Marriage in the Eastern Orthodox Church is a holy mystery (sacrament) in the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

in which a priest marries a man and a woman. The typical Byzantine Rite liturgy for marriage is called the Mystery of Crowning, where the couple is crowned.

Liturgy

The liturgy of the Mystery of Crowning involves the placement of

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

s on both heads of the couple in a lengthy ceremony, which is preceded by a betrothal ceremony.

Divorce

Divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

is permitted in the Orthodox Church for various reasons. The more usual divorce occurs under the pastoral guidance of the spiritual director of the spouses when all attempts at salvaging a marriage have been exhausted. In such cases, remarriage may be possible but there is a special rite for a second marriage which contains a penitential element for the dissolution of the first, i.e. some of the more joyful aspects are removed.Divorce
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. Marriage is permitted up to three times in Orthodoxy but each divorce necessitates a short period of

excommunication Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...

. Another type of divorce is what is known as a "hieratic divorce", which does not signify the breakdown of the relationship but is a step taken for the sake of the theosis of the spouses and with the full support and blessing of the Church. This type of divorce may only take place where there is mutual agreement between the two spouses, and is usually carried out in cases where one or both spouses wish to enter into monasticism.

References

External links

Weddings
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.
Greek Stefana
Stefana , Greek Wedding Crown History
Greek Orthodox Wedding
Overview Of A Greek Orthodox Wedding {{DEFAULTSORT:Marriage In The Eastern Orthodox Church Marriage in Christianity Eastern Orthodox liturgy

Liturgy

Divorce

See also

References

External links