We are so accustomed to the phrase “family is a unit of society” that this “unit” has slowly descended to civil marriage and a “legal” family in modern life has a “contract” basis. But once …
Until the 9th century, the wedding ceremony among the Slavs consisted of participation in the Eucharist (communion) at the Liturgy. The Christian couple, according to the rite, took part in the Eucharist, and the communion of the Holy Mysteries was the seal of the marriage. Since the 4th century, a solemn ceremony has come into use, accompanying this sacrament - a wedding. The ritual and prayer during the Liturgy match: “O Vladyka… send them… a combination of minds; make them an honest marriage; crown their flesh together; keep their bed undefiled; … to make their life perfect."
In the ritual traditions of the Church, the Eucharist was the "true seal" of marriage, which is done once and cannot be canceled. church marriage was considered inseparable. In 912, according to the new law of Emperor Leo VI, the Church was obliged to give legal status to marriages.
200 years earlier, in 691, the 6th Ecumenical Council of Constantinople convened by the emperor Justinian, based on the provisions of the Gospel of Matthew, decided that it is possible to dethrone in the church, and "adultery," obvious demonic possession or madness "may serve as a reason for divorce., death of one of the spouses. In such cases, it was ordered “to consider marriage not firm, and to dissolve illegal cohabitation,” since this is interpreted by the church as the destruction of a marriage by one of the spouses, which gives the right to consider the issue of debunking. Formally, this is not a divorce, but a statement of the absence of marriage. This ideology of church divorce - debunking - has survived to this day.
In order to debunk in the church, you must:
- submit documents to the Diocese where the wedding was held: passport, wedding certificate, petition, divorce certificate.
- priests from the special commission will conduct an interview with both parties, listen to arguments for divorce, and within 10 days, no later, will make a decision.
Motivations for debunking - adultery, incapacity, death of one of the spouses.
Despite our earthly passions about debunking, Orthodox traditions say that once created a wedding also remains in eternal life - there is no divorce in heaven …
