In the Russian Orthodox Church, weddings are not celebrated on certain days or during certain seasons. This is not out of disdain for marriage, but so as to ensure that days and seasons of spiritual rejoicing or of fasting and repentance are not overshadowed by the joy of a wedding. As a general rule, the days on which weddings are not permitted by the Russian Orthodox Church are:
- Tuesdays
- Thursdays
- Saturdays
- the days of Great Lent (seven weeks before Pascha, or Easter)
- the days of the Apostles’ Fast (beginning on the second Sunday after Pentecost)
- the days of the Dormition Fast (14-27 August)
- the days of the Nativity Fast (28 November-7 January)
- the period between Christmas and Theophany (7-19 January)
- the days of Cheesefare Week (the week before the beginning of Great Lent)
- the days of Paschal (or Easter) Week (Bright Week)
- 14 February (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord)
- The Eve of the Great Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
- The Great Feast of Pentecost
- 10-11 September (the Eve and the Feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist)
- 20 September (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God)
- 26-27 September (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, and the day of the Great Feast itself)
- 13 October (the Eve of the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God)
The dates of some feast-days and fasting periods vary from one year to another. The parish rector will be able to provide precise dates for a particular year.
In our Australian and New Zealand Diocese, weddings are most commonly celebrated on Sundays and Fridays. Dates for the Sundays and Fridays available for weddings during 2018 and 2019 are given below.
Readers should note that the availability of a date will also depend on local custom and observances. In this parish, for example, a wedding would not be possible on 21 May or 22 May, the Eve and the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, the patronal feast of our parish.
Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (19 January), Sunday 7 January and Sunday 14 January are unavailable.
21 January
28 January
4 February
11 February
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 12 February, Sunday 18 February is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 19 February, Sunday 25 February and all the Sundays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 1 April, that Sunday is unavailable.
8 April
15 April
22 April
29 April
6 May
13 May
20 May
As Pentecost falls on Sunday 27 May, that Sunday is unavailable.
As Sunday 3 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that day is unavailable.
As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 4 June and continues until Wednesday 11 July, the other Sundays in June are unavailable, as are Sunday 1 July and Sunday 8 July.
15 July
22 July
29 July
5 August
12 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Tuesday 14 August and continues until Monday 27 August, Sunday 19 August and Sunday 26 August are unavailable.
2 September
9 September
16 September - NOTE: This will be the day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of family, love and faithfulness. In Russia many pious couples now choose to be married on this day.
23 September
30 September
7 October
14 October – NOTE: The feast of the Protection of the Mother of God
21 October
28 October
4 November
11 November
18 November
25 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Tuesday 28 November, all the Sundays in December are unavailable.
As the Nativity Fast continues until Saturday 6 January, Friday 5 January is unavailable. Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (19 January), Friday 12 January and Friday 19 January are unavailable.
26 January
2 February
9 February
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 12 February, Friday 16 February is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 19 February, Friday 23 February and all the Fridays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 1 April and Bright Week continues until Saturday 7 April, Friday 6 April is unavailable.
13 April
20 April
27 April
4 May
11 May
18 May
25 May
2 June
As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 4 June and continues until Wednesday 11 July, the remaining Fridays in June are unavailable, as is Friday 6 July.
13 July
20 July
27 July
3 August
10 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Tuesday 14 August and continues until Monday 27 August, Friday 17 August and Friday 24 August are unavailable.
31 August
7 September
14 September
21 September
28 September
5 October
12 October
19 October
26 October
2 November
9 November
16 November
23 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Wednesday 28 November, Friday 30 November and all the Fridays in December are unavailable.
Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Monday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Saturday 19 January), Sunday 13 January is unavailable.
20 January
27 January
3 February
10 February
17 February
24 February
3 March
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 4 March, Sunday 10 March is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 11 March, the remaining Sundays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 28 April, all the Sundays in April are unavailable.
5 May
12 May
19 May
26 May
2 June
9 June
As Pentecost falls on Sunday 16 June, that Sunday is unavailable. As Sunday 23 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that Sunday is unavailable.
As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 24 June and continues until Thursday 11 July, Sunday 30 June is unavailable, as is Sunday 7 July.
14 July
21 July
28 July
4 August
11 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Wednesday 14 August and continues until Tuesday 27 August, Sunday 18 August and Sunday 25 August are unavailable.
1 September
8 September
15 September NOTE: - This will be the day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of family, love and faithfulness.
22 September
29 September
6 October
As Sunday 13 October is the Eve of the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, this Sunday is unavailable.
20 October
27 October
3 November
10 November
17 November
24 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Thursday 28 November, all the Sundays in December are unavailable.
As the Nativity Fast continues until Sunday 6 January, Friday 4 January is unavailable. Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Monday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Saturday 19 January), Friday 11 January and Friday 18 January are unavailable.
25 January
1 February
8 February
15 February
22 February
1 March
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 4 March, Friday 8 March is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 11 March, the remaining Fridays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 28 April all the Fridays in April are unavailable. As Bright Week continues until Saturday 4 May, Friday 3 May is unavailable.
10 May
17 May
24 May
31 May
7 June
14 June
21 June
As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 24 June and continues until Thursday 11 July, Friday 28 June is unavailable, as is Friday 5 July.
12 July
19 July
26 July
2 August
9 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Wednesday 14 August and continues until Tuesday 27 August, Friday 16 August and Friday 23 August are unavailable.
30 August
6 September
13 September
As Friday 20 September is the Eve of the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, this Friday in unavailable. As Friday 27 September is the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, this Friday is unavailable.
4 October
11 October
18 October
25 October
1 November
8 November
15 November
22 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Thursday 28 November, Friday 29 November and all the Fridays in December are unavailable.
