Everything about the sacrament of a wedding in the Orthodox Church - from preparation to performance. What is needed for a church wedding: necessary things and traditions

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 joint Christian life, 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 partake of 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 acquire 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 by its brilliance the sun, the light of which is likened to the husband in the marriage union; silver - the 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.

But 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. Perhaps this should not be done on the very day of the Wedding.

It is advisable to invite two witnesses.

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 basis 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 lead spiritually. 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 raising parents” 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 those 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 trembling, with what spiritual purity they should proceed to its conclusion.

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 at this time the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, 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 sacraments of the Church.

According to the custom of the Church, every sacred rite begins with praise to God, and when a marriage is made, 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.").

Peace from God is necessary for the spouses, 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, 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 says 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 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 church 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 groom) 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 says the words: "The servant of God (the name of the bride) is betrothed to the servant of God (the name of the bridegroom) 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, thus expressing mutual love and the unity of the bride and groom in faith.

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. This exchange is made three times in honor and glory. 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: “Not promised, honest father” (“No, not tied”).

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 in front of you here” (“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“ Didn't you promise to another husband? ”(“ Wasn't you 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 a natural (according to the flesh) marriage, a condition after which it should be considered concluded.

Now, only after the conclusion of this natural marriage, does the mysterious consecration of matrimony by Divine grace begin - 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 grant to Thy 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 their surplus 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, kindness, like-mindedness in souls, lift them up like Lebanese cedars" as vine with beautiful branches, grant them a spiky 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, like 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 Holy Mother of God, decorating her crown, the priest crowns her, saying: "The servant of God (the name of the rivers) is crowned with the servant of God (the name of the rivers) in the name of the Father, and 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 the 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 again be together, 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 represented 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 - this is the first miracle that you, the soul, will change." (Great Canon, in Russian translation, troparion 4, ode 9).

After reading the Gospel, a short petition for 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 bad, 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, Vladyka, 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 obedience 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 connects the husband's right hand with right hand wives, covers their hands with a stole and puts his hand on top of it.This means that through the hand of the priest, 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 the 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 kissing cross and gives them two icons: the groom - the image of the Savior, the bride - the image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Church wedding- this is not just a beautiful, ancient rite, but a sacrament that requires a responsible, balanced decision from those entering into marriage. The wedding ceremony requires preparation, the rules of which you need to know in order to testify before the Lord your intention to link your fate with your loved one. Despite the fact that at present young couples consider only a marriage concluded in a state institution legal, the sacrament of a wedding in a church has not lost its great significance.

For a long time, this ceremony was accompanied by many rituals, traditions, rituals, many of which have survived to this day. Some of the sacramental rules are in the past. For example, today it is not necessary to receive the blessing of parents, and the bride does not have to be a virgin to go down the aisle. In ancient times, getting permission from the church to dissolve a marriage was not as easy as it is today. This required very good reasons.

What do you need for a wedding? Preparing for a church wedding

A wedding is a serious step, you need to think over and prepare a lot. Let's start in order.

Wedding rings

In the old days, it was believed that the bride should buy a silver ring for the future spouse, and the groom for the future wife should buy a gold ring. Today this tradition is not strictly followed because couples want to wear identical gold rings. Despite the variety of wedding rings in the modern jewelry world, it is important to remember that they should be smooth, preferably without roughness or sharp corners. If there is a stone in the wedding ring, the setting should be pavement or channel, and it is undesirable for it to be clipped.

Wedding icons

Young people should purchase icons in advance, which will be consecrated by the priest. Their couple will hold in their hands during the wedding.

Wedding candles

These attributes must be purchased in advance. At the end of the ceremony, they are kept in the family for the rest of their lives.

Wedding towel

The spouses (husband and wife) must have a white towel with them, which is covered under their feet during the ceremony.

The bride's outfit for a wedding in the church

A wedding dress can be of any style, but a wedding dress is a completely different outfit. It should not have deep cuts, it should cover the shoulders, legs, arms. The more modest it is, the better. Its color does not have to be snow-white, but the outfit should have a light tone. Many couples get married on the day of their marriage in the registry office, so they get a special cape in which they will go down the aisle. The bride's head must be covered with some kind of headdress. If a veil is worn, you need to make sure that it does not catch fire from church candles.

Guests at the sacrament of the wedding

You can invite all the guests whom the spouses want to see to the sacrament of the wedding. There are also requirements for their clothes - women should not be present in the church in trousers, their clothes should be light, not defiant. If the guest does not have the opportunity to change, put on a cape. The heads of women attending the ceremony must also be covered. Men should wear a festive outfit. If it is black, there should be a light-colored shirt underneath.

Both guests and those getting married should take comfortable shoes with them to church. Weddings are a lengthy ceremony, you need to stand it without sitting down, preferably without leaving the church.

Which day to choose the day of the wedding? How to choose the best day for your wedding?

The date of the ceremony must be discussed with the ministers of the church in advance. You can't get married on fast days, on the eve of the great Orthodox holidays, on Saturday, provided that the sun is already at sunset. The most favorable days for the ceremony are Monday, Friday, Sunday.

How to prepare spiritually for the sacrament of the wedding? Spiritual preparation

In the old days, before the wedding, it was necessary to endure a 12-day fast. Today, these requirements have been significantly reduced. Before the ceremony, you cannot have for three days intimacy, drink alcohol, smoke. From midnight until the very process of the ceremony, young people should not eat. When they come to church, those who are getting married take communion.

When and in what cases is it impossible to get married?

The Church does not approve of more than four weddings of one of the spouses. In ancient times, even two weddings were allowed only on special occasions. Today, the church can get permission for the second and third weddings, proving that both spouses are not married to other people.

A wedding is possible only if both are believers, baptized people.

The ceremony is not allowed if the spouses are consanguineous up to the 4th tribe.

If the young people are not registered in the registry office, the wedding ceremony cannot be held.

The bride's pregnancy is not an obstacle to the wedding. On the contrary, the church believes that a baby should be born into a family sanctified by the Lord.

How is the wedding ceremony going?

The ceremony is divided into several stages, the first of which is the engagement. In the old days, this ceremony was carried out some time before the wedding itself, on another day, and the couple was given time to think hard about whether they wanted to get married. Today the betrothal ceremony is held on the day of the ceremony. Before him, the bride gives her bridal bouquet to one of her friends, or even leaves him outside the temple. While the priest reads prayers, the young people hold wedding candles in their hands, then they exchange rings three times. After the betrothal ceremony, the couple and the best men are invited to enter the center of the temple.

Young people are asked whether goodwill brought them to church to get married. The groomsmen raise crowns over the heads of the bride and groom while the priest reads prayers. At this point, they become a spouse and consort before God. The newlyweds are given to drink wine from one cup as a sign of confirmation that now they will share everything in two, after which they walk around the lectern. Near the Royal Gates, the priest gives instructions to the couple. This ends the wedding ceremony, the guests congratulate the young.

Currently, the church is not opposed to filming the ceremony on camera, but the ministers of the church need to be warned about this in advance. The filming should not interfere with the priest performing the ordinance.

Wedding traditions, beliefs, signs

In the old days, early in the morning, one of the matchmakers (the mother of the groom or the bride) laid at the doorstep of the house where the newlyweds would live, open lock... Upon the return of the married young people from the church, the lock was locked with it, handed over to the spouses, and the key was thrown away. The newlyweds kept it in a secluded place, not showing it to anyone. It was believed that this ceremony makes the family strong and happy.

It is a good sign if there is a well on the way to the church. Young people need to approach him and, looking down, promise each other to be faithful, loving, so that feelings do not dry out.

You need to go to the church and back, following different routes, thought out in advance.

One of the newlyweds should be attentive, and at the moment of raising the crowns over their heads, whisper softly:

During the wedding:

"And our diseases do not marry us"

During the ceremony, it is better for a couple to avoid crossing gazes. They say that, in this case, they will pay a lot of attention to each other after the ceremony.

When the sacrament is completed, you need to present a loaf to the church, wrapping it in linen. Having thanked the temple, the newlyweds will not know poverty and sorrow.

It is imperative to keep candles, a towel, icons, a wedding dress in which the young were married. These attributes are a symbol of their family, and will become her amulet, will protect the family from troubles, failures and quarrels.

Per festive table the newlyweds must first taste the loaf that their parents baked for them. It is better not to bake it large, because for happiness it must be eaten to the last crumb.

In order for her daughter's family life to work out, her mother should read a prayer, standing by any image:

Prayer for happiness in the daughter's family life:

“The first time, in a good hour, I do not speak, I pronounce, I speak with holy words, holy lips repeat, God's servants (the names of future spouses) are blessed. The heavenly gates open, the guardian angels descend. No one will steal their happiness, will not destroy any damage. My word is strong, my work is fashionable. Keys in holy hands, locks in heaven. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and forever and ever. Amen"

What is the right way to get a blessing from your parents for a happy family life?

For a long time, there has been a tradition of blessing parents who are married, and, despite the fact that now it is not required condition for the wedding, it is performed.

In the house of the mother of the future wife, the bride and groom kneel in front of her mother, who, holding in a towel the image of the Kazan Mother of God, whose face is looking at the young, blesses the couple, saying good wishes and parting words. After general wishes, the mother says the words of edification to her daughter, gives her to venerate the image, and then does the same, referring to the groom. The hands of the spouses are tied up with the towel in which the mother was holding the icon, when they follow her out of the house. They say that a family will have as many children as there are knots tied on a towel. The image must be taken with you to church.

Where to go after the wedding?

According to an old custom, after the wedding ceremony, the young people came to the house of their newly-made husband, where they were greeted by his parents with a loaf and the image of the Savior. They promised the young wife that she would live sweetly in her husband's house, wished the couple happiness, and gave the icon to kiss.

In contact with

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

Important conditions for a wedding

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

Who can get married

An important condition for the ceremony is the presence of a marriage certificate. In addition, the 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 the children born in marriage will be baptized in Orthodoxy. It is also important to match the age of marriage: the bride must be 16 years old, the groom - 18. Do not be afraid of refusal if the wife is pregnant, because, according to the church, children should be born in a married marriage. The wedding can be carried out even if the spouses have not received the parental blessing, since it can be replaced by the blessing of the confessor.

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

When is the ceremony permitted?

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 ceremony is not performed every day. The newlyweds are crowned 4 days a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. However, it should be borne in mind that there are 4 fasts throughout the year, during which church marriages are not concluded:
- 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 August 14 - 27.

Also, the church will refuse to hold a wedding on significant days:
- September 11 - Beheading of John the Baptist;
- September 27 - Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord;
- from 7 to 19 January - Christmastide;
- on Shrovetide;
- for the Bright week (the week after Easter).

Even if the day you have chosen 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 at this time in the church.

What should precede the wedding ceremony

TO this rite you need to prepare yourself spiritually. This means that before the wedding, the bride and groom need to pray, confess, take communion, maintain a three-day fast (you must refrain from food of animal origin). Before marriage, newlyweds should not enter into a carnal relationship, and this condition also applies to a couple who decided to get married after several years of marriage. They need to refrain from close relationships for several days before the ceremony.

Preparation for the sacrament of the wedding

Choosing a church, communicating with a priest

To decide where to get married, you can walk through different temples 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 important actor rite, it is worth taking a responsible approach to his choice.

You must sign up for the wedding ceremony in advance (several weeks in advance). It is also worth discussing all questions with the priest in advance: the duration of the wedding, what you need to bring with you, is it possible to take photographs, 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 is also worth discussing with the priest. Moreover, "additional services" are often provided, for example, bell ringing, church choir.

Selection of guarantors

As a rule, two guarantors (witnesses) are chosen from relatives. It is worth considering that they must be baptized. It is not allowed to take as sureties divorced spouses, a couple living in an illegal, "civil" marriage. Their spiritual responsibilities are similar to those of godparents: they must spiritually lead the family that is being created. Therefore, it is not customary to invite young people who are not familiar with married life as guarantors. If difficulties arose in the search for witnesses, it is allowed to carry out the sacrament of the wedding without them.

Choosing an outfit

Bride

The bride's wedding dress should be no higher than the knees, should cover the shoulders and preferably hands, 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 alongside light tones; dark and bright (purple, blue, black) should be discarded. Sundresses and trouser suits are not suitable for the ceremony. The bride's head must be covered. Considering that during the ceremony, church crowns (crowns) are worn on the young, you should not cover the bride's head with a large hat, as it will look out of place.
Any footwear can be worn, however, when choosing it, it should be borne in mind that you will have to stand in it for a long time, so it is better to refuse uncomfortable heels. To decide on a hairstyle, it is advisable to check with the priest in advance, the crowns will be worn on the head or they 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 the crown, cross, icon with painted lips.
It is believed that a wedding dress cannot be given or sold. It must be kept together with christening gowns, wedding candles, icons.
Groom
A formal suit will suit the groom for a wedding. There are no special prohibitions regarding the color of the costume. You should not come to church in casual, denim, sportswear. The groom should not have a headdress.
Guests
Guests entering the temple must comply with the requirements for all parishioners: for women - clothes closed type, hats, trouser suits are undesirable, for men - strict clothes, 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 Mother of God);
- white towel-towel (young people will stand on it during the ceremony);
- two handkerchiefs (hold candles).

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

Photographer's choice

It is important to take into account that not all churches are allowed to make videos or photographs of the wedding ceremony. 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, be able to choose the right angles, take high-quality pictures that convey the atmosphere of the temple and the grandeur of the wedding ceremony.

Wedding ceremony

This rite 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"). Betrothal takes place at the entrance to the church. The bride should be on the left of the groom. The priest blesses the young people and hands them lighted wedding candles, which must be kept until the end of the service. After the prayer, he changes the wedding rings three times from a man's hand to a woman's hand. After that, they become 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, the guarantors hold crowns over the heads of the newlyweds. After answering the questions of the priest, "Is the wedding done of good will?" "Are there any obstacles?" and reading prayers, the newlyweds become spouses before God. Now they can kiss the crowns and drink wine from the cup in three doses, which symbolizes family life with joys and sorrows. After the priest leads them around the lectern, brings them to the Royal Doors, the husband kisses the icon of Christ, and the wife - the Mother of God. Now guests can congratulate the married.

Remember that a wedding is not just a memorable, bright holiday, but also a very responsible step, which is worth taking once in a lifetime. Churchly divorce (debunk) spouses is possible only for serious reasons, with the permission of the diocese. Therefore, the unification of your life before God and the very sacrament of the wedding should be approached seriously, with understanding and taking into account all traditions and rules.

The sacrament of the wedding is rooted in antiquity, and Orthodox Christians have always treated it with special respect, because this ceremony meant an oath in front of God and people in love and fidelity, which the lovers had to carry through their whole lives. This oath restrains them in outbursts of anger, rewarding family happiness, uniting spouses spiritually.

The sacrament that glorifies the union of hearts in love plays a huge role for the Orthodox Church, therefore, couples who have decided to receive divine blessing for living together in a church marriage and for having children should approach this consciously. The wedding ceremony is fundamentally different from the registration ceremony in the registry office, known to the majority, so it is worth getting to know the wedding rules, which are not familiar to everyone.

Who Can't Access the Sacrament of Wedding

Before making such a responsible decision, you should familiarize yourself with the restrictions, without which the wedding is impossible.
Joining a church union even a second time is problematic, and more than three times is unacceptable.
People who are in close family ties (up to the 4th degree) cannot get married. A wedding is not allowed in case of spiritual kinship - godfather and godfather, godson and godparent.
The same applies to people with mental disabilities.
The wedding will not take place if the newlyweds consider themselves atheists and want to get married not at the call of the heart, but for other reasons - a tribute to fashion, the desire of parents, etc.
If one or both newlyweds profess a different faith, are not baptized in the Orthodox Church and do not want to undergo baptism before the wedding.
If one of the spouses is in a church or civil marriage. In a church marriage, it is necessary to take permission from the bishop to dissolve the previous one, in a civil marriage - to dissolve the official relationship.
The wedding is carried out in the presence of a certificate of registration and passports with civil marriage stamps.
Age restrictions for church marriage: the bride at the time of the ceremony must be full 16 years old, the groom - 18 years old.

What you need to come to the wedding with

If the decision is made and there are no obstacles to the marriage, you can agree with the priest the place and time of the wedding in a special calendar, since on some days, as well as during fasting, on the eve of major church holidays: Christmastide, Maslenitsa, during Easter week- the wedding is not held.
If you are going to shoot the ceremony on a photo or video, this point also needs to be discussed: in what place can the photographer and videographer be and what moments can be filmed. During the reading of individual prayers, nothing vain should distract those present from what is happening.
At the wedding, the presence of witnesses baptized in Orthodox church... When the wedding was the only act confirming the legality of marriage, the choice of guarantors was taken very seriously, because they helped to seal the union. Today the requirements for witnesses have softened, but their presence at the ceremony is mandatory. It is necessary to select tall and resilient best men who will be able to hold the crown over the heads of those who are being married throughout the service. What do you need to buy for a church wedding? When preparing for the ceremony, you need to prepare:
Wedding dress and are two different concepts. For the temple, the dress should be modest in style, with closed shoulders and sleeves, no neckline and open back, not cropped. Shades - only light, black, blue, purple are generally prohibited. The outfit is complemented by a long train - a symbol of a long married life and (you can have a hat or a white scarf, because a long veil can ignite from many candles). If the dates of marriage registration and wedding are the same, you can use a shawl or cape for an open wedding dress.
Wedding rings for the priest must be prepared in advance so that he has time to carry out the rite of consecration. Traditionally, the husband wore gold ring Is the symbol of the sun, and the wife is the moon. Now such conventions are not adhered to.
Also, in advance, you need to transfer a bottle of Cahors to the temple, which is used in the wedding ceremony.
In the church shop it is necessary to clarify which candles to buy for the wedding. Usually they use special, festive ones. To prevent a lit candle from burning your hands with wax, you need to prepare napkins or handkerchiefs.
for those who are married are required.
A wedding towel or white cloth, which the newlyweds stand on during the ceremony.
The wedding ceremony lasts on average about an hour, and therefore it is worth thinking about comfortable shoes.
It is necessary to prepare and pre-consecrate the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, personifying the masculine and feminine principles, which the newlyweds will keep at the wedding, and then keep at home as a family heirloom in order to pass them on to their children.

Preparing for the wedding

Until now, it was about formalities, but the main thing here is not the purity and beauty of the outfits, but the state of mind. Now the rules are more loyal, no one requires chastity before the wedding, but there are still certain restrictions. What do you need for a church wedding? For three days on the eve of the wedding, the bride and groom fast, prepare for confession and communion. From the beginning of the wedding day (from 0 o'clock) abstain from food, water, sexual intercourse, alcohol and smoking. In the church, the newlyweds confess and receive communion, and then they change into a wedding dress.

How to behave in the temple

Not everyone attaches due importance to the sacrament of the wedding, so many come to church in ordinary clothes and talk. Here are some general rules that must be remembered when crossing the threshold of the temple:

the presence of a headdress in women, pectoral cross and appropriate clothing covering the legs and shoulders, those who come in trousers are given special aprons;
makeup - as close to natural as possible;
you need to come to the temple in 15 minutes. before starting, put candles, kiss the icons;
turn off mobile phones;
do not talk during the service;
wedding rules prohibit those present from walking around the temple during the service;
elderly and infirm parishioners are allowed to sit on benches;
during the ceremony, men are located on the right side of the hall, women - on the left;
there are places where you cannot go at all (for example, the altar);
do not hold hands or keep hands in pockets;
do not stand with your back to the iconostasis;
if you are not sure that you will survive the entire wedding ceremony, it is better to stay at the entrance to the church, because leaving the service ahead of time is a demonstration of disrespect for Orthodoxy.

Orthodox Christians are baptized with their right hand and the priest is called "father". These rules must be strictly observed not only by the wedding guests, but also by all guests present at the ceremony.

Wedding ceremony

It is impossible to describe the wedding in detail - will words convey all the beauty and holiness of the sacrament? There are four stages in the rite:

engagement (previously it was carried out separately and the young had probation, during which it was possible to terminate the relationship, and now the whole procedure takes place in one day);
the wedding itself;
the permission of the crowns;
prayer service - gratitude.

First, the betrothal ceremony takes place, during which the priest gives out candles to the bride and groom, so she does not need a wedding bouquet here. After the betrothal, the young go to the center to the altar for the wedding. After prayers and the laying of crowns, the priest presents a cup of wine - a symbol of the troubles and joys of married life. The crowned ones drink it three times. The ceremony is completed by the circumambulation of the newlyweds around the lectern and the reading of edification.

Wedding after wedding

Before the wedding, many want to live together for some time to make sure of their choice, because it is not so easy to dissolve a church marriage - there can be two reasons for such an act: loss of reason or adultery. What do you need for a church wedding after the wedding? In principle, the same thing - for the church it does not really matter how many years the spouses live together. There are only complementary blessings for spouses who have lived to see a silver or gold wedding. If one of the spouses is not in the first marriage, then prayers of repentance are added to the ceremony.

A wedding in the Orthodox Church is one of the seven main sacraments and believers try to observe the rules for it as carefully as possible. The wedding, along with baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion, priesthood, and blessing of oil, constitute the center of spiritual life and embody the fullness of man's entry into church life. Everything that the bride and groom needs to know before such an important step as a wedding, you can read in our detailed article... It will also be of interest to those who have already performed the sacrament, but want to learn more about it.

The meaning of a wedding in the Orthodox Church

According to the Christian worldview, two people unite in a union sanctified by God and become one flesh. That is why divorce, so common today in the Christian environment, is considered an unnatural phenomenon, as if a mother decided not to live with her child. Sometimes such a rupture is associated with amputation of a limb or organ - a painful process that makes a person inferior.

The Lord created Adam and Eve and blessed them to multiply and produce the earth. Adam recognized his spiritual and physical relationship with his wife right away: first of all, when he saw Eve, he called her his flesh and blood, because he loved her:

“And the man said, Behold, this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she will be called wife, for she was taken from her husband ”(Gen. 2:23).

Therefore, before taking this step, people should be aware of the seriousness that they promise God by this act.

Young love, as well as long-awaited love, is characterized by haste and vision of your partner in "pink" tones. The virtues that any person has - since everyone was created in the image of God and inherited perfect features from Him - loving person perceives exaggeratedly and it seems to him that the object of love is perfect. At the same time, his shortcomings - which everyone also has, since we all have undergone original sin and its consequences in the form of illness, death and passions - seem to be smoothed out and do not lend themselves to rational analysis.

Therefore, in the church, where the young people came to talk with the priest about the upcoming event, one can meet an unexpected reaction of the church minister. So, if the priest observes the charter of the holy fathers and honors traditions, then he will advise lovers to wait at least a year before the wedding, during which you can get to know the person better in different circumstances and experience your feelings in practice.

At the same time, this year is not blessed to live an intimate life. In the case when the young came after the established relationship and confronted the priest with a fact, he explains to them that early sexual intercourse before legal marriage leads to adverse consequences for further relationships and their strength.

After an explanatory conversation, if the young people realized their guilt, the priest invites them to fast for three days, then confess their sins and take communion. On the eve of the wedding, the newlyweds must necessarily commune in order to experience this day as the most important in life - the day when two destinies become one destiny, two souls - one soul and two bodies - one body.

How to prepare for the wedding?

First you need to choose a day, a place for the wedding and notify the priest in advance. At the same time, it must be remembered that not every day of the year in the Orthodox Church it is allowed to carry out this sacrament.

The sacrament of the wedding is not performed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, since these days precede the fasts that believers observe on Wednesday and Friday. Also, the sacrament is not performed on Saturday, since Sunday (and the church day begins at 20:00 the day before) is Little Easter, a consecrated day.

Also, you cannot get married on the days of the fasts established by the Ecumenical Councils - these are 4 fasts a year with a total duration of 5-6 months with different frequency.

As a rule, the Orthodox Church of Russia established age-old tradition weddings on Krasnaya Gorka is the name of the holiday on the first Sunday after Easter. This day is called in church calendar Anti-Easter and denotes the beginning of the period of nationwide wedding festivities, which took place en masse in Russia at all times.

The sacrament is also not performed on the eve of individual fast days- for example, September 11 on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist; v special days joys and celebrations after Great and Christmas Lent - on Christmastide and Bright Week; before and during the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

After choosing the day, it is necessary to start preparing, which, first of all, does not include external preparation of individual items, inviting guests and a plan of events for the festival - but the internal state of the newlyweds, which consists in preparing for the sacrament of Confession, etc. Both the one and the other sacrament necessarily precede such an important event. After all, the Lord calls the Kingdom of Heaven a wedding feast, and Communion at such a feast on the day of the wedding is the communion of the love of God and strengthening for the entire further joint path through life.

The priest appoints the time of the wedding immediately after the liturgy, which is held every morning. Ideally, if the newlyweds succeed in defending the Liturgy and taking communion at it directly on the eve of the celebration. After all, it is much more important to spend your energy on a contribution to the sacrament than to save them for evening festivities (which it is advisable to avoid and leave guests as early as possible for privacy).

What do you need for a church wedding?

The rules for preparing for a wedding in the Orthodox Church are mainly in the inner awareness and responsibility for this step. In the understanding that there is no turning back and all the difficulties of character, grinding, disagreements - can now not be a reason for the dissolution of the union, which God has sanctified.

This is a serious step, but many today lightly take it, not counting on the strength and strength of feelings. Unfortunately, such people do not understand that after the break of the married union it will be more difficult to make the next family harmonious and what is available should be protected.

And already in the second place, it is necessary to prepare an outfit, documents, items for the sacrament and other things necessary on this day.

What you need for a wedding in the Orthodox Church, list:

Marriage registration certificate. According to the rules established by the Holy Synod, marriages not registered with the registry office cannot be married. Such conditions are dictated primarily by the seriousness of the intentions of the newlyweds, because after the revolution and the collapse of the Russian Empire, the church lost the authority to influence the rights and obligations of the parties, the function of regulating legal relations is now performed by the registry office.
Icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. What icons are needed for a wedding? Any images and salaries will do, but the main thing is that they can be picked up without any problems. This pious tradition used to mean the blessing of parents for marriage and was inherited - from the side of the bride, the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, and from the side of the groom, the icon of the Savior. The blessing of the parents had a sacred value and was sacredly observed.
Gold wedding rings. Previously, a woman's wedding ring was silver, reminding that in a Christian family a woman is an assistant to her husband and submits to her loving spouse. The husband had a gold ring, which corresponded to the symbolism of the royal metal - like Christ, the husband is obliged to love his wife, who symbolizes the Church. It is the husband who will be responsible for his family before God at the Judgment.
Wedding candles. These can be purchased locally at the temple. They are a symbol of the grace of the Holy Spirit, who invisibly comes and sanctifies.
White circuit board. It can be like a regular store-bought towel. white and a hand-embroidered canvas by the bride (which was often practiced earlier). Can also be purchased locally in the Temple. He is laid on the floor and raised at a specific point in the ordinance process. Plat symbolizes the purity of the thoughts and aspirations of the wedding couple.
Some temples have a fixed amount of sacrament offerings. The cost must be paid before the sacrament, so as not to forget about it after. If there is no fixed fee, then you can leave a voluntary donation after the wedding. It should be remembered that the state does not supply church workers with salaries and their living depends on our donations.
Worthy appearance married. The girl (woman) should have a headdress (a scarf or a more magnificent wedding veil), closed shoulders, the outfit should be modest, covering the knees and not having a deep neckline. A man should be wearing trousers. Shorts, breeches, and other shorts that expose the legs are not allowed for men in the temple. It is better to choose the color of the dress for the bride in light, pastel colors. Traditionally, a pure chaste girl emphasizes her innocence with a completely white dress and fresh flowers in her hands. It is better to choose shoes for the bride that are comfortable, with flat soles, in order to defend the service without any problems.

After the church has lost its legitimate civilian power to regulate legal issues, witnesses are not required and rather in the nature of a godly tradition. The witnesses were the sureties of the spouses, they knew them well. They invited experienced witnesses who had their own families of witnesses who could give useful advice in difficult situations.

What rules for weddings in the Orthodox Church do you need to know?

How to prepare for a wedding in the Orthodox Church - the priest, whom the newlyweds chose to conduct their sacrament, will explain in an accessible way. But the general rules remain the same.

A marriage registered by the registry office is graceless, but not illegal cohabitation. This form is respected by the church and is allowed in the case when a church marriage cannot be completed. And it cannot be done in several cases:

when civil marriage was registered more than three times - according to church canons, you cannot marry more than three times;
when one or both spouses do not belong to the Orthodox Church, are not baptized or are not brought voluntarily;
when there was no actual dissolution of marriage with the previous spouse: for civil registration, a certificate of divorce is required, for church registration - the blessing of the bishop to enter into a new marriage;
when the bride and groom are blood or spiritual relationship - including if they are godparents of one person;
the rules for the age of those getting married in the Orthodox Church are limited to the upper threshold of 60 years for a woman and 70 for a man, the lower threshold: 16 years for a girl and 18 for a guy.

During the preparation for the wedding, all controversial points in worldview issues should be discussed so that the sacrament can be performed with a pure heart.

How long does it take to get married in the church - 40-60 minutes.

What to do with wedding candles and other attributes after the wedding?

From such family heirlooms you can arrange small collection... For this purpose, a separate box is brought up, where attributes are put after a wedding, baptism and other memorable family events. The box can be shown to children, illuminating in front of them the details of a significant day, refreshing their own memory and plunging into memories happy events... You can also place various souvenirs brought from the pilgrimage there.

Wedding candles can be lit during prayer to ask for something important for the family from God, for special gratitude to Him, or at other times.

All of these things are reminders of important milestones in the development of the family and are part of the emotional life of family members. At the same time, by themselves, they do not carry a sacred value. If for some reason the relics are not needed, they can be disposed of in a special way. Since the objects participated in the holy rite, it is better to burn them - on your own or to transfer them to the church with a request to dispose of the consecrated candles and objects that participated in the sacrament.

Seeing the symbols of the wedding in front of them, spouses can, through memories, find ways in mutual understanding when they arise difficult moments, through tangible evidence of their union, which they made before God, the spouses remember the importance of the family hearth and draw new strength to go through life together hand in hand.

The rules for weddings in the Orthodox Church consist, first of all, of a moral foundation, which consists in purity of intentions, the absence of selfish and dishonest goals and firm determination to unite with a loved one together. The purpose of such a union is to receive from the Lord the gift of like-mindedness for the Christian life and the upbringing of children. More about the wedding can be found in the book.