The wedding is considered the most beautiful of all Christian rituals. The main attribute of this ritual are the wedding crowns, which are placed on the heads of the bride and groom. At the time of the wedding in the Orthodox Church over their heads are the royal crowns, to increase the grandeur of the rite. They mean the patronage of the church. Before the arrival of Christianity, the wedding took place outdoors at the time of reunification with nature. To do this, wreaths of flowers were worn on the head. After the end of the ritual, they played round dances, sang songs and just rested. Christianity transferred the place of the rite to the church and changed it to its own rules. Until 1917, it was the marriage concluded in the church that was considered the main.
Wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church
Immediately before the ritual, there are sacraments that must be observed. In the evening before the ceremony, the girlfriends should arrange a bridesmaid party, on which they entertained her with songs and stories. The next morning the girls helped to dress the bride, and later prepared the house for the arrival of the young after the ceremony. When the bridegroom came for the bride, he had to redeem it. The ransom took place in the form of competitions and assignments. After passing the tests, the brothers marched to the church. Until the wedding garments are worn, the bride's face must be covered with a veil.
Sacrament of the wedding in the Orthodox Church
The wedding ceremony itself is as follows. The priest blesses the cup with the diluted wine and gives three times to taste the drink young in turn. After tying the hands of the married people, he traces them around the analog. Then they are allowed to exchange rings, but in this action is not so simple. The priest puts on the rings on the fingers of the newlyweds, and then the bride and groom must exchange them three times. In this ritual
The meaning of the wedding in the church
The ritual comprises a union of loving hearts. The rite helps them to fully realize the full responsibility of the decision taken and to testify their relationship not only to people, but also to God. After the ritual, marriage is a blessed heaven. The wedding is held to strengthen the official marriage, concluded in the registry office. Most often in our time, the ritual of the wedding in the church takes place some time after the marriage, when family relationships have passed the test of time.