How long does a church wedding last and how is the sacrament held?

A wedding is a church sacrament, a marriage made before God. It is carried out according to the statutes of the church, and only spouses who have an official marriage certificate and do not have consanguinity can enter into such an alliance. The decision to marry a couple must be made deliberately, since there will be no turning back, and there is no debunking procedure. If the husband and wife decide to leave and filed for divorce, they can only get permission from the archbishop to conduct a second rite.

The whole essence of the sacrament lies in the fact that spouses swear to each other in eternal fidelity before God and their loved ones, after which their union becomes sacred and blessed, children can appear and be brought up in it.

If the stamp in the passport is not enough for the young, and they decide to undergo this ceremony, you need to properly prepare and clarify all the nuances. And there are many of them: for example, how to prepare for the procedure, what to take with you, how long the wedding lasts, and much more. Let's consider all the subtleties in our article.

In the Orthodox Church, only a baptized couple can undergo a wedding ceremony. If one of the young people was unbaptized before marriage, this procedure can be carried out in advance. The main thing is to foresee and discuss everything with the priest.

The main condition is a marriage entered into in the territory of the Russian Federation. A certificate issued by the registry office is required to be presented in many churches, so you also need to worry about its availability. Also, before the procedure, you need to go through confession and communion.In cases where one of the spouses is much older than the other, the bishop must approve the union.

On the day of the wedding, young people will need wedding rings made of silver or gold, wedding icons, a towel and church candles. As for the icons, you can buy them yourself or get them as a gift from your parents. Most often, the faces of Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos are used. It is with these icons that the clergyman will bless the couple during the ceremony.

The candles will be in the hands of the spouses throughout the event. To avoid scalding with hot wax, you can use handkerchiefs or napkins. Consecrated candles are usually sold at the temple store. After the sacrament, you can take them home to light them in front of the icons.

Towel is a white cloth, mainly made of linen or cotton. Its edges are decorated with embroidery. You can make this product yourself or buy it from a store.

And one more important point: each spouse during the ceremony must have a cross on his neck.

The wedding ceremony includes various stages:

• blessing;
• engagement;
• marriage.

What it is, and how they differ, we will discuss in more detail.

In order to receive a blessing, those who are married must wait for the Holy Father in a specially designated place - the narthex. The spouse should be on the right side, and the spouse, respectively, on the left, and be turned towards the altar. The priest brings 2 lighted candles to the couple, representing chastity and purity. Having blessed the young people three times, he gives them the candles, after which he baptizes and allows them to go to the temple.

And then in the face of the Lord and all those present, the marriage itself is concluded. The spouses must confirm their consent to enter into a sacred union. With burning candles, they kneel before the analogue, on which are the Gospel, crowns and a crucifix. Everyone takes an oath that speaks of the inviolability of marriage. After reading the necessary prayers, the priest baptizes the newlyweds with a crown.

After that, the couple bow their heads under the crowns. Next, you should taste the wine served in a special bowl, after which a procession takes place around the lectern. Two hearts merge together, they wish the husband and wife many years of a happy life together, after which everyone present can express their congratulations.

This rite lasts from 40 to 60 minutes, it depends on the priest and the haste of his speech. Usually the wedding is held between 11 and 13 o'clock in the afternoon. It is not forbidden for guests to congratulate the newlyweds and give them flowers and gifts. The main thing is not to forget that the event is taking place in the temple, and you need to behave appropriately.

Before tying yourself and your soul mate with the sacred bonds of marriage, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory measures. It will not be superfluous to get acquainted with the representatives of the clergy in the proposed church, as well as the choice of the priest who will have to conduct the ritual. You can ask him questions of interest, clarify the subtleties and nuances of the ceremony.

An appointment for a specific date and time is made in advance. It should be borne in mind that there may or may not be many couples wishing to get married, so it is better to check with the church when to sign up. This is usually done either 2 months or 2 weeks before the ceremony.

The wedding dress must be selected, initially clarifying with the priest what standards he must meet. You should also take care of the attributes. You can also check the list of things in the temple.

Before the wedding, the newlyweds should remind their guests that the ceremony will take place in the church, and this imposes a certain framework on the behavior of its participants. For example, a defiant appearance is not welcome. It is also prohibited to make loud noise and talk during the procedure.

Newlyweds should prepare and know by heart the marriage vows that will need to be pronounced during the wedding. By doing this, they will show their respect.

Lipstick, especially bright, on the bride's face during the ceremony is unacceptable. The lips will need to be wiped thoroughly. All women present should be in the temple, covering their heads with a scarf or shawl, it is also recommended to cover their shoulders. The bottom of the garment should cover the knees. You cannot be present at the wedding in overly revealing clothes and with defiant make-up.

In most churches, recording the sacrament on a video camera or taking photographs is not prohibited, however, in order not to get into an uncomfortable situation, it is better to discuss this moment with the priest in advance. The main condition is usually that the operator should be quiet and not interfere with the ceremony. It is best to turn off the flash, loudly clicking the shutter can also be inconvenient, it is recommended to turn it off. You should not interfere with the priest and get up in places that are inconvenient for him and for young people with a desire to take more interesting shots, there will be plenty of camera angles.

The church is a sacred place, so the main photo session with guests is best done after leaving it after the ceremony. Here it will already be possible to spend the necessary time, not particularly limiting oneself in the angles and arrangement of those present.

Often people who get married believe that getting married in a church can impose unnecessarily strict restrictions on them. This is not at all the case, because in her requirements there is nothing that we could not afford, from the point of view of morality.

The sacrament of a wedding is not a duty or a heavy burden, but the conclusion of a marriage union before God and a blessing received from above. The main thing that is required after it is to never lose the desire to live your whole life next to your beloved spouse.

They say that hearing the bell ringing after the wedding is a good sign. Some newlyweds come to an agreement with the clergy, and their exit from the church is accompanied by the ringing of bells. This service may be refused, in which case you should try to negotiate a payment. After all, it is solemn and beautiful when the bells inform the heavens about the creation of a new family!

For more details about the sacrament of the wedding, see the video below.