"Indeed, when you submit to the bishop as you would to Jesus Christ it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ... It is necessary, therefore, and such is your practice, that you do nothing without the bishop..."

- St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Trallians 2, 1-2 (ca 110)

"Certainly it is now the bishops who hold the place of the Apostles in the church. They receive the authority of binding and loosing; they have as their lot the role of governing. It is a magnificent honor, but the honor that carries with it a heavy burden."

- St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels 2, 26, 5 (ca 509)

MARRIAGES

For the Sacramental union of a man and a woman to be proper in the eyes of the church the marriage must be performed in the Orthodox Church. For such a marriage to be sacramentally valid, the following must be adhered to:

1. No impediment to the marriage may exist, or the necessary dispensations must be obtained beforehand from the hierarch of the diocese.
2. A civil marriage license must be obtained from appropriate civil authorities.
3. The Sacrament of Marriage must be celebrated by an Orthodox priest in the church of the bride in accordance with the liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church.
4. The priest must belong to our diocese. A marriage performed by another priest in communion with the Ecumenical Throne is recognized as valid by the entire Orthodox Church.
5. The pastor must receive necessary dispensations if they are required for the marriage from his diocesan bishop.
6. Before proceeding with arrangements for a marriage, the pastor must verify:
   1. That the parties in question are not already married either in this country or elsewhere. If one of the parties is not personally known to the pastor, a freedom to marry form must be executed by their legal pastor.
   2. Those desiring marriage must be members in good standing both from a spiritual and temporal perspective in the parish for at least one year prior to the marriage date.
   3. If either or both parties are widowed, they must present the death certificate of the deceased spouse.
   4. If either or both of the parties have been civilly divorced and have civilly remarried, determination must be made by the Diocesan Tribunal regarding the former marriages and their validity. In such a case no marriage date can be set until a decree is obtained from the Diocesan Tribunal.
7. No more than a total of three valid marriages are permitted by the Church.
8. When one or both parties is divorced, they must obtain a decree of annulment or of spiritual death of former marriage from the Diocesan Tribunal.
9. In the case of mixed marriage, the non-Orthodox party must be a Christian who is baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. A marriage cannot be solemnized between an Orthodox Christian and a non-baptized person.
10. In the case of a mixed marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Orthodox Christian, the marriage must be celebrated by an Orthodox priest in the Orthodox Church according to Orthodox liturgical tradition. The parties must promise solemnly and in writing that any children born of the marriage will be reared and raised exclusively in the Orthodox Church.
11. Mixed marriages can be celebrated only in the Orthodox Church. Double ceremonies are not permitted to believers as the Orthodox ceremony is alone sufficient for sacramental grace. In those cases where dual ceremonies are planned, the marriage cannot take place in the Orthodox Church.
12. Since two witnesses are required civilly, ideally, they should both be Orthodox. However, for the validity of the Sacrament, only one is necessary. This witness must be a practicing Orthodox Christian and must have a Sponsor certificate from his pastor attesting to same. A person who does not belong to an Orthodox parish, does not receive the Sacrament regularly, or who belongs to a parish not in communion with the Ecumenical Throne, or who, if married, is not married in an Orthodox Church, cannot enjoy the awesome dignity of a marriage witness. Non-Orthodox members may comprise the remainder of the wedding party since they serve no spiritual or religious purpose.
13. The couple contemplating marriage cannot compose their own marriage ceremony. The Diocesan publication of the Service of Holy Matrimony is the only service book to be used. No music, other than that which is part of our sacred musical tradition, is permitted to be sung.
14. If the couple requests the special presence of a priest of another canonical Orthodox diocese, the invitation must be extended to him through the officiating priest. If the couple requests the special presence of a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, the invitation must be extended to him through the officiating priest, after the proper dispensation has been granted by the Diocesan Bishop. Since no priesthood exists in the Protestant tradition, and no sacrament is acknowledged in contracting the marriage, participation by a Protestant minister is not permitted.