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Jump to navigation Jump to search Marriage in the Eastern Orthodox Church is a holy mystery or sacrament in the Eastern Orthodox Church. After the Exchange of the rings the priest leads the couple in procession into the middle of the church. The priest chants Psalm 128, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways” This psalm is one of the “Psalms of Ascent” sung by Russian orthodox marriage pilgrims on the way to the Jerusalem Temple.

Having processed into the church, the couple must individually proclaim, before the assembly, that they have come freely, without constraints or prior commitment, to be joined by God as husband and wife. In modern practice, these proclamations are often done at the beginning, before the exchange of the rings. The bride and groom are then handed candles which are held throughout the service. The candles represent the couple’s faith and willingness to follow the Light of Truth, Jesus Christ, and that they will have their way through life lighted by the teachings of the Church. O Lord, our God, crown them in glory and in honour. First, they reveal that the man and woman, in their union with Christ, participate in His Kingship.

Second, as in the ancient Church, crowns are a symbol of martyrdom. The common life of the bride and groom is to bear witness to the Presence of Christ in their lives and in the world. Martyrdom is usually associated with death. The epistle is taken from St. It presents the cornerstone of the Christian vision of marriage: the love of man and woman parallels the love of Christ and the Church. As Christ gives Himself totally to and for His Church, so the husband is to give himself totally to and for his wife.