Marriage: The Service of Betrothal
In this service, the priest begins by offering petitions of prayer on behalf of the man and woman who are being betrothed. He then asks God's blessings upon the rings and proceeds to bless the bride and groom with the rings. He does this three times in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, first from the groom to the bride, and then from the bride to the groom. The back and forth movement can be interpreted to mean that the lives of the two are being entwined into one. Double wedding bands are used, since according to Old Testament references, the placing of rings was an official act indicating that an agreement had been sealed between two parties. In this case, the agreement is that a man and a woman agree to live together in the fellowship of marriage as husband and wife.
The priest then places the rings on the ring fingers of the right hands of the two. It is noteworthy that the right hands are used in the putting on of the rings, since according to all Biblical knowledge we have, it is the right hand of God that blesses; it was to the right hand of the Father that Christ ascended; it is to the right that those who will inherit eternal life will go. Thus, the Church preserves the superiority of the right also in marriage. The Sponsor as a further expression and witness that the lives of the two are being brought together then exchanges the rings three times on the fingers of the bride and the groom. A final prayer is read, sealing the putting on of the rings, which then take on the added meaning that the agreement was sealed and that God Himself enacted the marriage.
Home | About Us
| Worship | News &
Events | Community | Outreach
| Youth | Contact
Us
© 2001, Annunication Greek Orthodox Church.
All rights reserved.