A man and a woman who meet the requirements of the both the Australian Marriage Act 1961 and the Marriage Regulations 2017 (the “legal requirements”) and of the Russian Orthodox Church (the “church requirements”) may be married in our parish. To avoid misunderstanding, confusion and disappointment, those desiring to be married in our parish should discuss both the legal and church requirements with our parish priest at the earliest opportunity.  Some general information is set out below.

In Australia, most priests of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia are registered as ministers of religion for the purposes of the Marriage Act 1961 and the Marriage Regulations 2017.  This means that in officiating at a marriage they may exercise both legal and church authority.

Note: This information was comprehensively revised and updated on 9 December 2017 to reflect the commencement of amendments to the Australian Marriage Act 1961 and the adoption by the Bishops Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, on 2 December 2017, of the document ‘On the Canonical Aspects of Church Marriage’ (‘О ΠΊΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ‡Π΅ΡΠΊΠΈΡ… аспСктах Ρ†Π΅Ρ€ΠΊΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π±Ρ€Π°ΠΊΠ°’).  Further changes were made on 11 April 2018 to reflect changes to the Australian Marriage Regulations 2017 on 1 April 2018; on 1 September 2021 to reflect the introduction of new Australian Government marriage forms; and on 6 July 2024 to reflect amendments to the Australian Marriage Act 1961 concerning consent.  Some minor changes were made on 10 January 2024, 6 January 2025 and 17 July 2026.

The legal requirements for marriage by a registered minister of religion in Australia are that:

• A Notice of Intended Marriage has been given to the relevant registered minister of religion – in this case, our parish priest or another canonical Orthodox priest participating in the service – within the required notice period;
• The registered minister of religion has been provided with documentation confirming the date and place of birth and the identity of the parties to the marriage, and evidence of the termination of any previous marriage;
• The couple is not in a prohibited relationship – this means a relationship between a person and an ancestor, descendent, brother or sister;
• Each party has made a declaration that there is no legal impediment to the marriage;
• The registered minister of religion is satisfied that the marriage will be valid, and that real consent has been given;
• In establishing that real consent has been given, the registered minister of religion has met with each party to the intended marriage separately and in person prior to the intended marriage; and
• The registered minister of religion has made available specific information about marriage education and counselling.  A copy of this information in Russian is available here.

More information about the legal requirements for marriage in Australia can be obtained here.

It is important to note that the fact that a marriage may be lawful in Australia does not mean that a church marriage will be possible.  For example, the marriage of two persons of the same sex is not possible in the Russian Orthodox Church.  In addition, the Russian Orthodox Church has its own system of prohibited relationships.

The church requirements are that:

• The marriage will be a legal marriage under Australian law - or the blessing of an existing legal marriage;
• The parties to the marriage are a man and a woman who are not in a relationship prohibited by church law;
• The number of marriages since baptism – including the marriage to be entered into – does not exceed three;
• In the case of a second or third church marriage during the lifetime of a former spouse, dissolution of the previous marriage(s) and a formal blessing to enter into a further marriage has been obtained from the Diocesan Spiritual Court;
• At least one of the bride or groom is an Orthodox Christian and the other, if not an Orthodox Christian, has been baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in a mainstream Christian denomination that is not hostile to Orthodoxy;
• Both the bride and groom accept the fundamentals of Christian faith and moral teaching;
• The non-Orthodox partner, if there is one, has consented to any children of the marriage being baptised and raised as Orthodox Christians;
• The priest has satisfied himself that there is no other church impediment to the marriage; and
• The marriage occurs on a day permitted by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Mainstream Christian denominations that are not hostile to Orthodoxy include the Roman Catholic Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and certain Protestant churches that confess faith in the Triune God.  

Priests of the Russian Orthodox Church are not permitted to perform marriages that will not be legally registered.  Exceptions may be made in certain limited circumstances with the approval of the Diocesan Bishop.  Such circumstances include the imminent death or departure on active military service of one of the parties to the marriage.  If legal registration subsequently becomes possible the marriage must be registered at the earliest opportunity.

For the purposes of marriage in the Russian Orthodox Church whether or not one of the parties to the marriage is a man or a woman is based on their sex at birth.  The marriage in church of a man or woman who has undergone gender reassignment surgery is impermissible.

The Orthodox Church has its own system of prohibited relationships.  These include relationships by blood, by marriage and by baptism.  When discussing plans for marriage with the parish rector the parties should carefully explain their connection so as to make clear any relationship that might prevent a church marriage.

Marriage between a man and woman related by blood is prohibited up to the sixth degree of consanguinity, although marriages in the fifth or sixth degree – that is, the marriage of first cousins once removed or of second cousins - may be permitted with the blessing of the Diocesan Bishop.  The degree of consanguinity is calculated by counting up from one prospective partner to the common ancestor and then down to the other prospective partner.  Adoptive relationships are treated in the same way as blood relationships.

Marriage between a man and a woman closely related as a result of another couple's marriage is prohibited when their relationship is essentially the same as if they were related by blood.  As with blood relationships there must, as a general rule, be six degrees of separation.  For example, a widower may not marry his wife’s sister or first cousin, and a person may not marry his or her step-son or step-daughter.

Marriage between a man and a woman related by baptism is prohibited when, for example, it involves a godparent and his or her god-child, or a godparent and one of the parents of his or her god-child.

Although Christian marriage is entered into for life, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself permitted adultery as a ground for the dissolution of a marriage.  At the Local Council in 1917-18, the Russian Orthodox Church added apostasy from Orthodoxy; perversion; impotence the onset of which was either before marriage or self-inflicted; the contraction of syphilis or leprosy; prolonged disappearance; conviction of a serious crime; encroachment on the life or health of the spouse; incest; profiting from the marriage or from the indecency of the spouse; incurable mental illness; and malevolent abandonment.  Chronic alcoholism and drug addiction, and abortion without the husband’s consent, are now also grounds for divorce in the Russian Orthodox Church.  All of these things involve either a conscious betrayal of the love and faithfulness that marriage requires, or an inability to provide them.   They nevertheless do not necessitate divorce. 

Regardless of the circumstances leading to the dissolution of a marriage, a fourth marriage after baptism is impermissible.

There is no fee for weddings in our parish.

As our parish choir is small and relatively inexperienced, a visiting conductor and a choir of 3-4 experienced singers is usually arranged for special services like weddings.  Payment for this is a matter for the couple and the visiting choir director to discuss and agree upon.

Marriage by a religious celebrant is only valid under Australian law if the form of ceremony is approved by the relevant religious body.  In the Russian Orthodox Church a fixed order of service is used.  A copy of the text in Word format - also suitable for adaption as a booklet to be distributed to those attending the ceremony - is available upon request.  The service may be in Church Slavonic or English or a mixture of both languages.

Although Orthodox Christian marriage is generally only solemnised in an Orthodox Christian church, exceptions may be made in extraordinary circumstances with the blessing of the Diocesan Bishop.  

Wedding rings should be brought to the church a week or two prior to the ceremony for prayers of blessing to be read over them.

A key moment in the Orthodox Christian marriage service is the crowning of the bride and groom.  In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, the crowns used belong to the church and are not purchased separately.  Couples wishing to use Greek-style crowns that will be retained by them should discuss this in advance with the officiating priest.

Couples marrying in the Russian Orthodox Church should have a white cloth to stand on during the crowning (in Russian, "Π²Π΅Π½Ρ‡Π°Π»ΡŒΠ½Ρ‹ΠΉ Ρ€ΡƒΡˆΠ½ΠΈΠΊ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΈ"), a set of wedding candles, and a pair of wedding icons.  It is wise to have napkins or cups for the candles as they can drip on the hands of the couple during the service.  One of the wedding icons should be of Christ, and the other should be of the Mother of God.

Brides preparing for marriage in the Russian Orthodox Church should ensure that they and the female members of the bridal party wear dresses that are modest and suitable for a formal religious service in a church that values traditional morality.  If need be, a bolero, wrap or shawl should be worn during the ceremony.

To the extent possible, the bride and female members of the bridal party should ensure that any tattoos are concealed or covered when in church.  This is particularly important when the tattooed images are associated with evil or immorality.  Nothing in the presentation of the bride or bridal party should be confusing or troubling to the clergy or to Orthodox Christians present at the ceremony.  Although grooms and groomsmen are generally more conservatively attired, this requirement applies equally to them.  It is also recommended that members of the wedding party remove all visible piercings other than earrings.

Detailed information about the dates on which weddings are permitted, together with a list of the Sundays and Fridays available for weddings in 2026 and 2027, is available here.

Couples wishing to make arrangements for marriage in our parish are encouraged to visit our church and speak with the parish priest.  Simple questions about weddings in our parish may be submitted by email here.