Wedding ceremony in the Orthodox and Catholic churches: photos and videos. How to prepare for the wedding
Everyone knows the word "marriage" is Slavicroots and means "to be together." The married couple, that's the name of horses that are in one bundle, our distant ancestors. According to the Orthodox laws, after the spouses are joined by a church marriage, they become a "one flesh", one being in their desires, joys and sorrows.
Wedding ceremony, with which a young couplefastens his love union before God, is one of the most memorable and beautiful rituals. He imposes certain obligations on both spouses, they receive a blessing for a cloudless family life, as well as the continuation of the family.
Wedding in the church: rules
The rules of marriage establishedcivil legislation, are significantly different from those that are church canons. It can be said with certainty that not every family union, designed in accordance with all state standards, can be admitted for coverage in the Mystery of marriage.
The Orthodox Church forbids:
fourth and subsequent weddings
if the newlyweds (or one of them) consider themselves to be convinced atheists, but decided to bless their marriage in the temple at the insistence of the second half or relatives
When young are close relatives up to the fourth generation, i.e. second cousin and sister
to marry without going through the rite of baptism
if one of the married persons under the documents consists in a family relationship with another person
permission to marry godparents and godparents can only be obtained from the ruling bishop. The same applies to a family union between two children of the same child
those who received the holy dignity or performed monastic tonsure.
If the young did not receive a parentThe blessing to hold the Sacrament of Marriage is certainly a regrettable fact. But when the bride and groom are of age, this will not be an obstacle to the wedding.
Preparing for the wedding
The marriage is not only bright and beautifula holiday that lovers will remember all their lives, but also a very serious step, which places great responsibility on them. Proper preparation for this event is as important as the sacrament itself. First of all, you need to decide on the date, it is important to remember that according to the Orthodox canons, the wedding can not be held during any fasting. Also, a couple in love is forbidden to go to the altar at Christmas, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Happy New Year holidays inOrthodox calendar is slightly shifted, you can specify the information by contacting any temple or icon shop. Nowadays it can be done quickly by going to the Internet site devoted to the Mystery of Marriage. Before the newlyweds begin preparing for the wedding, it is important to decide on several important issues.
Choosing a temple
Approximately two to three weeks before the desired date, young people should choose a temple for marriage. His ministers will tell you what rules they follow:
how long does the wedding rank take (from 30 to 90 minutes)
Is a wedding allowed for one pair of newlyweds
Is photo and video shooting allowed?
where guests should be present
The wedding ceremony is paid, its cost in differentchurches can vary within fairly wide limits. In special cases, you can agree on a ritual outside the Temple, for example, if one of the spouses is sick and can not come.
Costume and dress for wedding
Costumes, in which young people are presentmarriage ceremony, symbolize the innocence, modesty and purity. Choosing a dress for this ceremony, you need to pay attention to its color. Perfectly look the outfits of pastel tones: white, soft pink, beige and others. Lovely white dress for the wedding was borrowed by us from Europe. According to the old Russian wedding tradition, brides could wear an outfit of any color, but not too colorful.
Another characteristic feature of the attire for the wedding -it's modesty. The dress in which the bride will be in the church must be chaste, which means that all sorts of deep cuts and décolleté should be missing in it. It is also necessary to cover your back, shoulders and legs, the minimum length of the skirt should be up to the knee. If you still chose a fairly open dress for the wedding, then it can be supplemented with accessories that will help to correct the situation. These can be long gloves, a lace bolero, an openwork shawl or an airy stole. Wedding dresses can not be donated and sold, like all the attributes used for this rite.
What you need for a wedding
Before the start of family life Orthodoxcanons need to undergo spiritual preparation. Future spouses must necessarily confess, as well as receive communion. For the rite itself it is necessary to purchase two icons: one - the Savior, and the second - of the Mother of God, for the blessing of the young couple. Earlier, these icons were kept in the parental home and passed from generation to generation.
Required attribute for the wedding processare wedding rings. They serve as a sign of eternal love and the strength of the marriage union. Earlier, rings for a young couple were made from different metals. Gold was intended for the spouse, it was a symbol of the main luminaries in the sky - the sun. Silver was a kind of moon, it was put on the arm of his wife. Today, as a rule, the same gold or silver rings are bought for young people.
It is also necessary to remember that for a wedding inThe church needs to buy white towels and candles. The lighted candles that the young couple hold in their hands during the rite symbolize a fiery and pure love that should burn in their hearts all their life. The white towel that steal under the feet of marrying, reflects the purity of their intentions.
How is the wedding in the Orthodox Church
In the old days the church ceremony of marriagewas held before the civil procedure. The first to appear to the temple was a young and patiently wait for the arrival of her chosen one. Thus, the groom showed that his intentions were the most serious. The bride was informed that the young one arrived, and only after that she went to church. Today the newlyweds directly from the registry office come to the wedding and, at the appointed time, the priest begins a solemn liturgy. Church marriage involves two stages - first betrothal and only then the main rite.
The wedding process takes place as follows. Initially, the deacon takes out the wedding rings of the young, and the priest at that time lights the candles that the bride and groom keep. Then he suggests that the couple in love carry out a ritual exchange of rings. Young should move them to each other three times and then put on each his own. This symbolizes mutual assistance and complete agreement in family life.
Next, the priest takes the crown of the crown,crosswise it marks the young man. The crown is placed on the head of the future spouse after he is applied his lips to the image of the Savior. The same ritual is performed with the young, only her crown is decorated with the image of the Mother of God. In the event that the bride's magnificent hairdress interferes with the laying of a crown, the young man must be held over his head by a witness. When the wedding ceremony is repeated in the Orthodox Church, the crowns are held on the shoulders of the married people. And for the third time the Sacrament is held without them.
Then a bowl filled with wine is taken out, andthe priest transmits it to the young. They drink the contents in three passes, transferring to each other. This ritual symbolizes that the couple in love becomes one. From this moment they now all become common and they must support each other in sorrow and joy. After this, the priest takes the hands of the young, connects them and leads the groom and the bride to the altar. Young must go around the altar three times and stop at the king's gate. There the husband again kisses the image of the Savior, and the bride is pressed with her lips to the image of the Blessed Virgin.
Then the bride and groom are given icons thatthey will have to hang over the bed. After many years will sound to the newlyweds, relatives and guests can congratulate them. Now they became spouses not only before the law, but before God.
How is the wedding in the Catholic Church?
Orthodox and Catholic church are very similarEach other. But still, if you decided to consolidate the marriage according to the Catholic laws, then you need to know what they are different about. Preparation for the ceremony lasts no less than three months and the ritual itself should be conducted only after the civil registration. Young people should come to a meeting with the priest, who will tell them about the understanding of the family union and the natural planning of the Catholic canons. They are quite strict, for example, one of the biggest sins here is the use of any contraceptive. Also, the Catholic Church does not recognize divorce, even if one of the brothers was previously married in an Orthodox church, he will not be allowed to formalize family relations according to the Catholic rite.
The process of wedding in the Catholic church priestbegins with the liturgy and sermon, thereby emphasizing the importance of this event for a young couple. Then he asks three compulsory questions:
Is the desire to come here and conclude a family union voluntary?
Are the young people ready to respect and love each other for the rest of their days?
Are they ready to receive from the Almighty with love and educate them according to church canons?
If the newlyweds answered all questionsin the affirmative, then the priest utters the words of prayer, in which he asks for the blessing of the new family by the Holy Spirit. Then comes the turn of the young, they utter a friend to the oath of eternal love and faithfulness. The wedding in the Catholic church can take place without wedding rings, but at the request of the married, the priest will sanctify them.
