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is it possible ?

jlomlojjlomloj
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Hello, a friend of mine is getting married with a polish women in a Coptic church in Egypt.
She doesn't want to become a Coptic and the man checked with his father in the church that she then need only to bring a permition from a polish catolic bishop that she can have an arthodox ( but not Coptic ) sacrament of marriage in the church without catholic canonic order...Is it possible that they got a permition and they will get married in a Coptic church?....Thank you for any answers.

Comments

  • CopticdeaconCopticdeacon
    Most likely not if our church does not even let Catholics allow take communion in our church how are they going to let them get married which is a way smaller scale than partaking of the Holy Body and Holy Blood of Christ
  • jlomlojjlomloj
    i thought the same...i will let you know in few weeks how did it go for her, bc for now they are telling her it is possible and she is going for her wedding in 3 weeks...
  • jojo204
    Well she chooses not to be a coptic orthodox and still wants to partake in coptic orthodox sacraments isn't right, because matrimony is obviously a sacrament, where God joins them, where His Holy Spirit will rest upon. The sacraments work in hand with the church, we can say theu are the ones that lay the foundation of the church.
    The most important factor is ask God about this decision.. and FOC


    The following was taken from "The Church Sacraments’ by Habib Guirges.":

    Characteristics of an Orthodox Marriage:
    ·  Both husband and wife must be Orthodox Christians, “Do not be equally yoked together with
    unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light
    with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
    And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” (2
    Cor 6:14-16)

    E The Goal of an Orthodox Marriage:
    Very often couples get married for the purpose of filling certain needs that they have in their own
    personal lives. Therefore, they come to marriage expecting happiness, emotional well-being, personal
    satisfaction – without even having to work for them. When they don’t get these things, they feel cheated or blame their spouse. As Orthodox Christians, we approach marriage very differently. The goal of marriage is not the fulfillment of one’s needs; rather, the goal of marriage is heaven.'

    E FAQ:
    Q1: St. Paul said, “The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is
    sanctified by the husband” (1 Cor 7:14). Is St. Paul permitting the marriage to unbelievers?
    A1: St. Paul is talking to people who believed and were already married yet their spouses did not accept the faith. He said before the above verse, “If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (1 Cor 7: 12-13) then he said, “if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases” (1 Cor 7:15).
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    If I were asked my opion about this matter, and I often am by men and women in this situation, then I always have to say that it is not possible for a Coptic Orthodox person to marry someone who is not Orthodox. He or she need not be Coptic Orthodox of course, for we are only one part of the Church of Christ, but he or she would need to be Syrian, Armenian, Indian, Ethiopian or Eritrean Orthodox, and with permission could perhaps be Eastern Orthodox.

    But otherwise it is not possible for two people who are not Orthodox to be married in the Coptic Orthodox Church. As has been said, this is a sacramental act which requires that both parties be Orthodox. There are a great many practical reasons why this is so. I would not want to say that non-Orthodox Christians are unbelievers or darkness. Many non-Orthodox live much better Christian lives than many Orthodox. But the practical and spiritual work of building a family works best when there is agreement not where there is fundamental disagreement. And this is why the Church protects her children by warning against marrying outside the Orthodox Faith. It is not a punishment. It is a protection.

    The Salvation Army (a Protestant group) has a similar rule. None of their clergy are allowed to marry outside their movement because such a commitment is required to living and serving in a particular way that it is considered necessary that there is unity and agreement in the marriage of all their clergy. Otherwise there may be pressure to stop some activities or to live in a way that is contradictory to the spirit of the Salvation Army.

    If it is problematic for a Coptic Orthodox to wish to marry a non-Orthodox it is impossible for one to marry a non-Christian. This will cause many practical problems and lead to difficulties in the marriage. From a sacramental point of view it makes it impossible for the working out of the sacrament to take place. Marriage is not a means of evangelism! If we are married to someone and become Orthodox then that is one thing. But we should never expect to marry someone and think that we can then change them.

    I am not clear what the OP means about an Orthodox sacrament of marriage but not a Coptic one?

    Father Peter
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