The History and Meaning of the Rite of Crowning #
The most important and solemn moments in a Christian’s life are inextricably bound with the church. It is there, in the sacrament of baptism, that the Christian is born spiritually. It is there that he is renewed again and again in the sacraments of confession and communion. And one day, he comes to the church hand in hand with the person with whom he desires to share his life. He comes with the hope that in the sacrament of crowning, the Lord will unite two individual persons into an inseparable whole and make them into a family. The family is a little Church, in which two people are joined together in order to walk the path of salvation side by side, to bear and raise children in service to God. In the sacrament of marriage, the Church bestows a special grace that helps the family to live in holiness.
On the Sacrament of Marriage: #
The History and Meaning of the Rite of Crowning #
Marriage as a spiritual union was established by the Lord already in Paradise.
“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:18–24)
In the Old Testament, after the Fall, the meaning of marriage was primarily the continuation of the human race. Each person hoped that it would be in his own lineage that the Savior would one day be born. The absence of children was considered a punishment from God for sins. The biblical record contains instances where some Hebrews had concubines, and there were cases of divorce. Nevertheless, despite such occurrences, the family as an indivisible union of two people remained the ideal. The seventh commandment of Moses states:
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)
The marital unions of Old Testament righteous ones—such as the prophet Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the God-bearing ancestors Joachim and Anna—remain ideals of marital life for Christians to this day.
With the coming of Christ, the moral demands for purity in marriage were heightened:
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27–28)
In the New Testament, the highest spiritual goal is chastity and purity, yet marriage is shown as a viable and salvific path for all. Saint John Chrysostom writes:
“I hold virginity in much higher honor than marriage; and yet by saying this, I do not number marriage among evil things, but I greatly praise it.”
The Gospel is widely known to mention the moment when the Lord Jesus Christ honored a wedding in Cana of Galilee with His presence. As Blessed Augustine writes,
“Christ came to the wedding (in Cana) to confirm that He Himself had established marriage in Paradise.”
The mention of what seems to be an ordinary, everyday event testifies to its great significance. Over time, marriage was recognized as one of the seven sacraments of the Church, performed upon a person who comes to it by personal choice. For unlike other sacraments—such as Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, and Communion—the sacrament of marriage is not required for salvation.
On the Origins of Marriage and the Emergence of the Rite of Crowning #
Originally, marriage was understood to be the union of a man and a woman recognized by society. In the early centuries of Christianity, there were no specific prayers for the blessing of a marital union. Newly baptized Christians accepted with full responsibility the commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” along with the Apostle’s exhortation to a blameless married life:
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).
This awareness of the commandment strengthened Christians in their resolve to build family life in unity of mind and purity.
The earliest known reference to the Church’s involvement in the establishment of marriage appears in the writings of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer. He writes:
“Those who marry and are given in marriage ought to enter the union with the bishop’s knowledge, so that the marriage may be in the Lord.”
At that time, however, this was apparently a local rather than a universal rule.
Later, the presence of a clergyman at the wedding feast came to be regarded as a sign of the blessing of the marriage union. There is evidence that in the time of St. John Chrysostom, clergy would read a prayer for the blessing of the marriage. Even then, however, the wedding ceremony remained a civil act, carried out according to the customs of the society in which the Christian couple lived.
Secular entertainments at weddings did not always align with the demands of Christian piety. Nevertheless, even among Christian marriages, not all were able—or willing—to renounce them entirely. Thus arose the need to distinguish the secular portion of the wedding celebration from the Church portion, with clear preference given to the latter. Couples began coming to the church for a blessing, and by the 4th–6th centuries, the Church ceremony had become clearly separate from the secular celebration, becoming what we now know as the Rite of Crowning.
The name “crowning” (Russian: venchanie) comes from the word crown (venets). The crown was a wedding symbol even before the rise of Christianity. The crown as a symbol of victory over the flesh is mentioned in the writings of Chrysostom:
“They (the newlyweds) have crowns placed upon their heads, because they are not conquered, and come to the bridal chamber not having been overcome by lust. But if someone, being a slave to lust, gives himself over to harlots, how can he receive a crown upon his head, having been defeated?”
Upon Whom the Sacrament Is Performed #
Today, marriage is one of the seven sacraments of the Christian Church. It is performed only for Christians. The future husband and wife must without exception be of one Christian faith. This fact, which may at first glance seem obvious, today takes on particular importance and requires careful attention. A frequent question is:
“Is it permitted to be married in the ROC (Russian Orthodox Church)? What if one of the spouses is also a Christian, but not an Old Believer?”
Those entering into marriage must understand that the sacrament of marriage can only be performed upon two people who confess true Orthodoxy—that is, upon people baptized according to the patristic canons, who live a Christian life, who have a spiritual father, who regularly confess their sins—that is, people who live within the Church.
And since there can be only one true Church, crowning—as with participation in any of the other sacraments—cannot be permitted in any other confession, including the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
And if one of the future spouses is not yet an Old Believer, then before entering into marriage, the question of baptism must first be resolved, or—if full immersion has already taken place—it must be completed through chrismation. The “other half” must also become a child of the Old Believer Church, and only then can the matter of crowning be considered. It is logical and proper that things proceed in this order, and not the reverse. An Old Believer Christian who consciously neglects his place in the Church of Christ and voluntarily turns to participate in sacraments in any other confession that has no prayerful communion with the Church thereby separates himself from the Church. Should this Christian later desire to return to the Church, he must be received according to the canonical order as prescribed by Church law.
In our time, there are many cases of “uncrowned” and “mixed” marriages, when due to a lack of awareness, two people—even if baptized in childhood but who have not given it any serious thought—begin living together without a Church blessing or after entering into marriage within another confession. If a Christian lives together with someone without a Church blessing (no matter who it may be), this is, for him, the sin of fornication, and that sin must be treated according to the appropriate Church rules. If an Old Believer Christian enters into marriage with someone of another faith according to the customs of a foreign confession, then it is considered, for him, a sin of falling away from the Church, and the legitimacy of such a marriage requires separate consideration. However, it is worth noting that the Church gives priority to preserving a union that has already begun between two people, while at the same time urging both of them toward a full Church life—that is, repentance and, if necessary, the incorporation of the “other half” into the Church.
There also exists the phenomenon of a second marriage, when “for the sake of human weakness,” two widowed individuals or those who have received a Church divorce enter into a new marriage. Such a union is also performed with the Church’s blessing, although a penance is necessarily imposed on the spouses. Rare, but still present, are cases of a third marriage, which is considered extremely undesirable. However, in order to give some measure of legitimacy to such a union and to distinguish it from a sinful cohabitation, a special prayer exists for those entering into a third marriage. Of course, the service for such a marriage lacks the solemnity of the crowning of those who marry for the first time.
What Is Required for the Celebration of Marriage #
The first and most important condition is the free will, pure conscience, and sincere intentions of the bride and groom, as well as their promise of mutual respect and trust. The second important condition is a blessing: each party should receive a blessing to enter into marriage from their spiritual father and from their parents (or the elders in the family). In past times, a blessing from the parents often played a decisive role in the choice of a spouse and in entering into marriage.
Strong personal feelings between the couple are not considered a required condition for entering into marriage (nor is it considered appropriate to base the decision to marry solely on feelings). If such feelings do arise between the bride and groom, or come to them later, they are received as a gift from God and a manifestation of what we call “family happiness.” But it is important to ensure that even strong personal emotions do not overshadow the Lord or the common task of the spouses—to walk together on the path of salvation. If such deep personal feelings do not arise between the couple, or if they quickly fade, this is no cause for discouragement; rather, one must strive to fill the soul with Christian virtues, labor diligently in raising children in the Christian faith, and thank God for having delivered us from loneliness.
In all cases, the solid foundation of a Christian marriage must be the good Christian qualities of both spouses; all emotional and sensual elements are unreliable and fleeting, and therefore are placed in the background.
The future husband and wife must not be related by blood—the Church canons lay out in detail the permissible degrees of kinship.
The sacrament is typically performed by the priest who is the spiritual father of the bride and groom. If this is not possible for some reason, any priest may officiate the crowning. However, the blessing of the spiritual father for the marriage is an essential requirement.
Marriage is usually performed in the presence of witnesses.
The minimum legal age for marriage is 14 for girls and 16 for boys. If a man has preserved his chastity until the age of 45 and has not married, the Church encourages him to continue in celibacy. The maximum permissible age difference between spouses is considered to be 13 years, provided that the man is older than the woman.
Sometimes the bride and groom come to the crowning with a civil marriage certificate already in hand. In other cases, the civil registration (ZAGS certificate and passport stamp) may be obtained after the Church crowning has taken place.
The Time for the Celebration of Crowning #
A Christian approaches the sacraments after appropriate spiritual preparation, at a time when they are necessary for him. There are customs of partaking in confession and communion during the fasting seasons, because the fast inclines the soul toward repentance and prepares both soul and body for receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. Today, just as in ancient times, some parishes continue the tradition of baptizing adults at the end of Great Lent before the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ (Pascha). However, when needed, confession, communion, baptism, and other sacraments are administered regardless of fasts or feast days.
The sacrament of marriage is an exception to this rule. The beginning of family life is not compatible with fasting or with the great feasts of the Church, during which the Church calls the faithful to turn away from all things carnal and earthly concerns and to immerse themselves in prayer.
Days When the Sacrament of Marriage Is Not Celebrated\ #
(Dates are given according to the Old Style calendar)
— Christmastide (Svyatki) — from December 25 to January 6 inclusive.
— On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (that is, on the eve of Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday throughout the entire year).
— On the eve of the Twelve Great Feasts, patronal feasts, and great all-night vigil feasts.
— On Meatfare Sunday and Cheesefare Week.
— During all fasting periods and on the eve of fasts.
— During Bright Week (the week following Pascha).
— On the Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Forerunner (August 29).
— On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (September 14).
— On the eve of the appointed days of general commemoration of the departed (parental Saturdays):
— February 17 – Universal (Meatfare) Memorial Saturday
— April 24 (customary date) – Tuesday of Thomas Week (Radonitsa)
— June 2 – Universal (Trinity) Memorial Saturday
— October 20 – Dimitry’s Memorial Saturday
The Order and Symbolism of the Actions in the Rite of Crowning #
The day of crowning remains in one’s memory for a lifetime. But to more deeply understand and feel its significance and solemnity, it is necessary to prepare for it in advance. The rite of crowning contains many prayers rich in meaning and full of wise instruction. There is deep symbolism in the sequence of actions performed by the priest and the newlyweds, so before partaking of the sacrament, it is good to learn the meaning of the prayers and the significance of each ritual act. Below we present the general sequence and briefly explain the meaning of each of the priest’s actions.
According to pious tradition, a week-long fast by the couple precedes the marriage. On the eve of the sacrament, the bride and groom come to the church for confession, so that they may begin this new chapter of life with a clean heart. The crowning is performed after the Divine Liturgy. It is a great blessing if the bride and groom are able to attend the Liturgy at church and pray before this momentous occasion. As in times past, some devout Christians today strive not only to be present for the full service but also to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ during the Liturgy. After the service, while the faithful are leaving the church and the priest prepares for the Rite of Crowning, the couple has enough time to change into their festive garments and make ready all that is needed.
Before the crowning begins, the newlyweds bring and hand over to the priest the wedding rings, candles, a bridal head covering (povoynik), a small rug (podnozhie), a cup (small goblet) for wine, and a small cloth for covering their joined hands.
According to custom, the procession to the church takes place with the singing of hymns and the carrying of icons. The icons—typically of Christ the Savior and the Mother of God—are laid upon a clean cloth (rushnik) and entrusted to someone pious, usually a young man and woman or children. Those carrying the icons go ahead, followed by the bride and groom, then the guests. For this solemn event, the bride and groom wear festive clothing. The groom wears a traditional kosovorotka or kaftan, the bride a sarafan, usually red or white. As at other church services, they carry a lestovka (a traditional Old Believer prayer rope), the faithful companion of the Christian in prayer.
Today it is not uncommon for young couples to be crowned in “civil” attire—a suit and a dress. This is permitted, but one must remember that such clothing must be modest and appropriate for church. For the bride, low necklines, short sleeves, and bare shoulders are not acceptable. A veil and heavy makeup are also inappropriate. One must keep in mind that despite the festive, unique, and once-in-a-lifetime nature of the event, the bride and groom are entering a church, where the central element is prayer, not the splendor of their garments.
The bride and groom are led into the church with the chanting of prayers. The groom is placed on the right, and the bride on the left. This order is observed at all church services and is also maintained at the crowning: the man, appointed by God as the head of the woman, stands in the place of precedence—on the right.
According to the custom of all prayer services, all those present begin by making entry prostrations (the seven-bow beginning). The first part of the sacrament begins—the betrothal. It is performed in the western part of the church, near the entrance or even in the narthex. The bride and groom are given candles as a sign of “divine illumination and joy” (Blessed Simeon). The lit candles in their hands symbolize marital love and chastity. The brightly burning candles signify that their coming to the church today for a blessing is sincere, without selfish or calculating motives. The couple vows to preserve in one another the flame of love for God and the Church, which today blesses them for life together.
In the altar, on the holy table, the priest places the two rings. The rings are sanctified by their contact with the altar upon which the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, and this act testifies that the bride and groom are becoming betrothed not only of their own will, but with the blessing of God upon their union. The rings (or, as they are called in the prayers, signet-rings) affirm the consent of the couple to walk through life together henceforth. The ring, according to ancient custom, serves as a symbol of sealing an agreement—henceforth the newlyweds entrust to each other their rights, honor, and peace. And just as the circle of a ring has no break or end, so too their union is to be unbroken and eternal. The priest brings the rings out from the altar, blesses the groom and bride with them, and places the rings on the fourth finger of their right hands. He then prays that Christ, “who betrothed to Himself the Church as a pure virgin from among the nations,” would likewise bless this betrothal and preserve the engaged couple in peace and unity of mind.
In the past, it was common for the betrothal to be separated from the crowning itself. In such cases—when the crowning was to be performed later as a separate rite—the prayers and acts of the Betrothal Service ended at that point. But today it is rare for couples to be betrothed and crowned at different times; usually, the betrothal flows directly into the crowning.
If the crowning follows immediately after the betrothal, then the bride, right there in the narthex, is covered with a povoynik (a linen cap), and over it, a scarf. This is the blessing for her henceforth always to cover her head—in church, to pray wearing both the povoynik and the scarf, and in public, to wear a scarf or other modest head covering.
The crowning now begins. The priest leads the couple to the center of the church and places them before the Holy Gospel. The Law, left to us by Christ and recorded in the Gospel, is the guidebook for the future spouses and their rule for all joint actions and relationships with one another and with their neighbors.
With the singing of the psalm “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways” (Psalm 127:1), the couple is placed upon the podnozhie—a clean white cloth—as a sign that the bride and groom have preserved their virginity before marriage. The words of Psalm 127 call upon the spouses to “walk in the ways of the Lord,” that is, to keep His commandments—and the happiness of their family life will depend on how they conduct themselves in relation to God and His commandments.
For the edification of the newlyweds, the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians is read, which speaks of perfect love within marriage, and the Gospel account of Christ’s first miracle, performed at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. In the prayers, the priest asks God to help the couple in every good work, to preserve chastity and purity, and to grant them children.
Through the mouth of the priest, in the moving prayers of the Rite of Crowning, the Holy Church recalls the marriages blessed by God Himself—those of our holy forefathers—and calls down the same blessing of the Lord upon the bride and groom. The Church beseeches the Most High to preserve them as Noah was preserved in the ark, Jonah in the belly of the whale, and the three youths in the Babylonian furnace; to grant them unity of soul and body, long life, an incorruptible crown in heaven, dew from above and the fatness of the earth, to fill their homes with wheat, wine, and oil and all good things, so that having sufficiency in all things, they may also give to those in need. The priest likewise pleads with the Lord to remember the parents of the bride and groom, for the prayers of parents establish the foundation of homes.
Taking the crowns from the altar, the priest brings them out, blesses the groom with the crown, and places it upon his head, praying that the Lord may crown him with glory and honor. The same is done for the bride. The husband and wife are thus made as kings and queens of their home and of all their future offspring, taking upon themselves the responsibility to wield this authority wisely and for the good of all. In ancient times, the heads of victors were adorned with crowns; likewise, the crowning of the bride and groom serves as a reward for their chaste lives before marriage and as a foretaste of that reward which the Lord has prepared for spouses who live honorably throughout their lives.
Then the priest, once more from the altar, brings out a cup of wine and gives it three times to the groom and bride to drink, as a sign of their union in God. From this point onward, everything in their married life must be shared in common: the same desires and intentions, and all things equally—joys and sorrows, happiness and misfortunes, labor and rest, struggles and the crowns that come from those struggles. The cup is then broken in the church itself, that none may ever drink from it again.
The priest then covers the joined hands of the bride and groom with a cloth and leads them three times around the analoy (lectern) on which lies the Gospel. With the hymn “Holy Martyrs”, the couple is reminded of the martyrdom of the saints, who endured suffering and death for the sake of God’s commandments.
The priest then turns the couple to face the people and reads an exhortation on a pious married life. After this, he turns them once again toward the altar and removes the crowns from their heads. Then the prayer for many years is proclaimed for the newlyweds. Afterward, they venerate the cross (or, if they brought icons with them, they venerate those icons).
Then, together with all present, the newlyweds make concluding prostrations. The first to offer congratulations is the priest who performed the crowning. Then the bride and groom congratulate one another and, turning to face the people (toward the west), receive congratulations from their guests.