Posted by zafiris on January 03, 2000 at 10:37:06:
In Reply to: The "Divorced" Ceremony posted by Donna Pinson on January 02, 2000 at 20:03:18:
The Greek Orthodox Church divorce involves an application to the bishop (submitted with the assistance of the priest of the church where the applicant belongs to).
Then the bishop approves the divorce (they always do in the States, sometimes they give problems in Greece). The divorce basically declares the divorcees as "persons foreign to each other". Then the persons can be remarried by the church.
To become a Greek Orthodox, one needs to be baptized and chrismated. In order to do this, you need a godfather or godmother. Any priest can perform the ceremony, however some churches recommend to go to a seminar that explains what everything is about. The Orthodox church recognizes the catholic baptism and if it has been done, the only thing that is needed to become an (Eastern) Orthodox Christian is the chrismation.
: My partner is Greek Orthodox and has been married once before. He married in the Orthodox church and we are looking at doing the same. I have been informed that the ceremony for a "divorcee" is completely different from the original/traditional ceremony and I would like to know a little more about it. I have been told that it basically revolves around excusing him from his first marriage and I do not want our wedding to be based on his first marriage ! Could you tell me a bit more about it ??
: Also, my mother was baptised Catholic but never baptised my sister and myself. I have always believed that there is a God but I have never gone through the channels of being christened/baptised. I am looking at following my husband-to-be's religion and would also like to know what is involved for me ??
: Thank you - Donna