Do pregnant women get married? Is it possible to get married while pregnant. Wedding ceremony in the church

Believers want children to be born in a consecrated marriage. But God has his own plans for the emergence of a new life, so it is not always possible to seal the family union before the conception of a baby. When they find themselves in a similar situation, the question arises before the couple: is it possible to get married while pregnant or not to go to church at all. Let's try to clarify this point.

Attitude of the Christian Church

Priests say that the expectant mother is allowed to visit the house of the Lord. And all the rumors that a woman in an "interesting position" is unclean and she is strongly advised not to cross the threshold of the church is a myth. No one has the right to refuse to visit the temple to any person, regardless of gender, age, health status and race.

The Christian faith, and the Orthodox faith in particular, regards the pregnant woman as a sacred vessel in which new life grows. She is a receptacle for a young soul, which means she will be surrounded by care both among the laity and among God's people.

When she enters the church, a woman carrying a child under her heart offers a prayer of thanksgiving. And none of the ministers has the right to ask if the parishioner is married to the father of the child. It is believed that God blessed the couple.

Is it permissible to marry a pregnant woman

We live in a secular state. The Church does not interfere in the legislative sphere and does not try to impose standards of "correctness". Therefore, a civil marriage registered in the registry office is considered valid. This means that a child conceived after putting a stamp in the passport is not considered a fall into sin.

When pregnancy occurs before the formalization of the relationship, from the point of view of religion, this is a crime. The fact of adultery is considered a sin, and the baby in the womb is a gift that whitewashes all the misdeeds of lovers.

The Church welcomes couples who choose to consecrate their marriage in heaven. Especially when the bride is "in position." So the child will receive protection from impure forces. But remember that the sacrament lasts an hour. For the health of the expectant mother, this is a difficult test - to stand the whole ceremony on her feet.

Today, modern youth get married at the behest of fashion, and not at the call of the heart. According to Christian teaching, this procedure helps lovers to become closer to each other and to God.

In what cases will the couple be denied in the church

Despite the fact that the church is not against the wedding of a pregnant parishioner, there are a number of restrictions:

  • You cannot go through the sacrament more than three times. Christian dogma does not allow the appearance of a fourth and subsequent marriages.
  • The ceremony is performed when both partners are baptized.
  • It is forbidden to marry close relatives.

When can you get married while pregnant?

Before planning the sacrament, be sure to go and consult with the priest. He will tell you what steps to take so that the ceremony goes smoothly and does not harm either the mother or the child.

Take care of the dress and shoes to feel comfortable. The ceremony lasts 60 minutes, all this time you will have to stand, hold the icons and the crown. Make sure that the smell of incense, myrtle and other incense does not make you sick. Consider the number of people in the temple - stuffiness negatively affects the well-being of a pregnant woman.

The day before the wedding, the bride and groom confess and receive communion. This stage requires some preparation:

  • Fasting for three days. Restrictions apply to physical and spiritual food, as well as family life.
  • It is recommended to read special prayers within 72 hours, as indicated by the priest.

Before communion, the holy father has a conversation with the young, talks about the institution of marriage and Christian laws. Be sincere in confession. And when the term is short and the situation is visually imperceptible, do not hide this fact from the priest.

What to take for a wedding

  • The parents of the bride and groom present them with paired icons of the Savior and the Mother of God;
  • . Without engravings, stones or other decorative elements. Smooth metal symbolizes harmony in family life, as well as marriage bonds;
  • Large candles that burn throughout the ceremony. Have coasters or white handkerchiefs under them so as not to burn your hands with hot wax;
  • White towel made of homespun cloth without patterns;
  • - modest. A mandatory attribute is a veil, but it is possible to replace it with a thin scarf.

The Church sees no reason to prevent the wedding of a pregnant woman in the temple, when she is 16 years old, she is baptized and the marriage is concluded by mutual agreement. The child is a sign that the couple needs to unite both according to civil laws and church ones. None of the clergy will condemn a couple for wanting to have a child in marriage.

The sacrament of marriage makes it possible for unanimity and the grace of family life, if the spouses try to live according to the commandments of God. Since such a quality as chastity is often violated in our time, the question arises: is it possible for a pregnant woman to get married in a church.

It must be understood that the sacrament of a wedding, like any other, is not a rite. This is the personal presence of God at the wedding celebration. If it so happened that by the time of the wedding the woman is already carrying a baby under her heart, then this is not an obstacle to the wedding.

Therefore, the answer to the question: is it possible for a pregnant woman to get married in a church is positive, moreover necessary.

A married couple who have legalized their relationship in accordance with the laws of the country, having entered into marriage, is recognized by the Church as a full-fledged family, and not as people committing the sin of fornication. It's just that at this wedding, for various reasons, the Lord was not yet among the welcome guests. When a husband and wife decide to get married, this is exactly the attitude they should have towards the sacrament.

The Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos will be the main guests at this celebration. With the icons of the Savior and the Virgin Mary, parents bless their children for marriage.

Get married or wait?

In the Orthodox Church, you can often hear a negative opinion about whether a pregnant woman can get married. This is due to prejudices and signs that are not related to faith.

Of course, the preservation of chastity, that is, the absence of premarital relations, gives the relationship between a man and a woman a spiritual height, an expensive cut.

But it happens that a couple is spiritually immature and the wedding is postponed for an indefinite period.

Therefore, the priests in the church, answering the question of whether already married couples can get married to a pregnant woman, recommend a conscious approach to this sacrament.

Preparing for a wedding is a must. This requires the following attributes:

  • icon of Jesus Christ;
  • icon of the Mother of God;
  • wedding rings;
  • wedding candles;
  • white towel

A preliminary spiritual and enlightening conversation with the priest is also necessary. Especially if the couple is new, that is, they have recently embarked on the path of Christianity.

By tradition, witnesses must be present, but this is only a recommendation. If you still choose them, pay attention to the criteria by which this choice is made. Well, if they are believers or want to become them.

That is, for an unmarried couple expecting the birth of a baby, you need to understand that if the conception of a child has already happened in sin, you need to hurry so that his birth happens in the law, both spiritual and social.

The experience of many couples has proven that the wedding even helps in solving the problems of the well-being of a pregnant woman. The grace received in the sacrament of the wedding will have a beneficial effect on both the family as a whole and the baby.

The wedding meal should be organized without entertainment and entertainment character. The expectant mother needs a calm atmosphere conducive to peace of mind.

A wedding in the Orthodox Church is a great sacrament and bestows a blessing on the newly created family. Most believers, entering into marriage among themselves, go through a similar ceremony. But it happens that the bride goes to the altar, being already in an interesting position. How does the Orthodox Church deal with this situation? First of all, it should be clarified when you can get married, according to the canons.

When to perform the sacrament?

The clergy explain what this rite actually means. The fact is that the essence of the process is to receive a blessing from the Almighty, addressed to the spouses. Thus, it is necessary to begin your joint path to family life with this rite. However, one should be sure of one's own desire to tie oneself with the heavenly bonds of marriage, since divorce and re-marriage are not encouraged by the church. That is, choosing a partner before God, a person does it once and for all.

A wedding in the Orthodox Church can only take place at the mutual desire of the spouses. The main thing is that the child who is born in this family will be with the blessing of God. Although according to the old Orthodox canons, it is believed that intimate relations between spouses are allowed only after marriage, that is, after the wedding ceremony, today these rules have undergone some changes. The fact is that pregnancy as such is not a sin, since this is the greatest miracle of the birth of a new life.

Therefore, people who are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to get married while pregnant can calm down. The clergy do not have a direct right to refuse to conduct the ceremony, even if the bride is in position.

Why perform the sacrament?

Many couples who have legally entered into their marriage at the registry office believe that it is kind of late to go to the altar to the church bells, especially if the family is already expecting a baby. Many people wonder why they get married under such circumstances. The fact is that time does not stand still, views change, society draws more and more traditions from the West, where it is increasingly customary to formalize relationships after the conception or even the birth of a child. Right or wrong, everyone decides for himself. However, modern relations between partners still have a similar trend.

If people are believers, then most likely they will decide to get married. It happens that in a couple one of the partners is not an adherent of Orthodox traditions. In this case, the church also has the right to conduct the ceremony if the spouses really both want it. In this case, one of the partners, as a rule, prays for the well-being of the other. Such a family is complete by church standards and deserves the blessing of the Almighty. There are no reasons for refusal. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to marry a pregnant woman, and from this point of view, is positive.

The best time for a wedding

A woman in a position has already received the blessing of God by default, otherwise a new life would not have arisen in her womb. It is for this reason that all prejudices about public opinion should be discarded. Any clergyman will give the go-ahead for the wedding ceremony. Since the expectant mother already has something to think about, it is better to prepare the whole process in advance. Sometimes the question arises of when a pregnant woman can get married. When choosing a date, you should focus solely on her well-being and state of health, since this is what is currently of the greatest value. Please note that the wedding ceremony lasts at least an hour.

What to wear a bride in position?

According to Orthodox church traditions, the newlyweds must stand during the procession, which creates some difficulties in connection with pregnancy. A bride's wedding can be difficult. After all, in the church, as a rule, it is stuffy. At the same time, the dress can also bring some discomfort. Therefore, having found out whether it is possible to marry a pregnant woman, one should, first of all, provide comfortable clothes that will not squeeze or interfere, as well as shoes. By tradition, you can choose an outfit less festive than a wedding dress - in bright colors or completely white.

It is advisable to wear shoes with low soles or comfortable low heels. The priest who will conduct the wedding ceremony must be notified without fail that the bride is in position. If necessary, he or one of the relatives can move a bench during the procession so that the pregnant woman can sit down. You should also have ammonia and a wet handkerchief with you.

Is it necessary to formally marry before the wedding?

Those who wish to undergo the ceremony often decide to get married without registering at the registry office. For the church, the legal side of this matter does not really matter. Therefore, in this situation, in the presence of mutual desire, true faith and mutual understanding, there are no barriers to the implementation of the wedding. During the ceremony, there is a prerequisite, the observance of which is required by any Orthodox Church. We are talking about confession and communion of people who plan to get married. To go through the procedure in accordance with all the rules and canons, you should keep a three-day fast the day before. However, in the case of pregnancy, such a requirement is removed and is not categorical.

Each of the couple must necessarily confess, regardless of whether he has ever done it before or not. Many feel some embarrassment before such a procedure, but the clergyman will definitely find the right words for support. Next comes communion. After discussing how many people will be present at the wedding, you should set the date and time of it. During this period, the future bride should pray to the Mother of God with a request to grant her health so that everything goes well on the appointed day.

Conclusion

Now you know the answer to the exciting question of whether it is possible to get married while pregnant. As you understand, the church does not prohibit the ceremony. But it should be understood that the couple decides to get married not because of getting the approval of the public, but for the blessing of God. Only the inner state and confidence in the correctness of the act being performed really matter on this day.

Sometimes it happens that before the official registration of marriage and the church wedding ceremony, a woman is already in an interesting position. Therefore, questions arise about the attitude of the church to the wedding of pregnant women. They are often addressed to priests. Let's try to figure out what Orthodoxy says about this.

Church of the wedding

If the future husband and wife are Orthodox Christians, then their common desire, in addition to traditional registration in the registry office, to get married is quite understandable. After all, in this way the couple wants the children born in marriage to have God's blessing. But what if the woman was pregnant before the wedding? Or, for example, found out about pregnancy a few days after the ceremony?

There are different opinions of people about this. One of them is based on the fact that sex before marriage is fornication, so a woman in an interesting position should not be married. It is a sin. Others believe that the church blessing of marriage can be received at any stage of pregnancy and even before the birth itself. This opinion is based on the fact that a child must be born to married parents. But young people entering into marriage should not listen to the advice of people, but to the opinion of the ministers of the church.

Orthodox priests explain to their parishioners that the wedding ceremony is considered to be the giving of the blessing of Christ to the wife and husband, the spiritual sanctification of their family life. The Church has every right to bless the legal marriage of two Christians according to their mutual desire.

Orthodox priests explain that the wedding is the great sacrament of the church. Church laws say that the married life of young people must necessarily begin with a wedding ceremony in the church. Thus, the couple is blessed by God to live together, to share grief and joy until the end of days.

Orthodoxy about special cases of wedding

If non-Christians enter into marriage, then the church recognizes their unmarried union as legal and does not consider it a sin. In this case, the marriage must be entered into within the legal framework of the country of residence, and the observance of fidelity by the spouses is the basis of their union.

If in an unmarried marriage only one spouse found faith in God, then the church does not allow destroying such a family. A believing husband or wife remains faithful to his half and prays for her. When both spouses believe in Christ, the church, according to their joint desire, will accept such a couple for a wedding. If the future husband and wife believe in God, both of them are baptized in the church, then the wedding ceremony can be performed at any period of bearing a child by a young woman.

The Church believes that the wedding of a couple during the pregnancy of the future wife is not a sin. After all, according to church canons, sin is fornication, and pregnancy is a Divine mystery, the mystery of the manifestation of the life of a new person.

Priests advise not to look for the causes of the troubles of spouses in the wedding of a pregnant woman. Believers should always know that God sends us all sorrows and trials, the reason for everything that happens in the family is his love for us. And sorrows, illnesses, misfortunes benefit Christians in eternity. Therefore, it is so important not to grumble, not to look for the causes of grief and not to be indignant, but to treat what is happening with gratitude. Only then will the married couple be with God in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Features of a wedding during pregnancy

Any priest will say that you can get married while pregnant. A woman in position is pure before God, as he has blessed the new life in her womb. Pregnant women must.

As for the wedding ceremony in this position, a woman needs to monitor her well-being. The wedding ceremony itself lasts about an hour, and all this time the couple must stand. There are situations when a pregnant woman can become ill, for example, her pressure may drop and rise. Then the clergyman or one of the guests moves a bench to alleviate the position of the woman. It would be useful to take ammonia to church and be ready to help the pregnant woman.

In connection with such situations during the ceremony, it is better to get married in comfortable shoes and clothes. The outfit should not tighten the stomach, chest, so that the woman breathes freely.

A prerequisite before the wedding is confession and communion of the couple. Having made a decision on the church blessing of marriage, a pregnant woman should ask the Mother of God for well-being during the wedding. The priest who will perform the ceremony must be warned about the woman's pregnancy.

So, a pregnant woman is not only possible, but also necessary to get married. After all, in this way God blesses her with her husband and the unborn child.

Especially for Elena TOLOCHIK

The birth of new life is a blessed miracle. It is the Lord who permits the appearance of this fragile sprout. Very often a situation arises in which a young woman, having learned about pregnancy, wants her child to be born in a church marriage. The question of whether it is possible to marry a pregnant woman is asked on Orthodox websites, where priests dispel the doubts of parishioners. Any priest will be only too glad for the desire of the couple to receive the blessing of God for the birth of children and the union approved by the church.

According to the Orthodox catechism, marriage is considered a sacrament in which the bride and groom make a free promise before the priest that they will be faithful to each other. The priest asks for grace for their union, blesses the spouses for a safe birth and Christian upbringing of children. The emphasis of the Orthodox rite is on procreation, on childbearing and mutual obligations to raise healthy children. The answer to the question of whether it is possible to marry a pregnant woman is unambiguous. Yes, this is the right step also because the intercession of the Mother of God and Christ will help both the mother and her child.

Having dispelled doubts about whether it is possible to get married while pregnant, young people should understand that a wedding in a church has its own characteristics that you need to know. First, it turns out whether the future newlyweds are baptized according to the Orthodox tradition. During the ceremony, all the main participants in the sacrament must have

It is better to come to church in advance, when there are more than three weeks left before the wedding, in this order of actions you will be able to prepare and not forget important moments. You need to meet with the priest, who will conduct the ceremony. You need to talk to him frankly, kindly. All his recommendations must be respectfully listened to. Tell him about your situation, about when your child is due to be born. You need to do this because he will give you advice for the upcoming confession. It should be borne in mind that the sacrament of church marriage lasts about an hour, so it is better for the priest to know in advance that the bride may feel bad.

During the preliminary conversation, the priest must find out if there are any reasons why the Orthodox sacrament cannot be performed: blood relationship will become an unacceptable obstacle if one of the spouses is not baptized, there is an undissolved church marriage, as well as more than four civil unions in which one of them was newlyweds.

We answered positively to the question of whether it is possible to get married while pregnant, but we emphasize the need to take this step very responsibly. Before the wedding, the newlyweds fast for 10 days, then they have to confess and take communion. For those who go to confession for the first time, we give this advice: try to open your heart to God. He will hear everything you say. Do not ask for forgiveness for invented sins, repent only of what burdens your soul. If a woman was in a legal civil marriage and pregnancy occurred after the wedding, this is not a sin. Remember that the purity of your thoughts is important to you, as you are interested in the safe birth of children and in God's help.

To prepare you for the ceremony, we will tell you about how the wedding takes place. Prepare the Mother of God in advance, they are needed to bless the couple. Do not forget wedding candles and a towel, which will become a symbol of the purity of your thoughts; it is kept in the family all your life and is passed down through the female line.

Before the newlyweds must ask for blessings from their parents. If they cannot attend the ceremony, the planted parents are chosen. These should be family people, not necessarily married to each other.

The bride and groom stand at the altar of the church, the priest comes through to them. In the hands of the priest is the Gospel and the cross, with which he blesses the young three times and passes them the lit candles. The rings are placed on the throne in the altar. The clergyman reads prayers and puts on rings, then the newlyweds move to the center of the Temple. In front of the lectern lies a towel, a husband and wife stand on it. On the lectern there should be a cross, the Gospel and crowns. The priest asks the question about the consent of the newlyweds to take a vow of fidelity before the church and the Lord. Witnesses raise crowns (crowns) over the heads of the young, then ritual bowls of wine are brought to them. They are applied to the bowls three times. At the end of the ceremony, the priest leads the young people by the hands around the lectern. You need to do three full circles. Then you should kiss the icons located on the royal gates. Only after this, a modest kiss of the spouses is allowed, which completes the wedding.

After the end of the sacrament, the newlyweds feel an amazing spiritual unity. implies fidelity to each other throughout life, think seriously, prepare for this step, and do not take the wedding as a tribute to tradition or a fashion trend.