THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIRED FOR AN ORTHODOX SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

We as a parish rejoice in the love that you, as a couple, share for one another and the commitment that has been made to bring you to this day in preparation for your marriage. Your decision to be married in the Church is an indication that the Christian faith and the sacramental life of the Church are important to you. In the eyes of the Church, marriage is the sacramental union between a man and a woman that is used in the Bible as the image of God’s faithful love for ancient Israel (Isaiah 54; Jeremiah 3; Ezekiel 16) and Christ’s sacrificial relationship to the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Jesus Himself, together with His mother the Theotokos and the disciples attended and blessed a wedding in Cana of Galilee, performing His first miracle, which assisted in the celebration of that event (John 2:1-11). As Christians, the sacrament of marriage is your oath of loyalty unto death to each other and - as a couple - your oath of loyalty unto death to our Lord Jesus Christ. Christian marriage is intended to be a sign of God’s presence and love in this fallen and broken world.



Along with the excitement and joy that goes along with this important decision, many questions arise as to what is required for marriage preparation.

1. PRE-MARiTAL COUNSELING: Pre-Marital Counseling is mandatory for all marriages taking place at Saint Barbara. You may arrange counseling simply by making your first appointment with Fr. Stavroforos. These sessions are for the benefit of the couple in order to prepare them properly for marriage. There will be at least two, at a time convenient to Fr. Stavroforos and the couple, in the two-month period preceding the wedding. Please contact the Church Office in order to schedule these conferences.
2. ECCLESIASTICAL LICENSE: A petition to the Metropolis for the marriage license will be made through Fr. Stavroforos at one of the conferences. Please note that both petitioners must be baptized Christians, having received a Trinitarian Baptism; at least one of the petitioners must be an Orthodox Christian. Papers necessary for this application are: a) Baptismal certificates for both parties (at least one of which must be an Orthodox Baptismal certificate) and b) Certificate of Freedom to Marry (applies only to Orthodox Christians who were born overseas and arrived in the USA after the age of 17). If either petitioner was previously married, a civil divorce decree is required for Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians and an Ecclesiastical Divorce for Orthodox Christians must be obtained before scheduling the wedding. Because of the sacramental nature of the marriage bond (in which a couple not only pledge their love for each other but also their love for Christ) a marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Christian may not be celebrated in the Church. For more information on interfaith marriage see "GOA Office of Interfaith Marriage".
3. CIVIL LICENSE: Application for a civil license is made at any City Hall or Town Hall in North Carolina. Inquire at the office of the Register of Deeds, Marriage License Division at (919) 560-0493 for as to the requirements. Civil licenses are not valid until three days after issuance, so you must have your license before the wedding by law. Get it early. Bring your license on the day of your rehearsal, so that the Fr. Stavroforos can complete it on the day of your wedding and send it back to The Register of Deeds of the County Clerk’s office.
4. SPONSOR OF SACRAMENT (Koumbaro/Koumbara): The sponsor may be male or female. He/She must be an Orthodox Christian in “good ecclesiastical standing.” Good ecclesiastical standing includes being baptized and receiving Holy Communion in an Orthodox Christian Church. It also includes being an enrolled, contributing member of an Orthodox parish (see #5 below). If married, the marriage must have been blessed in the Orthodox Church. A maid/matron of honor or best man who is not Orthodox may stand next to the bride or groom, but the Sponsor must be an Orthodox Christian. If not enrolled in any other Orthodox parish for the current year, he/she must become members of St. Barbara through the “Fair Share” stewardship system An individual sponsor has a minimum of $250.00 to contribute; married couples serving as sponsors have a minimum of $300.00 to contribute.
5. FACILITY USAGE FEE(S):For members in good standing of St. Barbara a $200 fee is charged to secure the Church for the Wedding, a $100 deposit is required in order to reserve the dates of the rehearsal and the wedding day. (The above mentioned fee is charged for expenses and maintenance clean up). Non-members of St. Barbara, who are in “Good Ecclesiastical Standing” and enrolled, contributing members of an Eastern Orthodox Parish, are assessed with a facility usage fee of $500.00 for the wedding rehearsal and the wedding day. A $250 deposit is required to secure the wedding date, and the balance to be paid two weeks prior to the wedding.
   1. All fees must be paid in full before an appointment can be made with Fr. Stavroforos of our Church to process your wedding. Usually two visits are required. We must allow at least one month notification for the Metropolis of Atlanta to review and grant its official permit for the sacrament.
   2. All fees collected by the office go directly to the Church. Honorariums and/or gratuities for Fr. Stavroforos and your invited guest clergy, chanter and custodian are not reflected in these above mentioned charges.
6. CROWNS (STEPHANA) AND RINGS ARE REQUIRED: The Office can provide you with information on where to purchase stephana. They may also be made at the florist with fresh flowers. Please make sure to provide a silver tray for the stephana as well.

THE FOLLOWING MAY ANSWER SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS REGARDING OPTIONS FOR YOUR WEDDING

• ORGANIST: You may request an organist through the Church’s Office and pay the organist’s fee directly to him/her. The organist will play 15 minutes before the wedding, the processional and the recessional. The organist’s presence at the rehearsal is optional.
• MUSIC: The couple is reminded that the Church is a place of worship in which we glorify God through hymns and sacred music. The organ, although a Western tradition, has always been associated with the music of the Church in the United States. This being the case, the use of our church organ is considered the norm for our Church. Traditional wedding music as well as classical sacred music is permissible for use in the Church.
• LANGUAGE: The language used in the ceremony is up to the couple. Fr. Stavroforos will discuss and advise on this matter.
• BRIDAL PARTY: The couple shall decide on the number of participants.
• REHEARSAL: If you wish to have a wedding rehearsal, arrangements must be made with Fr. Stavroforos, who will coordinate and direct the rehearsal.
• PHOTOGRAPHER: There will be only one official photographer, in order to keep the sacrament dignified. The photographer will speak with Fr. Stavroforos and will follow his guidance on position, shots, when, where, what etc. Make sure they know the meaning of “discreet, dignity and appropriate dress.”
• VIDEO: You can have video taken. The same guidelines as those for a photographer also apply for the person doing the videos.
• FLOWERS: The couple shall decide on the number and kind of flowers used to decorate the church.
• ADDITIONAL CLERGY: If the couple wishes to extend an invitation to other Eastern Orthodox clergy, they are to be considered the couple’s personal guest(s). The couple is asked to inform the Dean of the Church in regards to visiting clergy so that the necessary arrangements can be made to facilitate their participation in the wedding service. This usually involves a letter from the visiting clergyman’s metropolis giving him canonical permission to leave his metropolis and to serve at ours. This also involves a letter from our Metropolitan stating that the visiting clergyman has obtained his permission to serve at our Church. In the case of non-Orthodox clergy please consult with Fr. Stavroforos, also see GOA pastoral guidlines and "GOA Office of Interfaith Marriage".

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR IF PROBLEMS ARISE, YOU MAY CALL THE CHURCH (919) 484-1600 DURING OFFICE HOURS OR LEAVE A MESSAGE DETAILING THE NATURE OF YOUR INQUIRY.