Catholic and Greek Orthodox wedding

[Irish_Melkite]

DominvsVobiscvm:

As far as marriage is concerned, the Orthodox are no different from Protestants. This is because, in and of itself, the sacrament does not require a priest to affect its validity. The ministers of Matrimony are not the ordained priest, but the bride and groom

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Servant1:

Actually the Orthodox theology of the Sacrament of Matrimony (they refer to Holy MYsteries rather than Sacraments) IS much different from that of the Western Church. You are quite correct that the sacramental theology of the West, with regard to marriage, regards the bride and groom as the ministers who “make” the marriage, and the Church and its designated minister (Priest) the ones who observe and officially bless what has already happened by action of the ministers (i.e. bride and groom).

However, the Eastern Orthodox Churches do NOT believe the bride and groom are the ministers - the Priest and the Church make the marriage happen.

Servant is correct AND what he states as applicable to the Eastern Orthodox Churches is equally applicable to the Eastern Catholic Churches. In both Orthodox and Catholic Eastern theology, the priest (NOT the bride and groom) is the minister of the Holy Mystery of Crowning (Marriage), not merely a witness thereto.

The quote from Unitatis Redintegratio cited by Catholic2003 establishes the *sui iuris *authority of the Eastern Churches and the piece he highlighted, establishes the importance of self-governance by the Eastern Catholic Churches to the eventual reunification of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

As to the continued usage of the term “schismatic” in application to our brothers and sisters of the Orthodox Communion, I would point out that HH John Paul II has eschewed the usage of that term as inappropriate and an obstacle to unity.

Many years,

Neil

 

[Mike_C]

Yes, in the Roman Catholic Church, the couples exchange vows. In the Eastern Churches (both Catholic and Orthodox), the priest is the administrator of the Mystery of Crowning.

I hate to hear someone say “Father so and so married us”, Like a menage a tois" or something???