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Greek Orthodox Wedding
23 Jul 2006
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!!
Other Important Facts
The Greek Orthodox faith is conservative, yet emblematic at the same time. It is very fulfilling spiritually. If a couple wishes to be married in the GO church, there are a few thoughts to keep in mind. One member of the couple must be Greek Orthodox. The non-GO partner must be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. Also, the couple cannot get married on certain holy days. The three greatest ones that come to mind are Lent, the first two weeks in August, and January 5th, the eve of Epiphany. Easter is the greatest holiday in the GO church, and Lent is a time of prayer, remembrance, and worship. August 15th is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary; the day believed to be when Mary ascended into Heaven after her death. Epiphany principally commemorates the revelation to the Gentiles of Jesus Christ as the Savior, as portrayed by the coming of the Three Wise Men.
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Throw a Traditional Italian Wedding
Despite what you might think, you don't have to be a sun-kissed couple fresh from the shores of Sicily in order to have an Italian wedding. A couple of Italian descent are more than welcome to weave Italian traditions into their wedding -- whether or not they've ever set foot in Italy.
Many of us find that the most satisfying weddings combine nostalgic old traditions with contemporary ways of doing things. And old religious observances, historic dances, and traditional Italian foods are sure to give your wedding a warm Italian heart.
As everyone knows, Roman Catholicism is Italy's primary religion. So a traditional Italian wedding typically means a traditional Catholic wedding as well, including a full mass with the ceremony. However, it's still true that not every Italian is Catholic. Although it may be a bit unusual, if you and your partner aren't Catholic, you can still incorporate the Italian traditions in your reception. One of the most charming is the dove release, symbolizing the love and affection of each newlywed for the other, although this tradition is not very old.
No Italian wedding is complete without a few traditional dances, such as the Tarantella. Although the Tarantella's origin is somewhat murky, most of the stories about it involve a spider bite, and tell of a dance either meant to counteract the venom, or one that simply mimics the uncontrolled motions of the sufferer. At any rate, these days the Tarantella is performed at wedding parties to wish the couple a fine future together. Participants form a circle and dance in a clockwise direction, until the music speeds up and the dancers must change direction. The tempo changes several times, each time forcing the dancers to change direction and dance even faster. The Tarantella continues until it becomes impossible to keep up, and the dance falls apart.
What's the most distinguishing aspect of an Italian wedding? The food, of course. The Italians invented the evocative word abbondanza, which somehow means something more than mere "abundance," and no Italian wedding would be complete without an overwhelming feast of many courses. Traditionally, the wedding reception begins with an antipasto course of cheeses, olives, mushrooms, and pickled sweet peppers. This course is followed by subsequent courses starring pastas, meats, salads, soups, and desserts, each one punctuated by freely flowing wine.
It's interesting to note that some of the foods at an Italian wedding have symbolic overtones. For example, the giving of sugar-coated almonds to guests symbolizes that marriage is both bitter and sweet. The number of almonds given is associated with traditional meanings: for example, three almonds speak to fertility, while five almonds wish for wealth.
Another authentic Italian wedding tradition is the breaking of a glass at the reception's end, somewhat like a similar tradition within the Jewish faith. However, the deeper symbolism underlying these traditions is very different. Within Judaism, the broken glass symbolizes human frailty and the hardship the couple's ancestors endured as a result of their faith. But in Italian weddings, the broken glass points toward the future. The number of shards is said to predict the number of happy years the couple will have together.
It's deeply satisfying for couples of Italian descent to weave these traditional elements into their modern-day wedding. Even if only your distant relatives still reside on Italian soil and you've never been to Italy, it's still absolutely fine to follow these traditions. And that's not to say you have to be Italian, either -- all that's required is that you appreciate the richness of Italian culture and are willing to try something new.
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