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
• Great Lent (seven weeks before Pascha, or Easter)
• The Apostles’ Fast (beginning on the second Sunday after Pentecost)
• The Dormition Fast (14-27 August)
• The Nativity Fast (28 November-7 January)
• The period between Christmas and Theophany (7-19 January)
• Cheesefare Week (the week before the beginning of Great Lent)
• 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 2017 and 2018 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.

As the Nativity Fast continues until Friday 6 January, Sunday 1 January is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Saturday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Thursday 19 January), Sunday 8 January and Sunday 15 January are unavailable.

 

22 January

29 January

5 February

12 February

19 February

 

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 20 February, Sunday 26 February is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 27 February, all the Sundays in March are unavailable, as are Sunday 2 April and Sunday 9 April.  As Pascha falls on Sunday 16 April, that Sunday is unavailable.

 

23 April

30 April

7 May

14 May

21 May

28 May

 

As Pentecost falls on Sunday 4 June, that Sunday is unavailable.

 

As Sunday 11 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that day is unavailable.

 

As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 12 June and continues until Tuesday 11 July, the remaining Sundays in June are unavailable, as are Sunday 2 July and Sunday 9 July.

 

16 July

23 July

30 July

6 August

 

As the Dormition Fast begins on Monday 14 August and continues until Sunday 27 August, Sunday 13 August, Sunday 20 August and Sunday 27 August are unavailable.

 

3 September

 

10 September is unavailable as it is the Eve of the Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

 

17 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.

 

24 September

 

1 October

8 October

15 October

22 October

29 October

 

5 November

12 November

19 November

26 November

 

As the Nativity Fast begins on Tuesday 28 November, all the Sundays in December are unavailable.

As the Nativity Fast continues until Friday 6 January, that Friday is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Saturday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Thursday 19 January), Friday 13 January is unavailable.

 

20 January

27 January

3 February

10 February

17 February

 

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 20 February, Friday 24 February is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 27 February, all the Fridays in March are unavailable, as are Friday 7 April and Friday 14 April.  As Pascha falls on Sunday 16 April and Bright Week continues until Saturday 22 April, Friday 21 April is unavailable.

 

28 April

5 May

12 May

19 May

26 May

29 May

2 June

9 June

 

As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 12 June and continues until Tuesday 11 July, the remaining Fridays in June are unavailable, as is Friday 7 July.

 

14 July

21 July

28 July

4 August

11 August

 

As the Dormition Fast begins on Monday 14 August and continues until Saturday 27 August, Friday 19 August and Friday 26 August are unavailable.

 

1 September

8 September

15 September

22 September

29 September

 

6 October

 

13 October is unavailable as it the Eve of the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God.

 

20 October

27 October

 

3 November

10 November

17 November

24 November

 

As the Nativity Fast begins on Tuesday 28 November, all the Fridays in December are 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), 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.