Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

NO ONE??? HELP ME!

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

It is called the 'stefana'

The other Greek brides on the board would know better than I do ..

I'm still learning .. I'm a Greek bride2be 'in training!'

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

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Posted by FeliciaDA
I'm still learning .. I'm a Greek bride2be 'in training!'

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Me Too!!

I know that is the name but I really dont know what the meaning is behind it I am supposing it is connecting to two lives together since the crowns are connected and at one point during I think they are put together and placed on the bride and grooms head.

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

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Posted by Jo Ann
Me Too!!

I know that is the name but I really dont know what the meaning is behind it I am supposing it is connecting to two lives together since the crowns are connected and at one point during I think they are put together and placed on the bride and grooms head.

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I am learning all the traditions from FH's family (he is Greek Orthodox, I am Italian Catholic .. but we're getting married in his church). This is just a sample taken from some information I got from FH's church:

The Crowning
The crowning of the couple with the stefana (two flowered crowns attached by white ribbon) signifies glory and honor that God crowns them with. The ribbon symbolizes the unity of the couple. The Koumbaro or Koumbara also plays a part by interchanging the crowns on the couples’ heads.

The Common Cup
The crowning is followed by readings of the Epistle and the Gospel. The Gospel reading describes the marriage of Cana at Galilee, which was blessed by Christ and where He performed his first miracle. The miracle converted water into wine and was given to the newlyweds. Thus, wine is given to the couple as a remembrance.

The Ceremonial Walk
The priest will then lead the Bride and Groom around a table on the altar three times. On the table are the Gospel and Cross. The steps around the table represent the unending journey of husband and wife. The Koumbaro or Koumbara walks behind the married couple holding the stefana in place.

The Removal of the Crowns
After the Ceremonial Walk, the priest blesses the couple. The priest then removes the crowns and asks God to grant the couple a long, happy life together. He then separates the couples’ joined hands, reminding them that only God can separate the couple from one another.

This concludes the ceremony and the Bride and Groom are officially married!!

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

I am also a Greek bride in training. LOL! My FH is GO and I am Catholic. We are getting married in the GO church. This was posted on the Greek thread (on the 04 brides board). It's wording for a program.

HOLY MATRIMONY

Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament of the Greek Orthodox Church in which a woman and a man solemly vow before Christ, the priest, and the congregation to be true to each other for life. Their union is blessed by Christ through the Church. God's grace is imparted to them top live together in His love, mutually fulfilling and perfecting each other.
THe marriage ceremony of the Greek Orthodox Church is unique in that nor words are exchanged between bride and groom. It is filled with ritual and symbolism. Each of the acts which you will witness today hold a special meaning and significance.

THE JOINING OF THE RIGHT HANDS

THe right hand of the bride and groom are joined when teh priest reads the prayer that beseeches God to 'join these thy servant, unite them in one mind and one flesh.' The hands are kept joined throughout the service to symbolize the 'oneness' of the couple.

THE CANDLES

The wedding service begins immediately following teh Bethrothal Service. The bride and groom are handed candles with the satin ribbons and addorned with springs of orange blossoms which bring fruitfulness to the marriage. The candles are like the lamps of teh five wise maidens of the Bible, who because they had enough oil in their lamps, were able to receive teh Bride-groom, Christ, when he came in the darkness of the night. THe candles symbolize teh spiritual willingness of the couple to receive Christ, who will belss them through this sacrament.

THE CROWNING

The office of the crowning, which follows, is the climax of teh wedding service. THe crowns are signs of the glory and honor with which God growns the bride and groom during teh sacrament. They are crowned as queen and king of their own little kingdom, their home, which they will rule with wisdom, justice, and integrity.

When the crowning takes place, the priest, taking the crowns and holding them above the couple, says 'The servants god, (insert couples name), are crowned in teh name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.'

Some interprety the crowns used in the Orthodox wedding ceremony to refer to the crowns of martyrdom since every true marriage invovled immesurable self-sacrifice on both sides.

THE CEREMONIAL WALK

WIth crowns in place and linked to each other by a ribbon, the priest then leads the groom, who leads the bride, in a procession around the altar three times. On the altar are placed the Gospel and the Cross. The one containing the word of God, the other being the symbol of our redemption by Christ. THis is the first walk that the couple takes as husband and wife. The Church, in the person of the priest, leads them in the way they must walk. This way is symbolized by the circle, at the center of which are the Gospel and the Cross of our Lord. This expresses the fact that the way of teh Chirstian liviing is a perfect orbit and the center of life, who is Jesus Christ our Lord.

During the ceremonial walk around the table a hymn is sung to teh Holy Martyrs reminding the newly married couple of the sacrificial love tehy are to have for one another in marriage; a love that seeks not its own, but is willing to sacrifice it all for the one loved.

THE COMMON CUP

THe rite of the crowning is followed by teh reading of the Epistle and the Gospel. THe Gospel reading describes the marriage at Cana of Galilee which was attended and blessed by Christ and for which He reserved His first miracle. There He coverted water to wine and gave of it to teh newlyweds. In remembrance of this blessing, wine is give to the couple. THis is the 'common cup' of life denoting the mutual sharing of joy and shorrow, the token of a life of harmony. THe drinking of the wine from the common cup serves to impress upon the couple that from that moment on they will share everything in life, joys as well as sorrows, and that they are to 'bear one another's burdens.' Through sharing their joys will be doubled and their sorrows halved.

THE RINGS

THe rings are blessed by the priest who takes them in his hand, and making the sign of the corss over thier heads, says, 'The servant of God, (insert grooms name), is betrothed to the maid of God, (Insert brides name), in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.'

THe rings, which are the symbol of the betrothal from the most ancient times, are then exchanged by the koumbaro/koumbara, by taking the bride's ring and placing it on the groom's finger and vice versa. This exchange signifies that in married life the weakness of the one parner will be compensated for by the strengths of the other. Alone, the newly-betroithed are incomplete, but together they are made perfect, whole. THus, the exchange of the rings gives the expression to the fact that the spouses, in marriage, will constantly be complimenting each other; each being enriched by the union.

THE BLESSING

THe couple return to their places and teh priest, blessing the groom says, 'Be though magnified, O bridegroom, as Abraham, and blessed as Isaac, and increased as Jacob, walking in peac and working in righteous and the commandments of God.' And blessing the bride he says, 'And though, O bride, be thou magnified as Sarah, and glad as Rebecca and do thou increase like unto Rachael, rejoicing in thine own husband, fulfilling the conditions of the law; for so it is well pleasing to God.'

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

Felicia: Are you getting a dispensation from the Catholic Church?

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

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Posted by Marcela1654

Felicia: Are you getting a dispensation from the Catholic Church?

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Uh .. no And now I am worried I forgot something!

We still have not met with the priest at FH's church (doing so next month). When FH set the date, they told him it wouldn't be a problem for us to be married in the GO church, as long as I was baptized. All they did was send us a bunch of paperwork and literature to read (basic ceremony information, rules of the parish, etc) and told us that the rest would be discussed at our meeting!

That is why I try to read up on my own, because I have so many questions

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

My f/h is also greek and we are doing the greek orthodox wedding.
All I know about the stephonas is that the best man puts them on your head and has to be greek orthodox to perform that task. ( his brother is doing that)
My MOH is not greek.

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

We got a whole packet also.

A dispensation is like a permission slip from the Catholic Church allowing you to marry a non Catholic and outside of the Catholic Church. As Catholics we are not allowed to get married outside of the Church. But they allow you in certain conditions. One being if you're marrying in the GO church.

If you do not get a dispensation, the Catholic Church does not recognize your marriage. However, I don't know what 'not recognizing your marriage' truly means.

The main reason I wanted to get a dispensation is b/c we want to baptize our children Catholic. I thought that if the Church won't recognize my marriage, they won't baptize my children. However, now that I think about it I have a few friends who are Catholic and were not married in the Catholic Church and had no problems baptizing their children Catholic.

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

Thanks ladies!! I'm trying to gather some info for a friend who just got engaged a couple of weeks ago!!!

Re: Does anyone know the name of the floral bands that connect w/ ribbon in Greek weddings?

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Posted by Marcela1654

We got a whole packet also.

A dispensation is like a permission slip from the Catholic Church allowing you to marry a non Catholic and outside of the Catholic Church. As Catholics we are not allowed to get married outside of the Church. But they allow you in certain conditions. One being if you're marrying in the GO church.

If you do not get a dispensation, the Catholic Church does not recognize your marriage. However, I don't know what 'not recognizing your marriage' truly means.

The main reason I wanted to get a dispensation is b/c we want to baptize our children Catholic. I thought that if the Church won't recognize my marriage, they won't baptize my children. However, now that I think about it I have a few friends who are Catholic and were not married in the Catholic Church and had no problems baptizing their children Catholic.

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Marcela - I FM'd you .. Thanks!