The Orthodox Faith
For St Paul Orthodox Youth Society - Brisbane
By Fr. John Abdel-Karim
October 2010
30 – Matrimony
The sacrament of
matrimony is also established by God. As a matter of fact, its establishment was
announced in the Old Testament. God created Adam and from the side of Adam He
created Eve. When Adam saw the woman, He said: "This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of
Man. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife,
and they become one flesh"(Genesis 2:23-24). God blessed the first-created and
said: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it"(Genesis
1:28).
This divine
establishment of the sacrament was reaffirmed by Christ by His presence at the
wedding at Cana, and through what He said to the
Pharisees who tested Him. Christ said to them: "Have you not read that he who
made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, `For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two but one flesh"
(Matthew 19:4-6). With these words of Christ two things are reaffirmed. First,
the physical unity of male and female gender supports the sacrament of
matrimony. Secondly, no one should separate those whom God has
joined.
This sacrament is
an icon and likeness of the mystical unity of the bridegroom, Christ, with the
bride, the Church, and this is how St. Paul presents it to us when he says:
"This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and
the church"(Ephesians 5:32).
Therefore, the
Old and the New Testaments directly tell us of the sacrament of matrimony.
Regarding Holy Tradition, it suffices to refer to the words of St. Basil the
Great: "The nature of the bondage is a bond based on a blessing" and St. Photios says that "what makes the betrothal a leading into
marriage acceptable by God is not the coming together, but the ceremony based on
prayers."
Our Church
recognizes obstacles to marriage. In other words, it does not allow marriage
between certain people. Specifically, it does not allow marriage between people
related by blood and those related in spirit. Prohibited marriages
are:
1. Parents with their own children,
grandchildren, or great-grandchildren.
2. Brothers-in-law with
sisters-in-law.
3. Uncles and aunts with nieces and
nephews.
4. First cousins with each
other.
5. Foster parents with foster
children or foster children with the children of foster
parents.
6. Godparents with godchildren or
godparents with the parents of godchildren.
According to the
teaching of Christ, the sacrament of matrimony is indissoluble. For only one
reason is marriage dissolved and divorce granted. Let us listen to Christ: "But
I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of
unchastity, makes her an adulteress"(Matthew 5:32).
For the
celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, two elements are required. First, it
is required that there be free consent on the part of
the groom and the bride. Secondly, a religious ceremony is required, performed
by a bishop or priest with canonical, apostolic
succession.
A civil marriage
or one by common law is not recognized by the Church.
Christians should
keep all the laws of our Church regarding the sacrament of marriage so that they
do not sin, and so that they have the blessing of God for the betrothed to live
honourably and happily, and to raise children in "the knowledge and teachings of
the Lord."
LET US PRAY
Creator of all, Triune
God, You Who commanded that people be joined through the sacrament of matrimony,
and in this way mutually complement each other and multiply. You, Lord, protect
the family, for it is the nucleus of society. On it are supported so many
things. Do not allow the dissolution of any marriage. Bless, Lord, all couples.
Make them be mystically united in the bond of sincere love and in the sacrament,
just as Christ, the Bridegroom, is with His Bride, the
Church.
We thank You, Lord.
