Mixed Marriages

Question: 

I'm Ukrainian Catholic and my fiance is Greek Orthodox.  I understand that now if we were to get married in a Greek Orthodox church by the church's priest then I still could stay Catholic.  My question is, if we decided to get married in this manner could I practice and recieve communion  at a Greek Orthodox church even if I'm Catholic.

Very Rev. Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org 

Actually there is no simple answer to this.  For pastoral reasons - which include respect and honour to all that is praiseworthy in the heritage of both parties of the marriage - most (but not all) Orthodox pastors will celebrate the Mystery of Matrimony when one of the partners is of the Orthodox communion and the other is Catholic or some other Christian confession so long as they have been baptized in the name of the Trinity. 

On the other hand inter-Communion is not so widespread - the Orthodox view Communion as the highest, most profound expression of unanimity in faith and normally offer this Mystery only to other Orthodox.  Again, for pastoral reasons there are exceptions but exceptions do not make a rule.

Marriage is a blessed state and it is good that you are thinking carefully together about how to enter into it.  Ecumenical marriages are a great challenge - but they have certainly been known to offer a great deal of enrichment to the partners and to their respective communities.  No one should be coerced or in any way pressured to change their commitment to a particular community.  Love celebrates diversity - it does not seek uniformity, but rather unity in diversity.

God bless you as you pray and seek the best path for yourselves into this wonderful voyage which is meant to bless you and the universe eternally.

Please see summary of articles on weddings and marriage on this site.

Ukrainian Orthodoxy