www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship The Other Sacramental Mysteries Can an Eastern priest partake in a Latin wedding in any way?

Having a Latin TLM but was wondering if there is any protocol for an Eastern priest to participate (wife-to-be is Eastern). I don't mean concelebrate, but if there's a blessing or something he could do after (for example), have him sit in choir, and preach to the in-laws in their native tongue that would be awesome. (Would love to incorporate some Easterness into me wedding - sorry Latins).

Thanks

Since there is no concelebration in the TLM, there’s no place for the Eastern cleric to participate. Although the Latin pastor could allow the Eastern presbyter to give the homily.

I was referring to more if there is some sort of blessing(s) the priest could give. Is there a book of blessings analogous to the Roman Ritual?

There is such a book, but it’s highly irregular for the Eastern priest to offer the nuptial blessing during a Latin liturgy. The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, at least in the context of concelebration, directs the ministers to avoid liturgical syncretism (c. 701). All are to follow the liturgical books of the principal celebrant.

Of course, I'm not in possession of all the facts: but if the bride-to-be is a member of one of the Eastern Catholic Churches, surely the crowning ought to be celebrated in her church, by her pastor, in her rite and this for VALIDITY!

He can sit "in choro". No problem

Christ is in our midst!!

Jedediah,

Welcome to the forum.

Bob
Moderator

An EC married by an RC *priest* is validly married.

The problem is when it's a deacon, which fails.

Isn't the bride's parish strongly preferred over the groom's, though?

So you're saying that an EC married by a (RC?) deacon is not validly married?

This is probably true, though I can't substantiate it. However, there may be circumstances in a particular instance which make the wedding at the bride's parish difficult or impossible.

yes; there was a wave of those going through the tribunals some time back.

In the RC, the couple are the ministers of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

In Byzantine practice, the priest is the minister of the Sacrament, and it cannot be conferred without him.

Ok, thanks!

So what do Byzantine Catholics do in the event a priest is unavailable? This scenario is discussed often enough by traditional RC's, given we are never sure when the pope will suppress Latin Mass orders, or the entire pre-Vatican II liturgy and sacraments. And in the past, the ability for Catholics to marry themselves absent a priest has allowed the Church to survive, as the case of Japanese Catholics was for centuries (in the Roman Rite, the two sacraments absolutely necessary for the Church to continue to exist can be administered by laity: Baptism and Matrimony. I'm not much of a theologian, but I believe the allowance for marriage is because it already was a natural institution, Christ raised it to a supernatural level).

You get a civil marriage and have it blessed by priest when he is available. Or you could apply for a dispensation to be married by a Latin priest.

Ah. That makes sense. Thank you. I imagined there had to be some work around in the Byzantine churches since they've generally lived under more oppressive regimes than the Latin Rite, where a priest might be hard to come by.

It is my understanding that it is exactly the opposite, that tradition dictates that the marriage should be according to the rite of the groom, and that in a case such as this a special dispensation would be required for it to be according to the rite of the bride.

The involvement of the priest in an RC wedding is relatively recent in church terms.

He was often/typically an honored guest, and would bless the marriage.

It wasn't required that he witness the vows until the1300s or so, to deal with the couples who disappeared, returned, and told different stories as to whether or not they'd exchanged vows.

This led to a new abuse, in which the couple the couldn't get their families to agree would break into the rectory, wake up the priest, and exchange vows before he'd come to his senses.

This was corrected a little faster--a mere 700 years--in the late 20th century (1979?) revision to the code of canon law.

The **Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches** beautifully preserves the unique integrity of Eastern traditions, ensuring unity without losing richness. It's a valuable guide for maintaining liturgical identity.