Preparation for the wedding

The church wedding is not only a big event in the life of the Christian. Two people who have found each other and want to connect their lives ask for God's blessing in church. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, marriage is a mystery whereby God binds man and woman so that they are no longer seen as two but as one. We've put together some important information and tips so you don't overlook anything when planning this event.

The Mystery of the Coronation (Marriage)

Through the mystery of the coronation, husband and wife, who pledge fidelity and love to one another before the ecclesial communion, are united by the grace of God so that they are no longer two but become one. This is the mystery of the couple's love and willingness to give life and to become fruitful in the procreation of new life. In preparation, Christians should know the spiritual meaning and the Christian understanding of marriage. You can find more information about this here.

Three important steps

But what God has joined, man must not separate
Matthew 19:5-6

BEST MAN

The best man is not only a witness but also the spiritual guide of the newly baptized person. It is therefore important to find the right person for this position.

Often the family of the godfather of one of the bride and groom is also the best man. Others choose the witnesses from their circle of acquaintances. In any case, it should be someone who is baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church and has a firm faith in order to be able to give spiritual support to the young family.

REGISTRATION

In our diocese, the appointments are made centrally. In order to register the wedding ceremony, please contact us in good time.

Appointments by phone
Mon – Fri between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m
under:
+49 221 7126223

MARRIAGE DIALOGUE

After you have made an appointment, the responsible pastor will contact you to discuss the course of the festival with you.

The marriage talk is a good opportunity to get to know each other. The pastor will introduce you to the course of the service. You are also welcome to ask your questions. In addition to the bride and groom, the witnesses can also join this conversation.

CHECKLIST

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If you have decided on a church wedding, contact the chancellery of the diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Germany to register. The registrations are received and processed in our diocese at the headquarters. There you can make an appointment for the wedding ceremony and receive detailed information.

Please note that marriage ceremonies are prohibited during Lent, Sundays and the five Taghawars (Church high festivals).

Appointments by phone
Mon – Fri between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at:
+49 211 7126223

When the date for the wedding ceremony is officially set, arrange one or more appointments for the wedding talk with the responsible pastor. The pastor not only wants to get to know you, but also to talk to you about the meaning of the sacrament of marriage, the course of the church wedding and yours
talk about your own expectations of marriage.

He will probably also ask you how you found each other as a couple, what qualities you value in the other person and what you have in common, so that this information can flow into the service. You will also discuss the process and structure of the service with each other.

The godfather is the one who holds the cross at the marriage ceremony. He is often referred to as "Godfather" as at baptism. In the ancient Armenian tradition, the godfather was the one who was the godfather at the baptism of one of the spouses or the godfather of one of the parents, therefore he is called godfather. He is the official witness at the wedding ceremony.

The godfather must be baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church and currently a member of the communion community. He is not only a witness, but a guarantor that the married couple will remain faithful to the Armenian Church and lead their lives according to the sacred tradition of the Church. It should therefore be someone with a firm Christian faith, so that he can offer advice to the young family.

During the service, the pastor blesses the couple's wedding rings with the request that no evil forces approach those who wear them, but rather, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, may they be united in mutual love for the glory of God. The ring, as an unbroken circle, is considered a sign of eternity, permanence and infinity. This meaning is conveyed in the exchange of rings at the wedding ceremony - the everlasting love and bond between the bride and groom.

Unlike the European churches, in the Armenian Church the priest puts the rings on the ring finger of the bride's left hand and then the groom's. During the engagement, the rings are worn on the right hand.

During the wedding ceremony in the church, the bridegroom and the bride appear as king and queen (that is why the mystery is also called the coronation) and receive crowns on their heads during the service. Like the chosen royal families in the past, the new couple should also receive God's blessing. The crowns symbolize the rich gifts that God gives to the newlywed couple.

At the end of the service, the priest blesses the cup of wine and gives it to the couple to drink. On the one hand, the wine symbolizes the gifts of God, which the spouses gratefully accept from God, but also their willingness to share joy and sorrow with one another.

It is a tradition to give wine to the church on the occasion of the wedding ceremony, which is used during the services. Semi-dry or sweet red wine is used in the Armenian Church. The bridal couple should also bring a goblet or a wine glass, from which the bridal couple will drink the wine. You can keep this at home as a reminder.

Usually, the bride and groom want to decorate the church for the wedding service. Some churches have special jewelry for the day, while others require the bride and groom to perform this task. We therefore advise you to discuss this matter at the wedding ceremony with the responsible pastor or, if the wedding ceremony does not take place in an Armenian church building, with the responsible sacristan.

For many families, commemorative photos are a must for such big events as weddings. However, there are some churches where photography is forbidden. Therefore, clarify in advance whether photography is allowed in the church where the wedding ceremony is to take place. The pastor will give his instructions to the photographer on site. It is better to appoint a photographer and to offer other guests not to take photos during the wedding ceremony.

Check with your parish priest or with the diocese if it is possible to choose the purpose of the collection at your wedding. The collection is usually intended for one's own congregation. But maybe there is a social institution, a non-profit association or another organization that you want to support with the donation. It is particularly nice if you can personally announce the purpose of the collection during the service. The recipient and time of the money collection should also be printed in the program sheet.