Church wedding: why the blessing of God is so important. wedding ceremony in a christian church wedding in a protestant church
About the Sacrament of Marriage (Wedding)
"one flesh" (1 Cor. 7:2). (1 Cor. 7:9).
–
The Apostle Paul writes: (1 Tim. 5:14).
About the Sacrament of Marriage (Wedding)
16.1. What is marriage in the church understanding?
– Marriage is a Sacrament in which, with a free promise before the priest and the Church of mutual marital fidelity by the bride and groom, their marital union is blessed, in the image of the spiritual union of Christ with the Church, and the grace of pure unanimity is asked for the blessed birth and Christian upbringing of children.
16.2. Is it necessary to get married?
- If both spouses are believers, baptized and Orthodox, then the wedding is necessary and obligatory, since during this Sacrament the husband and wife receive a special grace that sanctifies their marriage. Marriage in the Sacrament of the Wedding is completed by the grace of God for the creation of the family as a home church. A solid house can only be built on a foundation, and a true Christian family is based on the Sacrament of the Wedding. In a Christian marriage, God's grace becomes the foundation on which the building of a happy family life is erected.
Participation in the Sacrament of the Wedding, as in all other Sacraments, must be conscious and voluntary. The most important motive for the wedding should be the desire of the husband and wife to live like a Christian, like the Gospel; This is what God's help is given in the Sacrament. If there is no such desire, but they decide to get married “according to tradition”, or because it is “beautiful”, or so that “the family is stronger” and “no matter what happens”, so that the husband does not go on a spree, the wife does not fall out of love, or for similar reasons - then you don’t need to get married. Such participation in the Sacrament of the Wedding will not lead to anything good, and can even serve as a court and condemnation.
16.3. What is the purpose of Christian marriage? Is it only the birth of children?
– Marriage in Christianity has a special religious dimension. By the will of the Creator, human nature is divided into two sexes, two halves, none of which individually possesses the fullness of perfection. In marriage, the spouses mutually enrich each other with the properties and qualities inherent in their sex, and thus both parties to the marriage union, becoming "one flesh"(Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:5-6), that is, as a single spiritual and bodily being, they reach perfection. The Christian family is called the "small Church", because in marriage there is the same type of unity of people as in the Church, the "big family" - unity in love. In order to love, a person must commit an act of self-denial, reject his egoism, learn to live for the sake of others. This goal is served by Christian marriage, in which the spouses overcome their sinfulness and natural limitations. There is another purpose of marriage - protection from debauchery and the preservation of chastity. "In order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband"(1 Cor. 7:2). “If they cannot abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be inflamed.”(1 Cor. 7:9).
16.4. Why should a wife obey her husband?
– “Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church.”(Eph.5:22,23). The wife is justly subject to her husband, equality could produce enmity, because first the deceit came from the wife.
But the primacy of the husband in the family is not tyranny, not humiliation and oppression, but active love: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her”(Eph. 5:25). Love must be sober: not so much for the sake of the wife, but for the sake of obeying the Lord. Often a husband, without realizing it himself, allows or forbids his wife what God inspires him to do.
Therefore, the wife should render her husband unfeigned respect as the head of the family. This duty is also instilled in her by God and the laws of nature, because the Lord created her weaker in comparison with her husband and appointed her to be his helper. “For the husband is not from the wife, but the wife is from the husband; and the husband was not made for the wife, but the wife for the husband"(1 Cor. 11:8,9). Even if a wife sometimes surpasses her husband in moral qualities, education and experience, even in this case she does not have the right to go beyond the limits established by the Law of God, but must sacredly preserve respect for her husband in her soul and prove it in deeds.
16.5. What is required to get married?
- The marriage must be registered in the registry office. The time of the wedding should be agreed in advance in the temple. Before the wedding, it is desirable to confess and take communion. You must have wedding rings, icons, a white towel, candles, pectoral crosses and witnesses baptized in the Orthodox Church.
When approaching such an important Sacrament, it is necessary to prepare oneself, having cleansed oneself by Confession, Communion and prayer, but not by balls, music and dances, for this step extends not only to this life, but also to eternity.
16.6. How to confess and take communion before the wedding?
– Preparation for Confession and Communion before the wedding is the same as at any other time.
16.7. Who is prohibited from entering into a church marriage?
– The Church does not allow 4th and 5th marriages. It is forbidden to marry close relatives, as well as if one of the spouses (or both) declare themselves convinced atheists, unbaptized, or if one of the newlyweds is actually married to another person. An ancient pious tradition forbids marriages between godparents and godchildren, as well as between godparents of the same child. It is impossible to get married to those who have previously given monastic vows or accepted ordination to the holy order.
16.8. Is it possible to marry a Catholic or a sectarian?
- In Russia, until 1721, marriages of Orthodox Christians were forbidden not only with non-Christians, but also with non-Orthodox. But from 1721, marriages of the Orthodox with Catholics, Protestants and Armenians began to be allowed, provided that the children were baptized in Orthodoxy. The wedding of an Orthodox person with a person of another Christian denomination requires the permission of the ruling bishop. If at least one of the spouses professes a non-Christian religion (for example, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism) or is a sectarian, then the Orthodox Church does not crown such a marriage, unless they convert to Orthodoxy.
When marriage itself must be sanctified by priestly protection and blessing, how can one call marriage where there is no agreement in faith? Each religion leaves its own special imprint on the culture and worldview of its representatives, even on those who are not its inspired confessors.
16.9. How to book a wedding?
– To do this, you need to contact a candle shop or arrange directly with the priest about the time of the Sacrament.
16.10. When is the wedding not taking place?
- weddings are prohibited during all four multi-day fasts; during Cheese Week (Shrovetide); on the Bright (Easter) week; from the Nativity of Christ (January 7) to Epiphany (January 19); on the eve of the twelfth holidays; on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year; September 10, 11, 26 and 27 (in connection with a strict fast for the Beheading of John the Baptist and the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord); on the eve of the patronal temple days (each temple has its own).
The days on which the wedding is allowed are marked in the Orthodox calendar.
16.11. Is it possible to get married while pregnant?
- The bride's pregnancy is not an obstacle to the wedding.
16.12. Is it possible to get married after the birth of a child?
- It is possible, but not earlier than 40 days after birth.
16.13. Is it necessary to have a parent's blessing for a church marriage?
- The absence of parental blessing is regrettable, but this cannot prevent the wedding. In this case, the parental blessing can be replaced by a priestly one, best of all - the blessing of the confessor of one of the spouses.
16.14. Does the Church allow second marriage?
The Apostle Paul writes: “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only in the Lord.(1 Cor. 7:39) and elsewhere: “I wish young widows to marry, give birth to children, rule the house and not give the enemy any reason to slander”(1 Tim. 5:14).
In condescension to human infirmities, the Church allows a second marriage.
16.15. Is it possible to get married to those who have been married for a long time?
- It is possible and necessary. Those couples who get married in adulthood take the wedding more seriously than young people. The splendor and solemnity of the wedding they are replaced by reverence and awe of the greatness of marriage.
16.16. Is it necessary to have witnesses at a wedding?
- According to Russian tradition, every married couple has witnesses. In the temple, they hold crowns over the heads of the newlyweds. Witnesses must be baptized. However, the absence of witnesses is not an obstacle to the wedding, you can get married without them.
16.17. What do you need to do to get a church divorce?
- The Church only in exceptional cases gives consent to the dissolution of a marriage - mainly when it has already been desecrated by adultery or has actually already been destroyed by the circumstances of life (for example, the long-term unknown absence of one of the spouses). To dissolve a marriage, a written petition must be submitted to the ruling bishop.
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This scenario is a classic Christian ceremony of marrying a young couple into a family union in the presence of the Lord God in the presence of parents, guests and witnesses.
The ceremony is based on the immutable biblical principles of self-sufficiency and the inviolability of the marriage union of a man and a woman, and to this day is performed in evangelical churches around the world.
The ceremony includes elements such as pledges of fidelity to the newlyweds, exchange of rings, prayer of blessing, gratitude to parents, and declaration of marriage.
Best regards, Ivan and Oksana Privalov
Grand entrance
- parents;
- pastor, groom and witness;
- a witness
- a boy with rings;
- a girl with rose petals;
- the father of the bride brings his daughter to the altar.
Introduction:
The pastor offers a prayer of thanksgiving.
Dear newlyweds, if you have seriously and prayerfully considered your next step and willingly, reverently desire to enter into a marriage union in order to be one in everything until death, please join your right hands.
Ivan, in the presence of Almighty God and the witnesses gathered here, do you promise to love, appreciate, respect Oksana, standing next to you, whose right hand you hold?
Do you promise to take care of her in sickness and health, in joy and sorrow, in prosperity and need, in youth and old age?
Do you promise to be faithful to her until death?
Oksana, in the presence of Almighty God and the witnesses gathered here, do you promise to love, appreciate and respect Ivan, who is standing next to you, the right hand that you hold?
Do you promise to take care of him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in prosperity and need, in youth and old age?
Do you promise to be a faithful and devoted wife to him until death?
May the Lord bless you in your firm promise!
Brief instruction
The union you enter into is the most tender of all human relationships.
– instruction for the husband [Ephesians 5]
- guidance for the wife
- teachings about love
– instruction to parents [Matthew 19:5]
Mutual promises:
Groom's Promise:
I promise to love you, care for you, and be faithful to you until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ or until the day when the Lord separates us by death.
Bride's Promise:
I promise to love you, care for you, and be faithful to you until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ or until the day when the Lord separates us by death.
Ring exchange:
Since ancient times, the ring has always been used in important events. The wedding ring is a symbol of marriage - made of precious metal, the ring is a perfect circle that has no beginning and no end.
It signifies your desire, our desire, and God's desire that there be no end to your happiness and your love in married life.
It denotes your joint desire to have infinite love for each other, with God's help. Therefore, whether together or apart, let these rings be a constant reminder to you of the promise you make today.
The witness takes the rings from the baby and gives them to the pastor.
Groom:
With this ring I seal my promise to be a loving and faithful husband. God is my Witness.
Bride:
With this ring, I seal my promise to be a loving and faithful wife. God is my Witness.
Pastor:
By giving and accepting these rings, as a symbol of boundless love, purity, devotion and dedication, you are united in a marriage union.
Your solemn promises are sealed with this symbol and the Word of God forever.
Drinking the "Cup of Life":
Entering into a marriage union, you agree to go through and overcome many everyday difficulties together. As a symbol of your unity and readiness to endure all the hardships of life together, I ask you to drink from one cup this vine juice.
Let this simple act be the first act of your life together.
The bride and groom take turns drinking grape juice.
Prayer:
- Bride
- Groom's parents
- Parents of the bride
– Pastor
Thanksgiving parents:
Starting a life together and leaving the house of their parents, the young wished to express their gratitude to their parents, who raised and raised them for each other.
Young people give their parents valuable memorable gifts and bouquets of flowers.
Announcement of husband and wife:
As a servant of God, by authority given to me by God, I pronounce you husband and wife, united in purpose, purpose and a happy life.
What God has joined together, man shall not separate.
Witness your union with a kiss...
Performance:
Dear friends, brothers and sisters, let me introduce you to Oksana and Ivan Familia, legally married husband and wife.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
I invite, first the parents, and then all the guests, to congratulate the young people on their wonderful decision!
- theologian, publicist; site administrator Uucyc.ru [since 2000]; head of the Children's Olympic Games, Kyiv; leader of the youth and teenage movements; founder of the Life in Truth movement.
A wedding is one of the most symbolic and important events in the life of a loving couple. When lovers want to get married, many of them dream not just of a solemn, but also of a spiritual wedding ceremony.
Believing Christians are convinced that the sacrament of the wedding makes the bonds of family marriage sacred and blessed.
What is a wedding and why is this ceremony needed
Today, the marriage ceremony is held in Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches. But what is meant by the word "marriage"? Each Christian, in view of his moral and religious convictions, understands the meaning of the rite in a different way.
Unlike human speculation, the church defines the sacrament of the wedding as a purely spiritual part of the wedding ceremony.
A wedding is a church ceremony in which a loving couple makes vows of fidelity to each other, testifies to God of their faith and asks Him for blessings for marriage.
There are no specific references to the wedding ceremony in the Bible. The wedding ceremony is a good tradition of Christian denominations. However, the rite itself carries a great intention. The symbol of the wedding represents the unity of Christ - the husband with his Church - the bride:
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for a man” (Rev. 21:2).
After the wedding, the marriage union will live not only in earthly, but also in eternal life. When a couple makes a vow in the presence of God, they have a great responsibility towards him. After God's blessing, the lovers become spouses and pledge to be a strong and faithful family before the Lord.
Marriage must be conscious. For young people, it should not be "just a custom." And no one has the right to force a couple to get married if the future spouses do not understand the symbolism and obligations of the marriage vow.
What marriages does God bless
God does not tolerate sin. So that a person does not err in his beliefs, the Lord gave a clear definition of marriage:
“Let the marriage of all be honest and the bed undefiled; Fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Heb. 13:4)
From these words it becomes clear that the Lord does not approve of an intimate relationship outside of marriage and does not bless the union of those who commit adultery. God does not say that future spouses should be bodily chaste to each other. Everyone has their own past, and God does not forbid marrying again if one of the spouses has broken the vow of fidelity or passed away. By His command, the Lord calls on a loving couple to keep their relationship pure and pure before marriage.
How does the wedding affect the future fate of the spouses? Many believe that after the church ceremony, only a bright and carefree future awaits the couple. And this is a big misconception. Bad times are inevitable in family life. But God's blessing, which the spouses receive on the day of the wedding, will help them find the strength in themselves to save the family. Couples living under God's grace will be able to grow spiritually and overcome any obstacles.
How is a wedding different from registering a marriage in the registry office
When lovers register a marriage in the registry office, they show respect and law-abiding to their country. Before the state, such an alliance is considered correct and legal.
Marriage expresses obedience to God. Lovers want their marriage to be legal not only before the country, but also in the eyes of the Lord. By their decision, a married couple declares to God that for them He is the unchanging authority in life.
Who cannot get married - features of the ceremony in different churches
Who can't get married in an Orthodox church?
- A couple that has a different religion.
- People who are not officially divorced and continue to be in a legal public marriage.
- Persons who have already been married more than 3 times in a church.
- Couples who have not received marriage blessings from their parents.
- The party that was at fault for the dissolution of the previous marriage.
- A couple under the age of majority. Elderly people also cannot get married in a church if the woman is over 60 and the man is 70 years old.
- Clergymen who have received holy orders.
- Monks and nuns who have taken a vow of celibacy.
Who can't get married in a Catholic church?
- Persons who are divorced and want to remarry (with the exception of the death of one of the spouses).
- People who profess a different faith. If one of the future spouses is a Catholic, the wedding is allowed.
- A couple who has not completed premarital training, which includes:
- conversation with a spiritual mentor;
- organization of the wedding ceremony;
- provision of church documents: certificates of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation;
- Persons in illegal marriage. The Catholic Church does not approve of cohabitation. In this case, the wedding ban is not always imposed, but depends on individual situations and the decision of the spiritual mentor.
What about Protestant churches?
There are a huge number of denominations in the Protestant movement. In the world - this is the second largest direction of Christianity in the number of believers after Catholicism.
Many organizations have their own internal church system, which allows each denomination to conduct the marriage ceremony in its own way. To get married in such a church, you must at least be an official member of the organization and go through premarital counseling with the pastor of the local community
This is just a brief overview of the wedding ceremonies that are held in the churches of Christian denominations. In each city or country, information about a wedding ceremony in a church may differ or be supplemented by different conditions and requirements.
What mistakes to avoid in family life, see the video below.
The founding fathers of Protestantism began their work by rejecting the symbolism of traditional churches: icons, sacraments, magnificent services and holidays. What is Protestant worship? Do Protestants have sacraments now, do they celebrate anything? Let's try to answer these questions.
From the Editor: For a better understanding of the essence of Protestantism and numerous Protestant denominations, we recommend that you read the article
worship
What is a Protestant worship? From singing church hymns, praying together, reading the Holy Scriptures and preaching.
Is there any denominational specificity of worship services? Extremely simple worship among the Quakers. Hymns are not sung, sermons are not read, there are no set prayers. Anyone who wants to can speak from their life experience. This is called "expressed service", "verbal shepherding".
Pentecostal worship is sometimes accompanied by glossolalia. In a number of American and Latin American communities of a charismatic persuasion, in connection with the doctrine of the spontaneous action of the Holy Spirit in the church, expressive manifestations are adopted in worship.
Elements of the Catholic service were preserved by the Anglicans and Lutherans. Thus, during worship, parishioners sit on chairs or benches, rising (or sometimes kneeling) only during prayer or at the most important moments of the liturgy. Candles, incense, the presence of an altar have been preserved.
Is Protestant worship regulated? Lutherans and Anglicans serve according to special services; in the New Apostolic Church, the order of worship is determined by the highest church leadership. In all other denominations there is an established order of worship, the content of songs and sermons is determined by the leadership of the community. Quaker worship is fundamentally spontaneous.
Do Protestants have icons? Basically - no. But Lutherans and some other denominations at the same time allow the presence in churches of paintings, frescoes and stained glass windows on biblical subjects.
Is there music in Protestant worship? The Lutherans and Anglicans use an organ in worship, while the Amish do not allow music. All other churches use different musical instruments.
A number of evangelical and charismatic communities have adopted worship in the style of rock (sometimes even in the style of "rap" and "metal").
Sacraments
Do Protestants have the concept of "sacrament"? There is, but it is understood more as just a symbolic action. Quakers, Salvation Army, Unitarians do not have the concept of "sacrament", and baptism and communion are not required.
How many sacraments do Protestants have? Seven - among the Anglicans, they recognize all the same sacraments as the Orthodox and Catholics (baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion, anointing, the sacrament of marriage and priesthood). Three - at the New Apostolic Church (baptism, sealing with the Holy Spirit, communion). All other denominations recognize baptism and communion as sacraments (in some cases, simply symbolic actions bequeathed by Christ), and other ceremonies - only rituals.
Baptism
Who can be baptized by Protestants? A person who consciously professes faith in Christ or (in those churches that recognize the baptism of children) children of believing parents.
Do Protestants Baptize Children? Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Reformed, Herrnhuthers, Methodists, and the New Apostolic Church practice child baptism. Hutterites, Baptists, Dunkers, Adventists, Disciples of Christ (Church of Christ) and Pentecostals recognize only adult baptism (usually at 12–18 years old, among Hutterites at 20–30 years old). Children in these churches are usually blessed by the pastor at birth, attend worship, but are not considered members of the church.
How do Protestants baptize? Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Mennonites, Methodists recognize various forms of water baptism: in practice, pouring is more often used, Methodists - sprinkling. In Baptism, Evangelical Christianity, Adventism, Pentecostalism, the New Apostolic Church, among the Disciples of Christ, baptism is performed exclusively by complete immersion. Among Dunkers, the person being baptized is immersed face-first into the water three times.
Communion / communion
What is the Protestant understanding of the Body and Blood of Christ? Lutherans and Hernguters believe in transubstantiation, i.e. into the actual presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the bread and wine, others reject this doctrine, considering the bread and wine to be mere symbols.
Who is allowed to take communion? Only adult members of the community. Among Anglicans, in some cases, it is possible to admit children who have not been confirmed to communion.
How is the sacrament administered by Protestants? During worship, ministers distribute bread and wine (for Methodists, Adventists, Disciples of Christ, in some charismatic communities, grape juice is used instead of wine).
Among the Amish and Dunkers, as well as in a number of Baptist, Adventist and Pentecostal communities, before the communion of bread, the rite of washing the feet is performed as an element of the Last Supper.
Priesthood
How is the priesthood understood by Protestants? The main structural unit in Protestantism is the community, which is managed by the pastor and the congregation of believers. Church officials are considered ordinary delegates to the community of believers, all believers are holders of the priesthood.
Is there an ecclesiastical hierarchy? Quakers basically have no priesthood. There are no clergy in the strict sense of the word in the Salvation Army, but there are ranks similar to military ones: general (head of the Salvation Army), colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, senior sergeant, sergeant, soldier.
Presbyterians and Congregationalists have a fundamentally two-part structure (deacon and pastor/elder). Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals formally have a tripartite structure, but the bishop is understood more as a senior pastor in charge of a particular region than a higher order of the priesthood; among the Disciples of Christ, the bishop is only the head of a separate community. Among Lutherans, the number of hierarchical levels is not strictly regulated and depends on established traditions: for example, a tripartite (episcopal) exists in Sweden, a two-part one in North America. Reformed, Anglicans, Herrnhuters, Amish, Unitarians retain a tripartite hierarchy (deacon, priest/pastor, bishop).
The most developed hierarchy is in the New Apostolic Church, which, however, retains a tripartite structure:
Apostolic order: Chief Apostle (leader of the New Apostolic Church), District Apostle and Apostle;
Priesthood: Bishop, District Elder, District Evangelist,
pastor, community evangelist, priest;
Deacon ranks: deacon and junior deacon.
Who appoints the clergy among the Protestants? In the Lutherans, Anglicans, Reformed, in the New Apostolic Church, the clergy are ordained by the higher leadership (in the Salvation Army, he assigns ranks). Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Hutterites, Amish, Disciples of Christ are ordained by the congregation that elected them, all others, as a rule, have a combination of congregation choice and its confirmation through the ordination of higher clergymen.
How is the election of a clergyman among Protestants? By appointment - from those where the superiors ordain, election at the community meeting (and subsequent confirmation from the superiors if there is such a requirement) - from all the rest. Among the Amish, Hutterites, and Hernguters, the clergy are chosen by lot.
After the appointment or election of a new clergyman, they solemnly pray, as a rule, with the laying on of hands. Among the Anglicans, the priesthood is considered a sacrament (see above) and is performed according to a special order.
Does a Protestant clergyman need special education? For Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Adventists, a mandatory requirement for a pastor is to study in a seminary, in closed communities (Hernhuters, Hutterites, Dunkers, Amish), knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and experience in conducting joint prayers are considered education, in all other denominations a theological education for a clergyman is desirable. In principle, the clergy of the New Apostolic Church (on the model of the early Church) do not receive theological education.
Do Protestant clergy have special vestments? Anglicans (especially in the so-called High Church) have vestments similar to Catholic ones. Among Lutherans, pastors wear a talar (black robe) or alba (white liturgical robe). In the Salvation Army, officers wear special service clothes that resemble military uniforms. In the New Apostolic Church, a black suit is required for clergy. All other Protestant denominations do not have special clothing. But many pastors wear a shirt with a collar (a special collar with a white stripe or inset).
Do Protestants recognize a female priesthood? By the beginning of the XXI century. many Protestant churches recognized the female priesthood: Anglicans, Unitarians, most communities of the Disciples of Christ, a number of Lutheran, Methodist and Pentecostal churches of the charismatic persuasion, some Presbyterian and Baptist associations. In the Salvation Army, officer positions are equally open to men and women. Among Seventh-day Adventists, a woman can be a deaconess. In Russia, women's priesthood exists only in a number of charismatic churches.
Rites
Is there some kind of rite of "fixing" after baptism, similar to chrismation? In some Protestant denominations there is a rite of confirmation - a public confession of faith (in Lutheranism, Anglicanism and Reformation after baptism, in Baptism, Adventism and Pentecostalism - before baptism). Confirmation is carried out after catechesis and not before reaching a conscious age: at 13-14 years old for Lutherans, at 14-16 years old for Anglicans. For Lutherans and Anglicans it is organized by a pastor, for Anglicans by a bishop. In the New Apostolic Church there is a "sealing with the Holy Spirit" (the laying on of hands with the utterance of prayer and blessing), similar in meaning to the sacrament of chrismation, it is performed only by the apostle.
Do Protestants Have Confession? In one form or another, there are in many denominations, except for the churches of the Calvinist tradition. Obligatory at gernguters (before communion).
What is confession? Telling your pastor or personal counselor about your sins. Methodists practice general confession before communion. The Amish only recognize public confession in case of grave sin.
Do Protestants get married? Blessing of the bride and groom is in most Protestant denominations.
How is the wedding going? Anglicans and Lutherans have a special rite, which is conducted by the pastor in the church. In all other denominations, the venue and the form of the oath are arbitrary.
How are Protestant funerals held? Lutherans and Anglicans conduct a funeral ceremony, in many ways similar to the Catholic one. In most Protestant denominations, special ritual attire for the deceased is not adopted, there are no specific dates for burial and funeral vigils. In the coffin, the deceased is laid on his back, joining his hands on his chest. It is not customary to put symbolic or personal items in the coffin along with the deceased. Cremation is permitted and practiced in many Western communities.
The funeral ceremony is conducted by the pastor, usually in the church building. The rite symbolizes the transfer of the soul of the deceased to God, proclaiming the hope for the obligatory resurrection of those present alive. They don't pray for peace.
Holidays
Do Protestants have holidays? Everyone has it, except Quakers and Seventh-day Adventists (they honor only the Sabbath, they can celebrate other holidays, but do not recognize them as mandatory).
What holidays do most Protestants celebrate? Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.
Are there specific Protestant holidays? The Anglicans have preserved almost all the holidays of the Catholic Church, including the days of veneration of the saints, the Lutherans - the 1st Sunday of Advent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, All Saints' Day (despite the fact that Lutherans do not recognize the veneration of saints), All Souls' Day. Lutherans since the 16th century celebrate Reformation Day - October 31, and many other denominations celebrate it with them.
Lutherans and Baptists celebrate the Feast of the Harvest (September-October). Baptists and the New Apostolic Church celebrate Thanksgiving. Hernguters celebrate the founding day of their community - March 1, the day of the renewal of the community - August 13, the day of the death of Jan Hus, who is considered their founder - July 6.
Representatives of the Reformed Evangelical Church of the canton of Vaud, who gathered for a synod last weekend at the Ryumin Palace in Lausanne, agreed on how same-sex couples should be married. The regulation was adopted by 55 votes, with seven abstentions and three against. According to the proposed procedure, the rite contains some elements of a traditional wedding. It includes a solemn worship service and a sermon. The priest will remind the registered partners of the bonds that bind them and will pray for the new couple. In this case, the pastor may refuse to perform the ceremony for theological reasons.
Unlike the traditional wedding ceremony, the ceremony for same-sex couples does not include a blessing. A press release from the Reformed Evangelical Church specifies that "the clergyman entrusted with solemn worship will be careful to avoid confusion with the symbols inherent in the wedding." The new rite will appear in the Protestant churches of the canton on January 1, 2014.
The decision to study in more detail the issue of introducing a special liturgical act for same-sex couples was made by the Synod in 2012. At the last meeting, the details were determined, according to which the new ceremony will take place. Thus, the Reformed Evangelical Church of the Canton of Vaud will be the first French-speaking church in Switzerland to offer this service to registered partners. Until now, same-sex parishioners could celebrate their union in nine churches of the Confederation, including the parishes of Bern and Fribourg. In Geneva and Neuchâtel, on the contrary, there is no such procedure.
The model adopted by the Canton of Vaud is a registered partnership. Recall that the registration of homosexual couples in Switzerland became possible in 2007 due to the entry into force of the Federal Law "On Registered Partnerships Between Persons of the Same Sex" (LPart). Between 2007 and 2011, 511 couples were linked in the canton of Vaud, two thirds of which were men.
According to the newspaper "Tribune de Genève", many Genevan homosexual couples would like to receive parting words from the pastor at the beginning of their life together. It should be noted that back in 1992, the issue of same-sex weddings was raised at a meeting of the Protestant Church of Geneva (EPG). Thus, the priests thought about the fate of homosexual couples long before the legislation on registered partnership was adopted in the canton (in the early 2000s). The second time the issue was raised by the Protestant Church in 2006, however, then the financial difficulties experienced by EPG at that time became a priority. Thus, while Geneva gays have to seek blessings from other denominations - the Evangelical Lutheran (American or German) and the Christian Catholic Churches, which provide similar services to their parishioners.
It should be noted that not everyone liked the decision of the Reformed Evangelical Church. Thus, the newspaper "24Heures" reports on the feedback received from the parishioners of "EERV" after the decision was made by the Synod. Some Protestants in the canton feel betrayed and are threatening to leave the church. However, the president of the EERV Synodal Council, Esther Gaillard, believes that negative reactions would have followed in the event of an opposite decision. “The question is really very delicate,” she says, noting, however, that in this case, dissatisfaction is expressed primarily by representatives of the evangelical wing. However, the ongoing changes show that the Reformed Evangelical Church is trying to keep up with the times.
We think that our readers are well aware of the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards same-sex marriages. According to the chairman of the Synodal Information Department V. Legoyd, "Orthodox believers, representatives of other traditional religions of Russia, many non-religious people oppose the propaganda of same-sex relationships. They are supported by many Christians, Jews and Muslims in the West, and some world media stubbornly try to create a picture that distorts reality ".
Prepared according to the materials of the sites