Traditions

Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony

The wedding service in the Greek Orthodox faith is an ancient and beautiful ceremony, which has been celebrated in its current form for centuries. The wedding ceremony is full of symbolism and filled with tradition. It is different from other weddings you may have attended in Western Europe. The most significant difference is that the bride and groom do not give vows to each other. Also, the only music that is permitted is hymns, and readings are restricted to religious texts. No music or musicians are permitted inside the church.

The service lasts between 40 minutes and an hour. Despite the fact that the couple may have already been officially engaged, the ceremony is a combination of betrothal and wedding. So, the ceremony consists of two parts: The service of the Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. The one follows immediately after the other. During the ceremony the two families (parents & siblings) are seated on opposite sides of the aisle. Also, the koumparoi (religious sponsors/witnesses which are the equivalent to the Best man and Maid of honour) will stand next to the couple. There will be 4 "koumparoi" at our wedding, 2 best men and 2 maids of honour.

Service of Betrothal

The exchanging of rings is the focus of the Service of Betrothal. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand and making the sign of the cross over the heads of the bride and groom. The rings are then placed on the third fingers of their right hands. 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 "Koumbaroi" then swaps the rings over between the bride and groom's fingers, three times. The exchange signifies that in married life, each partner's weakness will be compensated by the strength of the other and each partner's imperfections, by the perfection of the other. A number of rituals in the ceremony are repeated three times and this symbolises the Holy Trinity: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage

This Ceremony consists of several key parts. It consists of petitions, prayers, the crowning, readings from the New Testament, the offering of the common cup, the circling of the ceremonial table and the benediction. At the conclusion of the prayers, the priest joins the hands of The Bride and The Groom. Their hands remain joined until the end of the wedding ceremony, which symbolises the couple's union.

The Crowning

This is the focal point of the marriage ceremony. The bride and groom are crowned with thin crowns ("stefana"), which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolise the presence of Christ who blesses and joins the couple and establishes them as the King and Queen of their home. The ribbon symbolises their unity. Then, the priest or the "Koumbaroi" exchange the crowns between the heads of the couple, three times.

The Common Cup

The crowning is followed by a reading of the Gospel, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, which was then given to the married couple. In remembrance of this blessing, wine is given to the couple. This is the "common cup" of life denoting the mutual sharing of joy and sorrow, the token of a life of harmony.

When the chanter reads the Apostle reading, there is a section that says "The woman shall fear the man". At that point, the bride lightly steps on the groom's foot, to gain the upper hand in the marriage. At that point of the service, the guests divert their attention to the couple's feet to see if the bride will actually do it.

The Ceremonial Walk

The priest leads the couple, who are still wearing their "stefana", three times around the altar in their first steps as a married couple. This is called the "dance of Isaiah" and it symbolises the journey they will travel together as husband and wife. The "Koumbaroi" follow close behind the couple.

The Removal of the Crowns

When the Ceremonial Walk has ended, the priest blesses the couple. Then the parents and elderly relatives will give their blessing to the couple and kiss the "stefana". Lastly, the crowns are removed by the priest and he then separates their previously joined hands with the bible, reminding them that only God can break the union into which they have just entered into.

Koufeta

Sugar-coated almonds ("koufeta"), are sweets typically offered to the guests after the ceremony. The "koufeta" which were blessed by the priest are typically an odd number of almonds, a symbol that the couple's lives remain forever together. The fresh almond has both a bitter and a sweet taste, a symbol of life itself. The white colour symbolizes purity. The egg shape represents fertility and the new life which begins with marriage. Single women should take the "koufeta" home and place them under their pillow. The sweetness of the "koufeta" will allow them to dream of the man they will marry.

Reception

A reception usually follows the ceremony. During the reception, guests form a line to congratulate the married couple and their parents. Guests traditionally bring money as a gift to the new couple, placed in a small envelope. In order to thank the guests, a Cypriot traditional wedding sweet called "loukoumi" is offered to them. "Loukoumi" is a type of shortbread covered with icing sugar and filled with almonds and pistachio nuts. We will have our reception in the church's courtyard.