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Greek Orthodox Wedding
The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony is an ancient and
beautiful service. A unique part of the ceremony is
that the Bride and Groom do not say any vows. The ceremony
itself shows the couples’ willingness to come
forward and be married, and accept God into their new
home.
The ceremony consists of two parts: The Service of
Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage.
Each part of the ceremony has a special meaning and
is significant in the joining of husband and wife. The
ceremony starts as the Bride and Groom are each handed
white candles to symbolize their willingness to accept
Christ into their lives.
Some important elements of the GO ceremony include
that the couple must have a religious sponsor(s). They
are called Koumbaro (male) or Koumbara (female). They
serve as an important witness to the union. Also, during
the ceremony, certain acts and phrases are repeated
three times. This represents the Holy Trinity: the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Service of Betrothal
The focus of the Betrothal is the exchanging of rings.
The priest starts by blessing the rings and the couple.
The rings are then placed on the third fingers of the
right hands of the Bride and Groom. The reason the rings
are placed on the right hand is because it is the right
hand of God that blesses, and to which Christ ascended.
The Koumbara or Koumbaro then exchanges the rings three
times on the couples’ fingers. This symbolizes
the strength of the married couple.
The Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage consists of many important
parts. As the priest concludes his prayers, he joins
the right hands together of the Bride and Groom, and
they stay joined until the end of the ceremony to signify
the union of the couple.
The Crowning
The crowning of the couple with the stefana (two flowered
crowns attached by white ribbon) signifies glory and
honor that God crowns them with. The ribbon symbolizes
the unity of the couple. The Koumbaro or Koumbara also
plays a part by interchanging the crowns on the couples’
heads.
The Common Cup
The crowning is followed by readings of the Epistle
and the Gospel. The Gospel reading describes the marriage
of Cana at Galilee, which was blessed by Christ and
where He performed his first miracle. The miracle converted
water into wine and was given to the newlyweds. Thus,
wine is given to the couple as a remembrance.
The Ceremonial Walk
The priest will then lead the Bride and Groom around
a table on the altar three times. On the table are the
Gospel and Cross. The steps around the table represent
the unending journey of husband and wife. The Koumbaro
or Koumbara walks behind the married couple holding
the stefana in place.
The Removal of the Crowns
After the Ceremonial Walk, the priest blesses the couple.
The priest then removes the crowns and asks God to grant
the couple a long, happy life together. He then separates
the couples’ joined hands, reminding them that
only God can separate the couple from one another.
This concludes the ceremony and the Bride and Groom
are officially married!!
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