If you are planning a Greek Orthodox wedding in Greece, choosing the wedding date is one of the first things you should confirm. There are specific religious periods and dates during the year when Orthodox wedding ceremonies are not performed.
These restrictions are mainly associated with important fasting periods and major feast days of the Orthodox Church. Additional requirements may also apply depending on the local Metropolis or parish, so the date should always be confirmed with the church where the wedding ceremony will take place.
According to the published guidance of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, there are specific periods and dates during which the celebration of a religious wedding is strictly prohibited.
The Holy Archdiocese of Athens identifies the following periods during which Orthodox weddings are strictly prohibited:
The dates of Great Lent and Holy Week change each year because they are determined by the date of Orthodox Easter.
In addition to the longer religious periods above, the Holy Archdiocese of Athens identifies specific dates on which the celebration of weddings is strictly prohibited:
The Holy Archdiocese of Athens also notes more generally that fasting periods are not considered appropriate times for the celebration of a wedding because the joyful character of the sacrament does not correspond with the spiritual character of fasting.
However, this does not mean that every Orthodox fasting day should automatically be treated as a universal prohibition on weddings. It is important to distinguish between periods for which a strict prohibition is expressly stated and other fasting days that may be subject to different ecclesiastical guidance.
For this reason, if you are considering a wedding date that falls within another fasting period or on a significant religious day, confirm the date directly with the church or competent Metropolis before making other arrangements.
The Holy Archdiocese of Athens also advises that weddings should preferably be avoided on the eve and the day of the feast celebrated by the particular church.
This means that even if your preferred date does not fall within one of the general prohibited periods, there may still be a local reason why the ceremony cannot or should not be scheduled on that day.
Always confirm the proposed wedding date with the specific church before finalising your plans.
If there is a serious reason for considering a date that would not normally be available for an Orthodox wedding ceremony, you should not assume that an exception can automatically be granted.
Contact the parish and the competent Holy Metropolis. They can advise whether any exceptional arrangement may be considered in your particular circumstances and what procedure, if any, must be followed.
It is advisable to confirm the date of the religious ceremony with the church before making other significant commitments, such as booking the reception venue or using the wedding date in documents related to the marriage procedure.
Once the date has been confirmed, you can proceed with the remaining preparations, including the publication of your wedding announcement in a Greek newspaper.
No. Weddings are not performed during Great Lent and Holy Week. These are among the periods of strict prohibition identified in the published guidance of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.
Yes, but not on all dates. Restrictions apply during the Dormition Fast before the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. In addition, 28 and 29 August are among the specific dates on which weddings are strictly prohibited according to the guidance of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.
Because these restrictions affect only part of August, confirm your proposed date with the church before making bookings or other commitments.
According to the published guidance of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, weddings are strictly prohibited from 17 through 25 December.
Wednesday and Friday are traditionally fasting days in the Orthodox Church, but they should not be presented as universally permitted or universally prohibited wedding days without reference to the applicable ecclesiastical guidance. Confirm the specific date with the church or competent Metropolis.
Yes. Before finalising your wedding date, confirm that the ceremony can take place on that date with the specific church or competent Metropolis. Local feast days and other ecclesiastical requirements may also affect availability.
