With the revival of Orthodoxy, Orthodox traditions began to revive in our country. One of the most important and solemn of them is the wedding ceremony. This conscious event is the mutual oath of two people creating a family in the face of the Lord. Previously, a wedding meant that an oath of fidelity was given forever, today the church allows this ceremony to be repeated up to three times.
Instructions
Step 1
The wedding takes place only when the couple already has a marriage certificate in their hands, both of them must profess the Orthodox faith. When the wedding day has already been appointed, both future spouses should prepare for this church sacrament. Do not blindly follow fashion and get married just because it is a beautiful and solemn ceremony, take it seriously and start preparing for the event ahead of time, at least a week in advance.
Step 2
Before the wedding, a strict fast should be observed for a week. If you are truly a believer, spend 3-4 days before the event in prayer, ask God to bless and guide your marriage. A day or two before the wedding, you both need to confess and receive communion. The time for this will be appointed by the priest with whom you will arrange the wedding. If you do not know very well the procedure for carrying out these rituals, do not worry - the priest will initiate you into these rules.
Step 3
Purchase in advance two icons depicting Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. Your parents will bless you with these icons if your families do not have wedding icons that were inherited. The parents of the newlyweds should bring these icons with them to the ceremony, and in their absence, the young themselves. Young people, as in a regular wedding, must be accompanied by two witnesses to the wedding. In addition to icons, take with you wedding rings, wedding candles and a beautiful white towel.
Step 4
Only baptized Orthodox people can also be witnesses. Their purpose is not only to be present in the church and hold the crowns over the heads of the newlyweds, but also subsequently to maintain close contact with them and help in the formation of a new family. Therefore, take seriously the choice of your witnesses, it is desirable that they were adults, already married people.
Step 5
Before heading to church, check to see if both of you are ready for the ceremony. The church does not approve of coercion, when one of the young is an atheist and agrees to participate in the ritual only for the sake of his loved one. In the event that one of you has already been married once, he needs to obtain the bishop's permission to dissolve the previous union. You cannot marry those who are consanguineous up to the fourth generation.
