§ 185. The Time for Contracting Marriage

The wedding is generally accompanied by rejoicing and feasting. Such feasting would be entirely contrary to the spirit of the Christian Church were it held on days which the Church has appointed for the subduing of the flesh and reflection upon sin, as are the days of fasts; and likewise on those days when Christians are obliged to set aside all earthly business and pass them in spiritual celebration and spiritual joy, as are the days of certain great church feasts. In view of this, church legislation has determined in detail on which days of the year such feastings may not be held, and hence weddings may not be performed. According to that gradualness with which, over the course of time, the fast days and great feast days became law, the first canonical mention of the prohibition of weddings during a fast is found among the canons of the Council of Laodicea;[1] and it was only in the 12th century that all the fasts now kept by the Orthodox Church were established.[2] On this basis, and with regard to the degree of church solemnity established for certain great feasts, the Church prescribed the days on which weddings may not take place.[3] These days are the following: 1) from 14 November, when the Nativity fast begins, until 6 January; 2) from the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee [Meat-fare Sunday] until Thomas Sunday, that is, the first Sunday after Pascha; 3) from the Sunday of All Saints, that is, the first Sunday after Trinity Sunday, until 29 June; 4) the Dormition fast, that is, from 1 to 15 August; 5) the day of the Beheading [of St. John the Baptist] (29 August), the Exaltation of the Cross (14 September), and every Wednesday and Friday throughout the whole year.[4]

With regard to a priest who should permit himself to perform a wedding on these days, the Krmčija says: “да никтоже убо отъ іерей дерзнетъ въ сія дни кого въ супружество вѣнчати, под лютою правильною (каноничком) казнію, паче же подъ изверженіемъ, ниже да соизволитъ, или благословитъ переносины и пиры брачныя творити въ тыя дни.” [“let no priest at all dare, on those days, to marry anyone, under canonical punishment, and moreover under deposition, nor let him consent to or bless wedding processions and feasts being held on those days”].[5] Only in the most extreme necessity may the higher church authority permit this.[6] In other respects, if a wedding has been performed on days forbidden by the Church, the marriage remains in force and does not lose its lawful significance, provided it does not conflict with the existing laws on marriage in some other respect.[7]