THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE
AND ITS IMPEDIMENTS
I. On Orthodox Marriage
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The institution of the family is
threatened today by such phenomena as
secularization and moral relativism. The
Orthodox Church maintains, as her
fundamental and indisputable teaching,
that marriage is sacred. The freely
entered union of man and woman is an
indispensable precondition for marriage.
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In the Orthodox Church, marriage is
considered to be the oldest institution of
divine law because it was instituted
simultaneously with the creation of Adam
and Eve, the first human beings (Gen
2:23). Since its origin, this union not
only implies the spiritual communion of a
married couple—a man and a woman—but also
assured the continuation of the human
race. As such, the marriage of man and
woman, which was blessed in Paradise,
became a holy mystery, as mentioned in the
New Testament where Christ performs
His first sign, turning water
into wine at the wedding in Cana of
Galilee, and thus reveals His glory (Jn
2:11). The mystery of the indissoluble
union between man and woman is an icon of
the unity of Christ and the Church (Eph
5:32).
-
Thus, the Christocentric typology of the
sacrament of marriage explains why a
bishop or a presbyter blesses this sacred
union with a special prayer. In his letter
to Polycarp of Smyrna, Ignatius the
God-Bearer stressed that those who enter
into the communion of marriage
must also have the bishop’s approval,
so that their marriage may be according
to God, and not after their own desire.
Let everything be to the glory of
God
(V, 2). Therefore, the sacredness of the
God-established union and the lofty
spiritual content of married life explain
the affirmation:
So that marriage should be honored
among all, and the bed undefiled
(Heb 13:4). That is why the Orthodox
Church condemns any defilement of its
purity (Eph 5:2-5; 1 Thes 4:4; Heb
13:4ff).
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The union of man and woman in Christ
constitutes “a small church” or an icon of
the Church. Through God’s blessing, the
union of man and woman is elevated to a
higher level, for communion is greater
than individual existence because it
initiates the spouses into the order of
the Kingdom of the All-Holy Trinity. A
necessary condition of marriage is faith
in Jesus Christ, which must be shared by
the bridegroom and the bride, man and
woman. Consequently, unity in Christ is
the foundation of marital unity. Thus,
marital love blessed by the Holy Spirit
enables the couple to reflect the love
between Christ and the Church as a mystery
of the Kingdom of God—as the eternal life
of humanity in the love of God.
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Protecting the sacredness of marriage has
always been crucially important for the
preservation of the family, which reflects
the communion of the persons yoked
together both in the Church and in society
at large. Therefore, communion achieved
through the sacrament of marriage does not
merely serve as an example of a typical
natural relationship, but also as an
essential and creative spiritual force in
the sacred institution of the family. It
alone ensures the safety and formation of
children, both for the spiritual mission
of the Church as well as in the life of
society.
-
It was always with the necessary
strictness and proper pastoral
sensibility, in the compassionate manner
of Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles (Rom
7:2-3; 1 Cor 7:12-15, 39), that the Church
treated both
the positive preconditions
(difference of sexes, legal age, etc.) and
the negative
impediments (kinship by blood and
affinity, spiritual kinship, an existing
marriage, difference in religion, etc.)
for the joining in marriage. Pastoral
sensibility is necessary not only because
the biblical tradition determines the
relationship between the natural bond of
marriage and the sacrament of the Church,
but also because Church practice does not
exclude the incorporation of certain
Greco-Roman natural law principles that
acknowledge the marital bond between man
and woman as
a communion of divine and human law
(Modestin) compatible with the sacredness
of the sacrament of marriage attributed by
the Church.
-
Given our current context, which is
unfavorable for the sacrament of marriage
and the sacred institution of family,
hierarchs and shepherds must actively
cultivate their pastoral work in order to
protect the faithful, standing by them to
fortify their hope shaken by many
hardships, and asserting the institution
of the family upon an unshakable
foundation that neither rain, nor river,
nor wind can destroy, since this
foundation is the rock which is Christ (Mt
7:25).
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The pressing issue in society today is
marriage, which is the center of the
family, and the family is what justifies
marriage. Pressure to recognize new forms
of cohabitation constitutes a real threat
for Orthodox Christians. This
variously-manifested crisis in marriage
and family profoundly concerns the
Orthodox Church not only in light of
negative consequences for the fabric of
society, but also in light of its threat
to particular relationships within the
bounds of the traditional family. The main
victims of these trends are the couples
themselves, and especially the children,
since regrettably the children often
endure great suffering from an early age,
while nonetheless bearing no
responsibility for the situation.
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A civil marriage between a man and a woman
registered in accordance with the law
lacks sacramental character since it is a
simple legalized cohabitation recognized
by the State, different from a marriage
blessed by God and the Church. The members
of the Church who contract a civil
marriage ought to be regarded with
pastoral responsibility, which is
necessary to help them understand the
value of the sacrament of marriage and the
blessings connected with it.
-
The Church does not allow for her members
to contract same-sex unions or any other
form of cohabitation apart from marriage.
The Church exerts all possible pastoral
efforts to help her members who enter into
such unions understand the true meaning of
repentance and love as blessed by the
Church.
-
The grave consequences brought about by
this crisis of the institutions of
marriage and the family are manifested in
the frightening increase in the number of
divorces, abortions, and other problems of
family life. These consequences constitute
a great challenge to the mission of the
Church in the modern world, which is why
the shepherds of the Church are obligated
to make every possible effort to address
these problems. The Orthodox Church
lovingly invites her children and all
people of good will to defend this
fidelity to the sacredness of the family.
II. On Impediments to Marriage and the
application of economy
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Concerning impediments to marriage due to
kinship by blood, kinship by affinity and
adoption, and spiritual kinship, the
prescriptions of the canons (Canons 53 and
54 of the Quinisext Ecumenical Council)
and the church practice derived from them
are valid as applied today by local
autocephalous Orthodox Churches,
determined and defined in their charters
and their respective conciliar decisions.
-
A marriage that is not completely
dissolved or annulled and a third marriage
constitute absolute impediments to
entering into marriage, according to
Orthodox canonical tradition, which
categorically condemns bigamy and a fourth
marriage.
-
In accordance with the rigor
(akribeia) of the holy canons,
entering into a marriage after monastic
tonsure is forbidden (Canon 16 of the
Fourth Ecumenical Council and Canon 44 of
the Quinisext Ecumenical Council).
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Priesthood in itself does not constitute
an impediment to marriage, but in
accordance with the prevailing canonical
tradition (Canon 3 of the Quinisext
Ecumenical Council), after ordination
entrance into marriage is forbidden.
-
Concerning mixed marriages of Orthodox
Christians with non-Orthodox Christians or
non-Christians:
-
Marriage between Orthodox and
non-Orthodox Christians is forbidden
according to canonical
akribeia (Canon 72 of the
Quinisext Ecumenical Council).
-
With the salvation of man as the goal,
the possibility of the exercise of
ecclesiastical oikonomia in
relation to impediments to marriage
must be considered by the Holy Synod
of each autocephalous Orthodox Church
according to the principles of the
holy canons and in a spirit of
pastoral discernment.
-
Marriage between Orthodox and
non-Christians is categorically
forbidden in accordance with canonical
akribeia.
-
The practice adopted in implementing
ecclesiastical Tradition with respect to
impediments to marriage should also take
into account the relevant provisions of
state legislation, without going beyond
the limits of ecclesiastical economy
(oikonomia).
† Bartholomew of Constantinople, Chairman
† Theodoros of Alexandria
† Theophilos of Jerusalem
† Irinej of Serbia
† Daniel of Romania
† Chrysostomos of Cyprus
† Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece
† Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland
† Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All
Albania
† Rastislav of Presov, the Czech Lands and
Slovakia
Delegation of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate
† Leo of Karelia and All Finland
† Stephanos of Tallinn and All Estonia
† Elder Metropolitan John of Pergamon
† Elder Archbishop Demetrios of America
† Augustinos of Germany
† Irenaios of Crete
† Isaiah of Denver
† Alexios of Atlanta
† Iakovos of the Princes’ Islands
† Joseph of Proikonnisos
† Meliton of Philadelphia
† Emmanuel of France
† Nikitas of the Dardanelles
† Nicholas of Detroit
† Gerasimos of San Francisco
† Amphilochios of Kisamos and Selinos
† Amvrosios of Korea
† Maximos of Selyvria
† Amphilochios of Adrianopolis
† Kallistos of Diokleia
† Antony of Hierapolis, Head of the
Ukrainian Orthodox in the USA
† Job of Telmessos
† Jean of Charioupolis, Head of the
Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes
of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe
† Gregory of Nyssa, Head of the
Carpatho-Russian Orthodox in the USA
Delegation of the Patriarchate of
Alexandria
† Gabriel of Leontopolis
† Makarios of Nairobi
† Jonah of Kampala
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† Alexandros of Nigeria
† Theophylaktos of Tripoli
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† Neofytos of Nyeri and Mount Kenya
Delegation of the Patriarchate of
Jerusalem
† Benedict of Philadelphia
† Aristarchos of Constantine
† Theophylaktos of Jordan
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Delegation of the Church of
Serbia
† Jovan of Ohrid and Skopje
† Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral
† Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana
† Vasilije of Sirmium
† Lukijan of Budim
† Longin of Nova Gracanica
† Irinej of Backa
† Hrizostom of Zvornik and Tuzla
† Justin of Zica
† Pahomije of Vranje
† Jovan of Sumadija
† Ignatije of Branicevo
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† Athanasios of Bihac and Petrovac
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† Grigorije of Zahumlje and Hercegovina
† Milutin of Valjevo
† Maksim in Western America
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† David of Krusevac
† Jovan of Slavonija
† Andrej in Austria and Switzerland
† Sergije of Frankfurt and in Germany
† Ilarion of Timok
Delegation of the Church of
Romania
† Teofan of Iasi, Moldova and Bucovina
† Laurentiu of Sibiu and Transylvania
† Andrei of Vad, Feleac, Cluj, Alba, Crisana
and Maramures
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† Ioan of Timisoara and Banat
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† Serafim in Germany and Central Europe
† Nifon of Targoviste
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† Casian of Lower Danube
† Timotei of Arad
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† Nicodim of Strehaia and Severin
† Visarion of Tulcea
† Petroniu of Salaj
† Siluan in Hungary
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† Macarie in Northern Europe
† Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to
the Patriarch
† Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to
the Archdiocese of Ramnic
† Ioan Casian of Vicina, Assistant Bishop to
the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the
Americas
Delegation of the Church of
Cyprus
† Georgios of Paphos
† Chrysostomos of Kition
† Chrysostomos of Kyrenia
† Athanasios of Limassol
† Neophytos of Morphou
† Vasileios of Constantia and Ammochostos
† Nikiphoros of Kykkos and Tillyria
† Isaias of Tamassos and Oreini
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† Porphyrios of Neapolis
† Gregory of Mesaoria
Delegation of the Church of
Greece
† Prokopios of Philippi, Neapolis and
Thassos
† Chrysostomos of Peristerion
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† Ignatios of Arta
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Soufli
† Alexios of Nikaia
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† Eusebios of Samos and Ikaria
† Seraphim of Kastoria
† Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros
† Nicodemos of Kassandreia
† Ephraim of Hydra, Spetses and Aegina
† Theologos of Serres and Nigrita
† Makarios of Sidirokastron
† Anthimos of Alexandroupolis
† Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis
† Chrysostomos of Messenia
† Athenagoras of Ilion, Acharnon and
Petroupoli
† Ioannis of Lagkada, Litis and Rentinis
† Gabriel of New Ionia and Philadelphia
† Chrysostomos of Nikopolis and Preveza
† Theoklitos of Ierissos, Mount Athos and
Ardameri
Delegation of the Church of
Poland
† Simon of Lodz and Poznan
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† Jacob of Bialystok and Gdansk
† George of Siemiatycze
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Delegation of the Church of
Albania
† Joan of Koritsa
† Demetrios of Argyrokastron
† Nikolla of Apollonia and Fier
† Andon of Elbasan
† Nathaniel of Amantia
† Asti of Bylis
Delegation of the Church of the Czech
lands and Slovakia
† Michal of Prague
† Isaiah of Sumperk