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 8 August or 9 August, the Eve and the Feast of the Great-Martyr Panteleimon.
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 - NOTE: As this is the day of commemoration of the Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, this day is unavailable for a wedding in Gosford.
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.
Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Tuesday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Sunday 19 January), Sunday 12 January is unavailable.
19 January
26 January
2 February
9 February
16 February
23 February
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 24 February, Sunday 1 March is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 2 March, the remaining Sundays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 19 April, the first three Sundays in April are unavailable.
26 April
3 May
10 May
17 May
24 May
31 May
As Pentecost falls on Sunday 7 June, that Sunday is unavailable. As Sunday 14 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that Sunday is unavailable. As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 15 June and continues until Saturday 11 July, the remaining Sundays in June are unavailable, as is Sunday 5 July.
12 July
19 July
26 July
2 August
9 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Friday 14 August and continues until Thursday 27 August, Sunday 16 August and Sunday 23 August are unavailable.
30 August
6 September
13 September NOTE: - This will be the day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of family, love and faithfulness.
As Sunday 21 September is the Eve of the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, this Sunday is unavailable. As Sunday 27 September is the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and a strict fast day, this Sunday is unavailable.
4 October
11 October
18 October
25 October
1 November
8 November
15 November
22 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Saturday 28 November, Sunday 29 November and all the Sundays in December are unavailable.
As the Nativity Fast continues until Monday 6 January, Friday 3 January is unavailable. Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Tuesday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Sunday 19 January), Friday 10 January and Friday 17 January are unavailable.
24 January
31 January
7 February
As Friday 14 February is the Eve of the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, this day is unavailable.
21 February
As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 24 February, Friday 28 February is unavailable. As Great Lent begins on Monday 2 March, all the Fridays in March are unavailable. As Pascha falls on Sunday 19 April the first three Fridays in April are unavailable. As Bright Week continues until Saturday 25 April, Friday 24 April is unavailable.
1 May
8 May
15 May
22 May
29 May
5 June
12 June
As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 15 June and continues until Saturday 11 July, the remaining Fridays in June are unavailable, as are Friday 3 July and Friday 10 July.
17 July
24 July
31 July
7 August
As the Dormition Fast begins on Friday 14 August that day is unavailable. As the Dormition Fast continues until Thursday 27 August, Friday 21 August is unavailable.
28 August
4 September
11 September
18 September
25 September
2 October
9 October
16 October
23 October
30 October
6 November
13 November
20 November
As the Nativity Fast begins on Saturday 28 November, Friday 27 November and all the Fridays in December are unavailable.
