Matrimony
The Sacrament of Marriage in the Orthodox Church sanctifies the union of a man and a woman who are brought into a communion of love for mutual companionship and fulfillment. This blessed union is not expressed through vows, but through a shared and committed relationship with the Risen Lord. In the Orthodox marriage ceremony, the priest, the couple and the laity pray that the Christian marriage of a man and a woman be sanctified and preserved by God in the image of Christ’s perfect union to the Church.
General Requirements for a marriage to be celebrated at the Annunciation:
- The Orthodox Church solemnizes marriages in which either the bride or the groom of the Orthodox faith seek to marry a Christian.
- An Orthodox Christian bride and /or groom seeking to be married at the Annunciation must be in good standing and faithful stewards of the Annunciation.
- A non-Orthodox spouse (bride or groom) must be able to provide documentation that they have been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity with water in a Christian denomination.
- Arrangements for the Sacrament of Marriage to be celebrated at the Annunciation is predicated on a participation in a Marriage Seminar with Father Nicholas which both the Orthodox and non-Orthodox individuals must attend.
- The sponsor (best man or maid of honor) in an Orthodox Marriage must be an Orthodox Christian in good standing, a faithful steward of the Annunciation or their local Orthodox parish and, if married, have been married in the Orthodox Church.
- Because life in the body of the Church is all-encompassing and cannot be compartmentalized, the Orthodox Church has determined that any Orthodox Christian that marries outside of the Orthodox Church in effect severs their ties with the Orthodox Church and as a result forfeits their good standing in the Church. As such, an Orthodox Christian married outside of the Orthodox Church is not “in good standing,” they may no longer receive Holy Communion or participate in a formal capacity in any of the Sacraments and their role in parish life is severely limited.
A couple who seeks to be married at the Annunciation in Little Rock must contact the Church office a minimum of six months in advance in order to determine a date and time for the ceremony. Furthermore, please be aware that the possible rental of the Annunciation Ballroom or Gabriel Hall for a wedding reception is independent of this process. Finally, please make sure to formally establish a date and time with the Annunciation prior to making and/or finalizing any other arrangements.
In conclusion, all couples intending to be married at the Annunciation must not only participate in a Marriage Seminar with Fr. Nicholas, but they must also gather some pertinent documents in the course of this process: Baptismal certificates, civil divorce decrees, and if a second marriage for an Orthodox Christian, an Ecclesiastical Divorce Decree; Letters of Good Standing for an Orthodox Christian sponsor or spouse not a member of the Annunciation in Little Rock. Please contact Fr. Nicholas at the Church Office for further information.
Please Note: There are some dates in the Church’s Liturgical calendar when Marriage Ceremonies may not be celebrated: December 13 until Christmas Day; January 5 and 6 (Theophany); August 1 – 15 (Fast of the Dormition); August 29 (The Beheading of St. John); September 14 (Exaltation of the Cross); during Great and Holy Lent and including Easter; as well as a number of other major feast days.
