Marriage in The Eastern Orthodox Church - The Greeting of The Couple

The Greeting of The Couple

At the end of the service, the couple stands at the foot of the altar. From the beginning, at the back of the church, they have now progressed to the forefront. Only the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ, as signified by the Altar, remains ahead of them. The cleric bestows upon them the final Benedictions of the Church, praying to the Lord to "bless the groom as He blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob", and to "bless the bride as He blessed Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel", to "tower the couple as the cedars of the Lebanon", to see them "prosper as the thriving vine", and to have them "see their children, and the children of their children, like the new branches of the olive tree, seated around their table". The couple's final act is to turn and face the assembled Church. Through this sacrament, they have become an icon of the Church and icon of Christ and the assembly comes up to congratulate them and share in their joy.