Holy Matrimony
The crowning of husband and wife as an icon of Christ and the Church.
Marriage is a Holy Sacrament, a journey towards the Kingdom of God. Those who are married are called upon to love unselfishly, to put the needs of their spouse before their own, and to communicate. If God has a very central part in our life, this will help us in many ways, including in our marriage. Being cultivated spiritually helps us to be humble and forgiving, to see things from the other’s perspective — and this will guard our marriage and lead it to greater heights.
If you wish to organise your marriage, an initial meeting with your parish priest is desirable, simply to talk and to get to know one another. The date of the wedding can be booked at that first meeting, and the preparation quietly begun.
Paperwork for a marriage needs to be completed at least 31 days prior to the wedding. This is a legal requirement. To enable your priest to do the paperwork, you will need to meet with him and each bring the following: a Birth Certificate (if you were not born in Australia and do not have your overseas birth certificate, a current or expired passport will do); photo identification such as a driver’s licence or passport; and your baptism certificate.
If you have never been married and are Orthodox, you will need a Certificate of Celibacy. If you have been previously married, you will need your civil divorce papers, and if you are Orthodox, you will also need to bring your Ecclesiastical divorce papers. If a previous spouse has reposed, you will need to bring the death certificate.
Marriage is permitted between an Orthodox Christian and a Western Christian who has been baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity — Roman Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Lutheran, and others. The wedding itself is a service of crowning, in which the couple are led three times around the Gospel, crowned as martyrs and as kings, and given a common cup to share.