Can a Greek Orthodox marry a Catholic in a Catholic church?

Question

I am a Greek Orthodox and my girlfriend is Catholic. She's wanted to get married in a Catholic church. So I have a few questions:

~Is it possible for her and I to get married in a Catholic Church?
~Must I convert to Catholic to get married in a Catholic Church?
~Is there ANY way that we can be married without convesion?

Basically, I just want to know how to be able to marry my girlfriend in a Catholic church.

Any help would be appreciated !

Answer 1

Yes, of course you two can marry in the Catholic Church, provided you don't have any impediments (previous marriage) and you meet the other terms (attending premarital counseling sessions, for example).

No, you do not have to convert. Catholics recognize Greek Orthodox as our brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, you may even be able to have a full Mass instead of the smaller Rite because Orthodoxy is so close to Catholicism (one priest told me it was like the left hand and the right hand of the Church).

Answer 2

Yes, it is possible for you both to be married in a Catholic Church. No, you need not convert but you may have to sign a paper stating that you will raise your children Catholic. I'm not certain of that, though. If you mean, "without confession," yes, she needn't go to confession to be married; it's an option. You wouldn't go to confession, at least, not the Catholic version since you are not a Catholic.

I believe you may also be able to have one of your priests, if that's the term, officiate at the wedding along side the Catholic priest and perhaps have some traditions or customs from your church, that isn't in opposition to Catholic beliefs, as part of the wedding. In fact, a cousin of mine's best man was Jewish!

Talk to a priest at her parish, especially one that seems open to things, and look into it. Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 3

Yes
NO
Yes

I have been to many weddings between Cath& Orth in Catholic Churches but the Greek Orthodox Church insists that they get married agan in the Orthodox Church. The Catholic Church will permit you two to get married in an Orthodox Church with the full blessing of the catholic Church. Some Orthodox Churches permit Catholic clergy to participate.

The sticking point will be:how will you raise your prospective children? Both churches insist that all the children be baptized and raised in their church rather than the other.

Answer 4

1st question
Yes, that is possible, as you may know the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are as close in teachings than about any other Christian Churches, a Catholic can get married outside the church by obtaining a dispensation from their local diocese, (I imagine you would be able to do the same)

2nd question
No you do not need to convert to the Catholic faith to get married in the church

3rd question
Yes, you do not have to convert, if you get married in the Catholic Church, you just may not have the full Catholic wedding, which is very common

I would suggest going to foryourmarriage.org
this is a helpful website put out by the united states catholic bishops, and it will help answer a lot more of your questions, such as your interfaith marriage

God Bless

Answer 5

I don't think any of the replies to your question really answered your question. Here is the skinny:

If you are a practicing Orthodox and want to be able to receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church, and you want to have your kids raised Orthodox, or you want to be a Orthodox Godfather in the future, then you CANNOT marry in the Catholic Church.

This is my understanding why. Marriage is one of the 7 Mysteries (Sacraments). Because we are not in communion with the Catholics, their Sacraments, besides Baptism, is not recognized by our Orthodox Church. That is why we are not allowed to recieve Communion or Confession within a Catholic Church. I would assume that marriage is the same.

Now, you can marry her within the Orthodox Church. We can marry any person that has been baptised in the Name of the Holy Trinity. The Orthodox do recognize her baptism if she is Catholic. Actually, I would recommend doing that. The Catholics recognize us as valid, but we don't recognize them as being in communion with us.

However, I am not a priest. I would for sure talk to your priest. If you have a spiritual father, or a father confessor, this is something that you would ask him. There is something called "Economia" which gives special dispensation for things like this, but I don't think it applies to this case.

On the other hand, if you are not practicing Orthodox, then it doesn't matter one way or another. There is no compulsion to become or to remain within the Orthodox Church. But marrying outside of the Church is a way of really distancing yourself from it. Therefore, I would really pray about that.

Answer 6

My cousin wasn't Catholic and married his girlfriend in a big Catholic wedding. He had to promise to let her baptize the children Catholic, send them to Catholic school, etc. Basically, he had to publicly consent to her raising them Catholic. But he wasn't asked to convert and he didn't volunteer. I'd say you should be able to get married and nobody convert to anything. Just have a plan for your children of the future-before they arrive. God Bless! Good Luck!

Answer 7

My brother(orthodox) was able to marry a catholic in a catholic church, and he didn't have to convert. So, it shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 8

You need to contact both Archdiocese for these answers. But...here is what I know..being Eastern Orthodox. Both churches will think it is fine that you are marrying. You do not have to convert to either faith.

The wedding for the Eastern Orthodox is more beautiful in my opinion than the Roman Catholic...one thing you may notice there are no vows in the Eastern Orthodox. Eastern Orthodox do not believe that marriage is any form of contract...but a spiritual oneness that is made by God. The Orthodox do not believe in 'til death do you part. They believe marriage is forever....which to me is a nicer sentiment. The service is more of prayers...and blessing. Please research this before you decide that you have to have a Roman wedding. There is more to an Eastern Orthodox Wedding..more tradition and more beauty. If she only knew how beautiful an Orthodox Wedding was...she would want one for herself.

Answer 9

No reason why not. My husband is an atheist but he married his first wife - an RC - in a Catholic church. He didn't even have to pretend to be a Christian, let alone an RC, for the priest to agree to marry them.

Answer 10

Yes, you can marry in a Catholic church. No, you do not have to convert in order to do so. Such interfaith marriages occur regularly.