On October 27th, 2024, I had an incredible time attending my godfather's wedding. As members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, an ancient tradition that developed primarily within the Byzantine Empire, there are certain customs and liturgical elements to the ceremony that may seem unique when compared to Western weddings. My goal here is to offer up a glimpse into these unique experiences and explain this beautifully traditional ceremony with all of its characteristically profound symbolism.
The wedding took place at All Saints Orthodox Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. As soon as you step into the building, you immediately notice the primary focus of the architecture: domes. These domes are a staple of Byzantine architecture, large and wide-reaching; they're meant to symbolize the pouring out of God onto Creation through the incarnation. In the center of these domes, it is common for a large icon of Christ to be present, staring down at the congregation in order to emphasize the enormity of God. Practically speaking, they allow for the choir's voice to reverberate throughout the church, as the Byzantine tradition only utilizes a capella in liturgical services. The church was also covered in icons of the saints and angels, which is pretty standard. These icons are supposed to act as windows into heaven, surrounding us with the saints to participate in the liturgical life of the church.
A notable difference between an Orthodox wedding and an average American wedding is the focus of the ceremony. For Orthodox Christians, marriage is not just a legal contract or a social celebration—it's a sacrament. The priority of the service is God, above all else, including the bride and groom. The ceremony begins with a prayer called the Great Litany, which invokes God's peace and prosperity for the entire world, followed by prayers for civil authorities. The litany continues on, but only after these do the prayers turn toward the couple, asking for God's blessing on their future marriage. It also includes praises to St. Mary, the Mother of God, and the Holy Trinity, as well as references to famous biblical couples, such as Isaac and Rebecca, as examples of a successful marriage. Towards the end of the litany, the prayers take a focus on God's loyalty, citing examples of leading Abraham through Mesopotamia and Moses through Egypt. I find the emphasis on loyalty, unity, and the sacred nature of the wedding to be comforting in a way; it feels substantial and set apart in a time where I think tradition can be a little undervalued. The references back to these famous Old Testament figures being led through foreign lands signifies to me that even in the face of a major life change like marriage, you’ll never need to feel a sense of “us vs. the world,” at least not anymore.
After the exchanging of rings, a series of additional prayers, and the invocation of the saints, the ceremony reaches its pinnacle: the crowning. This is the main event of the entire wedding. Having just exchanged their vows, the bride and groom are each adorned with bejeweled crowns, which are, of course, given more symbolism. The crowns represent many things, but most commonly, they signify the couple’s new roles as the heads of their family. They are also meant to remind us of the sacrificial act of marriage as the hymn for martyrdom is played. Once the crowns are placed, the newlyweds take their first steps together in a procession called the Dance of Isaiah. It's probably my favorite part of the whole wedding, definitely the most unique. It consists of the couple circling the altar three times and symbolizes the first steps of their newly begun journey together. The ceremony calls to mind Isaiah the Prophet with its hymn saying, "Rejoice, O Isaiah! The Virgin is with child and shall bear a son, Emmanuel, who is both God and man, and Orient is His name, whom we magnifying call the Virgin blessed. O holy martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns, entreat ye the Lord that He will have mercy on our souls. Glory to Thee, O Christ God. The Apostles boast, the Martyrs joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity." Quickly after the congregation was dismissed with some brief prayers and we moved into the reception as normal. I was almost sad the dismissal wasn’t as grandiose as the rest of the wedding.
Weddings are the kind of event you really have to experience firsthand to fully appreciate. I hope my brief retelling has piqued your interest, even if just a little. I think it’s nice that, in a world where you can drive to Vegas and elope in 15 minutes flat, you can still witness something so culturally rich and traditional. It almost feels like stepping into a time machine.
Works Cited
Yiannias, John. “Orthodox Art and Architecture - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America - Orthodox Church.” Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 20 Aug. 1985, www.goarch.org/-/orthodox-art-and-architecture.
Rebecca. “The Dance of Isaiah.” Saint Aidan Orthodox Church, 21 Feb. 2022, www.saintaidan.ca/2022/02/20/the-dance-of-isaiah/.
“Holy Matrimony Service.” Orthodox Church in America, 2022.
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