge in this matter, show concern and provide loved ones with the necessary information.

In most temples, the sacrament lasts about an hour. And, as a rule, the newlyweds and guests are forced to stand throughout the entire ceremony. Think about your loved ones, and tell them not only how to behave in the temple, but also think about how to entertain the guests who will be waiting for you outside the walls of the church.

What is needed for a church wedding: a complete list

To carry out the ceremony, a number of things are necessary, without which the sacrament simply will not take place.

So, what you need to get married in the church:

You can buy the necessary components separately or purchase a ready-made sacrament kit from the church shop. Everything listed above is needed for a church wedding, even if you have been married for a long time.

All about the wedding in signs

There is a persistent debate about how much it costs to listen to the signs concerning the church. Some insist that the church and superstitions categorically cannot intersect, others are sure that such signs did not appear out of nowhere. Which side will you take ?!

Good omens associated with the wedding:

Superstitions that should alert:

1. Meeting of the funeral procession;
2. A strong crackle of wedding candles is a sign of a hectic married life;
3. If a crown fell from the head of one of the newlyweds, it means that he will soon become a widow.

After the wedding in the church, all the rules must be preserved all the attributes (candles, towels, handkerchiefs, etc.), it is important that they are kept in the house of the spouses and be hidden from prying eyes. Otherwise, next time you can visit the church with a view

Wedding

A wedding is a sacrament of the Church, in which God gives to future spouses, with their promise to remain faithful to each other, the grace of pure unanimity for a joint Christian life, the birth and upbringing of children.

Those wishing to get married must be baptized Orthodox Christians. They should be deeply aware that unauthorized dissolution of a divinely approved marriage, as well as breaking a vow of fidelity, is an unconditional sin.

The sacrament of the wedding: how to prepare for it?

The marriage life must begin with spiritual preparation.

Before marriage, the bride and groom must certainly confess and receive the Holy Mysteries. It is advisable that they prepare themselves for the Sacraments of Confession and the Sacrament three or four days before this day.

For marriage, you need to prepare two icons - the Savior and the Mother of God, with which during the Sacrament the bride and groom are blessed. Previously, these icons were taken from parental homes, they were passed on as a home shrine from parents to children. The icons are brought by the parents, and if they do not participate in the Sacrament of the wedding - by the bride and groom.

The bride and groom purchase wedding rings. The ring is a sign of the eternity and continuity of the marriage union. One of the rings should be gold and the other silver. The golden ring symbolizes with its brilliance the sun, the light of which is likened to the husband in the marriage union; silver - a likeness of the moon, a smaller luminary, shining with reflected sunlight. Now, as a rule, gold rings are bought for both spouses. Rings can also be decorated with precious stones.

Still, the main preparation for the upcoming sacrament is fasting. The Holy Church recommends that those entering into marriage prepare themselves for it by the podvig of fasting, prayer, repentance and communion.

How to choose a day for a wedding?

The future spouses should discuss the day and time of the wedding with the priest in advance and personally.
Before the wedding, it is necessary to confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. It is possible that this should not be done on the very day of the wedding.

It is advisable to invite two witnesses.

To perform the sacrament of the Wedding, you must have:
• The icon of the Savior.
• Icon of the Mother of God.
• Wedding rings.
• Wedding candles (sold in the temple).
• White towel (towel for laying under the feet).

What do witnesses need to know?

In pre-revolutionary Russia, when church marriage had legal civil and legal force, the marriage of Orthodox Christians was necessarily carried out under sureties - among the people they were called friend, friend, or best man, and in liturgical books (missives) - recipients. The guarantors confirmed with their signatures the deed of marriage in the register of births; they, as a rule, knew the bride and groom well and vouched for them. The guarantors took part in the betrothal and wedding, that is, while the groom and the bride walked around the lectern, they held the crowns over their heads.

Now the guarantors (witnesses) may or may not be - at the request of the spouses. Guarantors must necessarily be Orthodox, preferably church people, must treat the Sacrament of the wedding with reverence. The duties of the guarantors in marriage are in their spiritual foundation the same as those of the recipients in Baptism: just as the recipients who are experienced in the spiritual life are obliged to lead the godchildren in the Christian life, so the guarantors are to spiritually lead the new family. Therefore, earlier, young people, not married, not familiar with family and conjugal life, were not invited as guarantors.

About behavior in the temple during the Sacrament of the Wedding

It often seems as if the bride and groom, accompanied by family and friends, came to the temple not to pray for those entering into marriage, but to the action. Waiting for the end of the Liturgy, they talk, laugh, walk around the church, stand with their backs to the images and the iconostasis. All those invited to the church for a marriage ceremony should know that during the wedding the Church does not pray for anyone else, except for two persons - the bride and groom (unless the prayer “for the parents who brought up” is said only once). The inattention and disrespect of the bride and groom to church prayer shows that they came to the temple only because of custom, because of fashion, at the request of their parents. Meanwhile, this hour of prayer in the temple has an impact on the entire subsequent family life. All who are at the wedding, and especially the bride and groom, should pray fervently during the celebration of the Sacrament.

How does engagement take place?

The wedding is preceded by an engagement.

The betrothal takes place in commemoration of the fact that the marriage takes place in the face of God, in His presence, according to His all-good Providence and discretion, when the mutual promises of those entering into marriage are fastened before Him.

The betrothal takes place after the Divine Liturgy. This instills in the bride and groom the importance of the Sacrament of marriage, emphasizing with what reverence and awe, with what spiritual purity they should begin to conclude it.

The fact that the betrothal takes place in the temple means that the husband accepts a wife from the Lord Himself. To make it clearer that the betrothal takes place in the face of God, the Church commands the betrothed to appear before the holy doors of the temple, while the priest, depicting the Lord Jesus Christ Himself at this time, is in the sanctuary, or in the altar.

The priest introduces the bride and groom into the temple in commemoration of the fact that the married people, like the primordial forefathers Adam and Eve, begin from this moment in front of God Himself, in His Holy Church, their new and holy life in pure marriage.

The ceremony begins with incense in imitation of the pious Tobias, who set fire to the liver and heart of the fish in order to drive away the demon hostile to honest marriages with smoke and prayer (see: Tov. 8: 2). The priest blesses the groom three times, then the bride, saying: “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” and gives them lighted candles. For each blessing, first the groom, then the bride sign the sign of the cross three times and receive candles from the priest.

The sign of the sign of the cross three times and the presentation of lighted candles to the bride and groom is the beginning of a spiritual celebration. Lighted candles, which are held in the hands of the bride and groom, signify the love that they must henceforth for each other and which must be fiery and pure. Lit candles also signify the chastity of the bride and groom and the abiding grace of God.
The cruciform censing means the invisible, mysterious presence with us of the grace of the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies us and performs the holy ordinances of the Church.

According to the custom of the Church, every sacred rite begins with a glorification to God, and during marriage it also has a special meaning: to those who are married, their marriage appears to be a great and holy deed, such through which the name of God is glorified and blessed. (Shout: "Blessed be our God.").

The spouses need peace from God, and they are combined in the world, for peace and like-mindedness. (The deacon proclaims: "Let us pray to the Lord in peace. Let us pray to the Lord for the heavenly peace and the salvation of our souls.").

Then the deacon says, between other usual prayers, the prayers for the spouses on behalf of all those present in the temple. The first prayer of the Holy Church for the bride and groom is a prayer for those who are now betrothed and for their salvation. The Holy Church prays to the Lord for the bride and groom entering into marriage. The purpose of marriage is the blessed birth of children for the continuation of the human race. At the same time, the Holy Church utters a prayer that the Lord would fulfill any request of the bride and groom related to their salvation.

The priest, as the performer of the Sacrament of marriage, pronounces aloud a prayer to the Lord that He Himself would bless the bride and groom for every good deed. Then the priest, teaching peace to all, commands the bride and groom and all those present in the temple to bow their heads before the Lord, expecting spiritual blessing from him, while he secretly reads a prayer.

This prayer goes up to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Holy Church, which He betrothed to Himself.

After that, the priest takes the rings from the holy throne and first puts on the ring to the groom, overshadowing him three times in a cruciform manner, saying: "The servant of God (the name of the bridegroom) is betrothed to the servant of God (the name of the bride) in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Then he puts on the ring to the bride, also with a threefold overshadowing of her, and pronounces the words: "The servant of God (the name of the bride) is betrothed to the servant of God (the name of the groom) in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Rings are very important in engagement: they are not just a gift from the groom to the bride, but a sign of an inextricable, eternal union between them. The rings are placed on the right side of the holy throne, as if in front of the face of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This emphasizes that through touching the holy throne and reclining on it, they can receive the power of sanctification and bring down the blessing of God on the spouses. The rings on the holy throne lie side by side, thereby expressing mutual love and unity in the faith of the bride and groom.

After the blessing of the priest, the bride and groom exchange rings. The groom puts his ring on the bride's hand as a sign of love and readiness to sacrifice everything to his wife and help her all his life; the bride puts her ring on the groom's hand as a sign of her love and devotion, as a sign of her readiness to accept help from him all her life. Such an exchange is made three times in honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity, Who does and approves everything (sometimes the priest himself changes the rings).

Then the priest again prays to the Lord that He Himself bless and approve the Betrothal, He Himself overshadowed the position of the rings with a heavenly blessing and sent them a Guardian Angel and guide in their new life. This ends the engagement.

How is the wedding done?

The bride and groom, holding lighted candles in their hands, depicting the spiritual light of the sacrament, solemnly enter the middle of the temple. They are preceded by a priest with a censer, indicating that on the path of life they must follow the commandments of the Lord, and their good deeds will ascend to God like incense. before each verse the choir sings: "Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee."

The bride and groom stand on a cloth spread on the floor (white or pink) in front of the analogue, on which lie the cross, the Gospel and the crowns.

The bride and groom in the face of the whole Church once again confirm the free and unconstrained desire to marry and the absence in the past on the part of each of them of a promise to a third party to marry him.

The priest asks the groom: "Is it Imashi (name), good and unconstrained will, and a strong thought, take this (name) to your wife, see here before you."
(“Do you have a sincere and unconstrained desire and firm intention to be the husband of this (name of the bride) whom you see here in front of you?”)

And the groom answers: “Imam, honest father” (“I have, honest father”). And the priest further asks: “Did you not promise to another bride?” (“Are you not bound by a promise to another bride?”). And the groom replies: “No promises, honest father” (“No, not connected”).

Then the same question is addressed to the bride: “Imashi's will is good and unconstrained, and a firm thought, take this (name) into your husbands, see him here before you” (“Do you have a sincere and unconstrained desire and firm intention to be a wife this (the name of the groom) whom you see in front of you? ”) and“ Did you not promise to another husband ”(“ Was it not bound by a promise to another groom? ”) -“ No, not bound ”.

So, the bride and groom confirmed before God and the Church the voluntariness and inviolability of their intention to enter into marriage. This expression of will in a non-Christian marriage is a decisive principle. In Christian marriage, it is the main condition for natural (according to the flesh) marriage, the condition after which it should be considered concluded.

Now only after the conclusion of this natural marriage, the mysterious consecration of matrimony by Divine grace begins - the rite of wedding. The wedding begins with a liturgical exclamation: "Blessed is the Kingdom ...", which proclaims the participation of the spouses in the Kingdom of God.

After a short litany on the spiritual and physical well-being of the bride and groom, the priest says three lengthy prayers.

The first prayer is addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ. The priest prays: “Bless this marriage: and give your servants a peaceful life, long life, love for each other in the union of peace, a long-lived unfading crown of glory; Grant them to see the children of your children, keep their bed hateful. And grant them from the dew of heaven from above, and from the fat of the earth; fill their houses with wheat, wine and oil, and all benevolence, so that they share the excess with those in need, grant also to those who are with us now everything that is needed for salvation. "

In the second prayer, the priest prays to the Triune Lord to bless, preserve and remember the spouses. “Grant them the fruit of the womb, goodness, like-mindedness in souls, lift them up like Lebanese cedars” like a vine with beautiful branches, grant them a spike-bearing seed, so that they, having contentment in everything, abound in every good deed and pleasing to You. And may they see their sons from their sons, as the young offspring of an olive tree, around their trunk and being pleased with You, may they shine like lights in heaven in You, our Lord. "

Then, in the third prayer, the priest once again turns to the Triune God and implores Him that He, who created man and then made a wife from his rib to be his helper, send down His hand now from His holy dwelling, and unite those who are married, crown them in flesh is one, and gave them the fruit of the womb.

After these prayers, the most important moments of the wedding come. That which the priest prayed to the Lord God in the face of the whole church and together with the whole church - for the blessing of God - is now apparently performed over the spouses, consolidates and sanctifies their conjugal union.

The priest, taking the crown, marks the groom crosswise with it and gives him to kiss the image of the Savior, attached to the front of the crown. When crowning the groom, the priest says: "The servant of God (name of the rivers) is crowned to the servant of God (name of the rivers) in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Blessing the bride in the same way and letting her kiss the image of the Most Holy Theotokos that adorns her crown, the priest crowns her, saying: “The servant of God (name of rivers) is crowned for the servant of God (name of rivers) in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.

Decorated with crowns, the bride and groom stand before the face of God Himself, the face of the entire Heavenly and earthly Church, and await the blessing of God. The most solemn, holy moment of the wedding is coming!

The priest says: "Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor!" At these words, he, on behalf of God, blesses them. The priest pronounces this prayer proclamation three times and blesses the bride and groom three times.

All those present in the church should strengthen the prayer of the priest, in the depths of their souls they should repeat after him: “Lord, our God! Crown them with glory and honor! ”

The laying of crowns and the words of the priest:

“Our Lord, crown them with glory and honor” - they seal the Sacrament of marriage. The Church, blessing marriage, proclaims those who are to be married as the founders of a new Christian family - a small, domestic church, showing them the way to the Kingdom of God and signifying the eternity of their union, its indissolubility, as the Lord said: What God has combined, let man not separate (Matt. 19, 6).

Then the Epistle to the Ephesians of the holy Apostle Paul (5: 20-33) is read, where the marriage union is likened to the union of Christ and the Church, for which the Savior who loved her gave Himself up. The husband's love for his wife is a semblance of Christ's love for the Church, and the wife's loving-humble obedience to her husband is a semblance of the Church's relationship to Christ.This is mutual love until self-denial, the willingness to sacrifice oneself in the image of Christ, who gave Himself to be crucified for sinful people, and in the image true followers of Him, who, through suffering and martyrdom, have confirmed their faithfulness and love for the Lord.

The last saying of the apostle: let the wife fear her husband - calls not to the fear of the weak in front of the strong, not to the fear of a slave in relation to the master, but to the fear of saddening a loving person, 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 a husband whose head is Christ. In another epistle, the Apostle Paul says: The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife. Do not deviate from each other, perhaps by agreement, for a while, for exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance (1 Cor. 7: 4-5).

Husband and wife are members of the Church and, being particles 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 (2, 1-11). It preaches the good news of God's blessing of the conjugal union and its sanctification. The miracle of the transformation of water into wine by the Savior typified the action of the grace of the sacrament, by which earthly conjugal love rises to heavenly love, which unites souls in the Lord. Saint Andrew of Crete speaks of the moral change necessary for this: “The marriage is honest and the bed is immaculate, for Christ blessed them in Cana at marriage, eating food in the flesh and turning water into wine, showing this first miracle so that you, the soul, would change” (Great Canon, in Russian translation, troparion 4, ode 9).

After reading the Gospel, a short petition for the newlyweds and a prayer of the priest are pronounced on behalf of the Church, in which we pray to the Lord that He will preserve those who are united in peace and like-mindedness, that their marriage is honest, their bed is not foul, cohabitation blameless, so that he may make them live until old age when fulfilling His commandments from a pure heart.

The priest proclaims: "And vouch for us, Master, with boldness, uncondemnedly sweep away, call upon Thee, Heavenly God the Father, and speak ...". And the newlyweds, together with all those present, sing the prayer "Our Father", the foundation and crown of all prayers, commanded to us by the Savior Himself.

In the lips of those who are married, she expresses her determination to serve the Lord with her small church, so that through them on earth, His will be fulfilled and reigned 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, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and, teaching the world, commands us to bow our heads before God, as before the King and Lord, and at the same time before our Father. Then a cup of red wine is brought, or rather, a cup of communion, and the priest blesses it for mutual communion between husband and wife. Wine at the wedding is served as a sign of joy and joy, recalling the miraculous transformation of water into wine, accomplished by Jesus Christ in Cana of Galilee.

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

Having taught the common cup, the priest joins the husband's right hand with the wife's right hand, covers their hands with the epitrakhil and puts his hand on top of it.This means that through the priest's hand the husband receives a wife from the Church itself, which unites them in Christ forever. The priest leads the newlyweds around the lectern three times.

At the first circumambulation, the troparion "Isaiah, rejoice ..." is sung, in which the sacrament of the incarnation of the Son of God Emmanuel from the Unmarried Mary is glorified.

At the second circumambulation, the troparion of the Holy Martyr is sung. Crowned with crowns, as conquerors of earthly passions, they represent the image of the spiritual marriage of a believing soul with the Lord.

Finally, in the third troparion, which is sung during the last round of the analogion, 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 martyrs, their preaching. Trinity Consubstantial ”.

This circular walk means 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 on 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:

"Exalted, bridegroom, like Abraham, and blessing like Isaac, and multiplying like Jacob, walk in peace and do the commandments of God in righteousness."

“And you, bride, exalted like Sarah, and rejoiced like Rebekah, and multiplied like Rachel, rejoicing in your husband, keeping the limits of the law, because God is so pleased”.

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

Further, according to custom, the newlyweds are brought to the royal doors, where the groom kisses the icon of the Savior, and the bride - 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 for kissing and gives them two icons: the groom - the image of the Savior, the bride - the image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

I Answer knows that the essence of marriage is mutual recognition.
newlyweds, responsibility for each other and future children, spouses for the sake of
they sacrifice their freedom and independence for their love. Wedding - this is a union forever. People unite on earth to be together in eternity.

In addition, it is a very beautiful and magnificent Christian ceremony. For
of believers, marriage in the face of God is of great importance.
The wedding is attended by close people of the spouses.

Why is the ceremony called a wedding. There is a story about 40 martyrs who converted to the Christian faith
during the persecution of Christians. For this, the pagans drove them into icy water, into
which Christians had to stand to death or renounce.
One could not stand it and denied Christ. One of the tormentors is so
was struck by the faith of the martyrs that he himself joined the Christians with
by saying that he, too, will profess the Christian faith. Occurred
vision: God placed 40 crowns on the martyrs. All the martyrs died in this
day, but did not change their faith. Therefore, a wedding implies that
everyone has their own thorny path, there is no smooth married life, and
only love helps to endure all suffering. How is the Sacrament of the Wedding

The conclusion of a church marriage takes place in a church. The ceremony consists of betrothal, wedding, permission of crowns and thanksgiving service. Rite
weddings are conducted by a priest and a deacon. The whole ceremony lasts forty minutes.
During the Sacrament of the Wedding, the young are not allowed to sit down.

During the wedding, the priest hands over lighted candles to the young couple.
Candles are a symbol of joy and warmth. Then he puts on rings, three times,
starting with the groom. One ring is gold and the other is silver. Gold
the ring symbolizes the sun, the husband is likened to him, and the silver - the moon,
the shining of the moon reflects the sun, it is for the wife. After three times exchange
the silver ring goes to the husband, and the gold to the wife, as a symbol of fidelity.
After the betrothal, the priest asks the young if they voluntarily
are getting married and are they not promised to others. Reads a prayer asking
blessings from God for a married couple. Then on the heads of the young
lay crowns as a symbol of the crown of the Heavenly King (richly decorated
crown). The priest says three times: “Lord our God, with glory and
crown them with honor! " and reads a passage from the Gospel like the Lord
blesses the marriage in Cana of Galilee. Then a bowl of wine is served (as
a symbol of life's joy and sorrow, which spouses share until the end of their
days). Young people drink wine in three doses. The priest joins their hands and
conducts around the lectern three times, while singing prayers (the circle symbolizes
eternity, and the spouses' following of the priest is the service of the Church). By
the completion of the Sacrament of the Wedding, the priest brings the young to the Royal Doors
the altar and utters words of edification to them.

Relatives and friends of the young people congratulate the Christian family.

Festive meal after the wedding.
Warmth and joyful feeling after the wedding. Guests and
the young family continues the celebration at the dinner table. Behavior
guests and the festive dinner itself should be modest without excessive
libations and dancing. The Lord blesses a quiet and humble feast. "
Not befitting for marriages for those who walk and dance, but modestly supper and
dine, as befits Christians. " - The 53rd rules of the Laodicean Council.
A couple wishing to get married must be: Orthodox, believer, baptized, wearing a cross, registered in marriage.

Before getting married, you need to decide for yourself unequivocally so as not to
doubted whether you were ready for this. A spouse who wants to get married
must be aware that wedding is a huge responsibility.
Unauthorized dissolution of a church marriage and violation of the vow of fidelity -
a very big sin.
The spouses should discuss the day and time of the wedding.
in advance personally with the priest. Have a one-to-one conversation and receive
spiritual blessing.

How to prepare for the wedding.

Fasting for three days, praying. Come to church for confession. You need to confess sincerely. Receive Holy Communion.

What is needed for a wedding.

Two icons. Icon of the Mother of God and Savior,
the priest will bless the couple with them during the Sacrament of the wedding.
Parents should bring icons. In the old days they used icons
passed down from generation to generation as the biggest shrine. Now
there is an opinion that icons should be new so as not to carry them to a young
family of energy accumulations and semantic load from the previous
families. This question is controversial. Everyone decides for himself.

Wedding rings.

Ring –
a symbol of eternity and indissolubility of the union of two people. You can use
wedding rings, but it is advisable to buy a pair of rings, specifically for
weddings. In the old days it was supposed to buy one gold ring, and the second
silver. Gold symbolizes the shine of the sun - a husband, and silver -
tenderness and patience - a wife. As a result of the exchange, the silver goes to the husband, and
gold - to his wife, as a sign of loyalty. Wedding rings are worn and worn on
ring finger of the left hand.

White handkerchiefs , for holding candles.

Candles, they are bought in the church where you will get married.

White towel or a towel, young people will stand on it. White color symbolizes purity of thoughts.

Wine "Cahors".

Very desirable for a wedding two witnesses. Important
so that both witnesses are Orthodox, preferably family
people. Lifetime Responsibility of Witnesses Will Be Spiritually
lead the family. Witnesses hold crowns during the wedding ceremony.
If there are no witnesses, couples wear crowns on their heads.

Necessarily marriage registration certificate. Without
of this document you will not be married. To get married without a certificate
registration of marriage, it is necessary to ask and convince Batiushka. Wedding without
evidence is at the discretion of the priest.

Wedding dress.Bride's dress for
weddings should be white and preferably modest (a symbol of holiness and
purity). According to the rules, the shoulders and arms should be closed (it is better to check in
the church in which you decide to get married). A headdress is required
for the bride: a veil or a scarf. You need to wear everything for the Sacrament of Wedding
new and most beautiful. Cosmetics and jewelry may be present, but
minimal. Both spouses must have crosses.

Behavior in the temple during the wedding.

You can't talk, laugh, becomes your back to the iconostasis and
images, walking around the temple. At the time of the wedding, the church and the clergy
pray only for a couple entering into a church marriage. Spouses need to be
especially attentive to the church service and listening to prayers, they
will have an impact on their entire future married life. Everything
those in the Temple, and the newlyweds themselves, should sincerely pray during
Sacraments of the Wedding.

Do not get married.

Relatives cannot be married, blood and no, until the fourth
knees, half-siblings, godfathers cannot be married between
themselves and their godchildren, if the young have a very big difference in
age and minority (permission of the bishop will be required). If
one of the spouses of a different faith, a prerequisite for a wedding
is, initiation into the Orthodox faith of future children. If one of
spouses atheist. Church marriage is not allowed if one of the spouses
is married to another person. In this case, it is required
permission of the bishop and his blessing. Church does not bless
fourth and subsequent marriages.

Days not to be crowned.

Do not marry on the dates of fasts and holidays. Between Christmas
Christ before Baptism. During multi-day fasts: Rozhdestvensky,
Uspensky, Petrov, the Great. During Shrovetide and Easter. The day before
twelve feasts and patronal temple days. Also do not get married:
on tuesday, thursday, saturday.

Front
the choice of the date of the wedding, check the church calendar and specify in
the chosen church, is the date you are interested in free for the wedding.

Popular superstitions, for example, in "May you can't get married" and others, are stupid and the church does not support them.

How to debunk.

The Church can only allow "debunking" if there are very weighty
arguments. For example, betrayal of one of the spouses, with mental
disease, inability to coexist, life encroachment
spouse or children, leprosy, syphilis or AIDS, if
chronic alcoholism or drug addiction, the wife's abortion, if
Husband is against it. Excuses, such as "did not agree with the characters" will not work here.
A written request is submitted stating the reason why you decided
debunk.