About Holy Matrimony
Marriage (also matrimony) is one of the holy mysteries (sacraments) in the Orthodox Church, as well as many other Christian traditions. It serves to unite a woman and a man in eternal union before God with the purpose of following Christ and His Gospel and, when possible, raising up a faithful, holy family through their holy union. It is referred to extensively in both the Old and New Testaments. Christ declared the essential indissolvibility of marriage in the Gospel.
Married life, no less than monastic life, is a special vocation, requiring a particular gift or charism from the Holy Spirit, a gift bestowed in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The same Trinitarian mystery of unity in diversity applies to the doctrine of marriage as it does to the Church. The family created by this sacrament is a small church.
The Orthodox Church teaches that man is made in the image of the Trinity, and he is not intended by God to live alone, but in a family, except in special cases. And just as God blessed the first family, commanding Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, so the Church now gives its blessing to the union of man and woman. The mystery of marriage, in the Church, gives a man and a woman the possibility to become one spirit and one flesh in a way which no human love can provide by itself. The Holy Spirit is given so that what has begun on earth is fulfilled and continues most perfectly in the Kingdom of God.
The service contains no vows or oaths. It is, in essence, the “baptizing and confirming” of human love in God by Christ in the Holy Spirit. It is the deification of human love in the divine perfection and unity of the eternal Kingdom of God as revealed and given to man in the Church. There is no “legalism” in the Orthodox sacrament of marriage. It is not a juridical contract, it is a spiritual bond.
If you intend to be married at our church, please contact us as early as possible to discuss the booking with a priest.
Planning Your Wedding
There are some dates in the church calendar when marriage services cannot take place: from 12th December until Christmas; during Lent; from 1st to 15th August; on 5th and 6th January; on 29th August and on 14th September. The marriage can only take place with the formal permission of the Archbishop in the form of an episcopal marriage permit. When you book your wedding date the priest will explain the process of application to the Archdiocese for the required permit. The application should preferably be made at least 6 months before the wedding date.
For Orthodox Christians each candidate will require a certificate of no impediment. This is usually obtained from the parish of the candidate’s baptism. In the case of a second marriage in the Orthodox Church the person concerned should produce a ecclesiastical certificate of divorce, or if a widow/er, a death certificate. The 2 persons standing as witnesses to the man and woman being married must be Orthodox Christians.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Civil Ceremony Of Marriage
The Civil Ceremony can take place before or at the same time as the Orthodox service of the sacrament of marriage. If the Civil Ceremony takes place before the Orthodox marriage service, it can not take place at the church. The couple must make the arrangements for this at their local registry office/s as early as possible in the 12 months prior to their wedding day.
Marriage With A Non-Orthodox Christian
It is normally possible for an Orthodox Christian to be married in the Orthodox church with a Christian of another denomination who is baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity.
However, it is not possible for the sacrament of marriage to take place for an Orthodox Christian with a person of no faith or of a faith other than Christian. Baptismal certificates will need to be produced for Christians of other denominations.