About Our Ceremony

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THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY MATRIMONY

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The Orthodox Christian Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Matrimony is an ancient and deeply symbolic rite, joining a man and a woman in the bond of marriage, establishing their home church and securing their means to mutual support on the path to salvation. The ceremony is comprised of various actions, litanies, prayers and spiritual singing which reveal the Church’s teaching on the mystery of two united into one flesh. The rite has two distinct parts: the Betrothal, which takes place just inside the entrance to the church, followed by the actual Sacrament, known as the Crowning, which takes place in the center of the church.

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ENTRANCE & WEDDING ICONS

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The parents bless the bride and groom with the wedding icons at home, before they set out for the ceremony. The wedding couple arrives and enters the church separately, each accompanied by the choir singing their own hymn of welcome. The groom is accompanied by his own icon of the Saviour, which serves as a reminder that Christ was a guest at the Biblical wedding in Cana of Galilee, where He performed His first miracle. Then, the bride enters accompanied by an icon of the Theotokos - the Mother of God, as a reminder that the Virgin Mary was also present at the marriage in Cana, where She had called the faithful to do the Savior’s bidding.

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THE BETROTHAL

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The service of the Betrothal traditionally takes place in the narthex of the church, and is separate from the service of the Crowning. Originally, in the early years of the Church, the betrothal was a civil ceremony, which was then followed by and completed by the wedding sacrament at church.

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THE CANDLES

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The priest greets the bride and groom, leads them into the church and hands to them lit candles, which they hold throughout the service. The lit candles are a symbol of joy, and represent the light of the grace of the sacrament, as well as the love of the bride and groom for one another. The couple is rejoicing and celebrating the fact that God, the Divine Light, is entering their union, and that their way through life will be illuminated by the Light of Truth, Jesus Christ. These candles, as the lamps of the five wise maidens of the Biblical parable, hold enough oil (good deeds) in order to burn brightly and greet Christ the Bridegroom, as He arrives in the darkness of the night.

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THE RINGS

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The wedding rings, which have been blessed at the holy altar by the priest, are exchanged three times at the Betrothal. These rings are symbols of the commitment, faith and love the couple have for one another. Their exchange signifies that in married life, the weaknesses of one partner will be compensated by the strengths of the other, the imperfection of one, by the perfection of the other. The priest blesses the betrothed pair, placing the rings on their right hands - for it is the right hand of God that blesses, it was the right hand of God to which Christ ascended, and it is also to the right that those who will inherit eternal life will ascend. The best man then exchanges the rings three times.

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THE CROWNING

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The Crowning is the most solemn, but festive moment of the service. The crowns are signs of the glory and honour with which God crowns the bride and groom during the wedding sacrament. They are crowned as the king and queen of their own kingdom, the home or domestic church, which they will rule with love, wisdom, justice and integrity. The crowns in the Orthodox wedding ceremony also refer to the crowns of martyrdom, since every true marriage involves immeasurable self-sacrifice on the part of each spouse. At the Crowning, the priest exclaims three times: “O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor.”

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THE SCRIPTURE READINGS

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The Epistle reading is from the letter of the holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians (5:20-33), which is a lesson on the resemblance of human marriage to the Marriage of Christ and the Church. The reading of the Gospel according to John (2:1-11) is the account of the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee, where Christ turned water into wine. By performing His first miracle at a wedding, Christ blessed the Sacrament of Marriage.

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THE COMMON CUP

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In remembrance of Christ’s first miracle at Cana of Galilee, a cup of wine is shared by the couple. This common cup symbolizes a life of harmony and denotes the mutual sharing of joy and sorrow.

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THE CEREMONIAL WALK OR “DANCE OF ISAIAH”

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The priest, holding the cross, and joining the right hands of the bride and groom, leads them three times around the table upon which the Gospel is placed. They are taking their first steps as a married couple, and the Church, in the person of the priest, leads them in the way they must walk. The circle symbolizes the eternity of marriage, and that the Gospel and the Cross are to be at the center of the couple’s lives. During this procession, three hymns are sung honoring the Mother of God, the Holy Martyrs, and glorifying Christ.

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THE FINAL BLESSING

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The Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Holy Matrimony concludes with the priest’s final prayer and blessing: May the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the all-holy, consubstantial, and life-giving Trinity, one Godhead and one Kingdom, bless you; and grant you length of days, godfearing children, prosperity in life and faith; and fill you with abundance of all earthly good things, and make you worthy to obtain the blessings of the promise; through the prayers of the Holy Theotokos and of all the saints. Amen. “Mnogaya leta”, or Many Years, is sung to the newly-wedded couple, asking God to grant them a blessed, peaceful, bountiful life, with success in all good things and the attainment of salvation.

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RUSSIAN TRADITIONS AT THE RECEPTION

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GOR’KO! As soon as the couple steps outside the church, and throughout the reception, you will hear “gor’ko” being called out until the couple kisses. “Gor’ko” translates to “bitter” in Russian. For the moment to become sweet again, the couple must kiss to appease the “bitterness”. BREAD & SALT At the beginning of the reception, the parents greet the newlywed couple with bread and salt as a symbol of welcome and hospitality. They wish the pair love, health, prosperity and a long life together, and welcome them into the family. “CHAROCHKA” During the reception, the newlywed couple is approached with two silver shots of vodka on a golden tray. The guests sing “Charochka” to honor the pair, and to wish them good health, while they drink to the last drop. The parents of both the bride and groom should also be approached with the charochka.