The Orthodox Church forbids the marriage of Orthodox Christians with heretics (following canon 14 of Chalcedon and canon 72 of the Quinisext Synod of 692). However, under the Orthodox principle of oikonomia (pastoral prudence) an Orthodox bishop may exceptionally give a dispensation to an Orthodox Christian by which a marriage to a non-Orthodox is recognised as valid.
With the twentieth century movement of populations and the Orthodox diaspora, the question of mixed marriages became more urgent for the Orthodox, as for other churches. When the Second Preconciliar Panorthodox Consultation met in 1982 in Chambésy, Switzerland, it stated: ‘Marriage between an Orthodox and a non-Orthodox is not permitted according to the Akribeia (strict) canon. However, it can be allowed to take place out of forbearance and love for humankind, under the express condition that the children of this marriage be baptised and brought up in the Orthodox Church. Local Orthodox churches can make this decision, using the oikonomia principle, in individual cases in which they undertake this as a particular pastoral obligation.’
The wedding ceremony must take place in an Orthodox church according to Orthodox rites celebrated by an Orthodox priest. However, another minister may offer a prayer, and give a reading or a homily.
Mixed marriages between Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians
Following the recommendations of the Chambésy consultation, the Orthodox-Catholic
Dialogue Commission in Switzerland published a joint statement in 1985 under
the title ‘Mixed marriages between Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians’.
(The text is given in Présence orthodoxe en Suisse: Guide pastoral, Fribourg
1991, pp.34-37.)
Similarities and differences as to the way in which marriage is understood by Catholics and Orthodox are set out. Both believe that marriage between baptised persons is a sacrament. For the mutual recognition of marriage, it will be necessary to observe the rules of both churches, not just of one. So a marriage should be celebrated in church, and by a bishop or validly ordained priest. (The Roman Catholic Church allows marriage before a deacon, or exceptionally other forms of public celebration.) For Catholics it is the couple themselves who are the ministers of the sacrament, when they exchange their consent in the presence of the priest and witnesses. For Orthodox the rite of crowning the couple by the priest, following their consent, is the essential element in the celebration of the sacrament, and makes it valid. Both churches believe marriage is indissoluble, but for pastoral reasons the Orthodox tolerate dissolution in certain circumstances, while Catholics declare a marriage invalid if it judges there has been a lack of consent.
Catholic-Orthodox marriages have become an increasing problem in Switzerland. This is particularly so because the Orthodox recognise the validity of a marriage only when it has been celebrated by an Orthodox priest (or bishop) using the traditional rite. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Church has recognised the validity of a marriage celebrated by an Orthodox priest since 1967. However, such a marriage is only licit if the Catholic bishop has given his permission beforehand. In order to avoid the non-validity of mixed marriages, the Commission recommends:
- either that a mixed marriage is celebrated in an Orthodox church in the Orthodox
form, which the Roman Catholic Church can accept
- or that there is a shared service in which the essential rites of the two
churches are assured by the celebrants of each of them, without their being
a second wedding.
(It is recognised that there is a lack of reciprocity here in the sense that the Roman Catholic Church recognises the validity of Orthodox marriage (and can give a dispensation from canonical form), whereas this is not so the other way round. These recommendations are based on what is permitted at present; it is hoped that in the future it will be possible to make more reciprocal arrangements.)
Mixed marriages between Protestant and Orthodox Christians
The Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches and the Orthodox Church in Switzerland
set up an Evangelical-Orthodox Dialogue Commission (CDPO) in 1985. This Commission
issued a ‘Proposal for the Celebration of Protestant-Orthodox Marriages
in Switzerland’ in the late 1990’s (2nd edition 1999 published both
in French and in German by the Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches, 64 pp).
It was signed jointly by the Orthodox Metropolitan and the President of the
Federation.
The Commission stresses that its work is provisional. Its sets out its proposal for a two-part celebration of a mixed marriage, but hopes to work towards a more unified and ‘ecumenical’ celebration that would contain all the essential elements from both traditions. However, ‘the two-part ceremony as we propose it represents an agreement that goes further than those reached elsewhere in the present state of ecumenical dialogue. It seems to us a pastoral solution that we can recommend for Switzerland; thus we can avoid two independent celebrations following one another in two different churches and following two different rites – a practice that is considered normal, alas, in many places’ (p.7)
The document explains that the two-part celebration will be regarded as valid by the Orthodox as being an Orthodox marriage; it will be recognised by Protestants as a marriage celebrated before God. The Orthodox can only recognise the Orthodox marriage as valid, because they believe it to be a sacrament. This is not the case with Protestant marriage, although discussions in the CDPO have shown that Protestants are not so far from Orthodox in their thinking about the sacramentality of marriage as some have claimed.
The marriage will be entered into both registers (in the hope that this will only be a provisional solution). In the Orthodox register, the marriage will be registered as Orthodox; in the Protestant register as Protestant or ‘ecumenical’. It is an ecumenical event, and the participation of both ministers is a pastoral necessity (this does not imply mutual recognition of ministry, however desirable that might be.)
An equally provisional solution is proposed for the baptism and religious education of the children. The Orthodox and Protestant churches in Switzerland feel themselves to be co-responsible for these children. In the Swiss situation it is proposed to leave the couple free to ask for baptism for their children from either church. Both Orthodox and Protestant churches, however, ask the parents to make sure that each child gets to know the confession in which he is not receiving his religious upbringing.
The provisional character of this agreement does not mean that it is any less a step forward towards unity. We shall be able to find a more satisfactory solution when the theological and ecclesiological dialogue between our churches makes further progress.
It is important to prepare the marriage with the couple and both celebrants together. These latter can explain the ecumenical context of the marriage. ‘Thus the couple can be made aware of their special ecumenical mission.’
A second section of the document gives something of the theology and spirituality of marriage in the two traditions, and a third section gives the proposed text of the wedding ceremony. The first part of the wedding (pp.19-30: the exchange of consent) is presided over by the Protestant minister, and the second part (pp.31-64: the ceremony of crowning) by the Orthodox priest.
With thanks to Dr Viorel Ionita, Study Secretary of the Conference of European Churches, for assistance in finding the Swiss texts.
12.2.10-11