Q&A Home > I > Intercultural Marriages

• Can members of the Coptic Orthodox Church (or Oriental Orthodox in general) marry someone who is Eastern Orthodox?
• For a Russian Orthodox to get married to a Coptic Orthodox member, does he require to be baptized?
• I am a non-Egyptian single male in my 40s and raised Roman Catholic. I have been reading as much as I can about Orthodox Christianity. I have come to love the Coptic Orthodox Divine Liturgy, and the ancient Coptic hymns. I feel that the Coptic Orthodox Church is the most traditional of all the Orthodox Churches. I have learned that a member of the Coptic Church is only allowed to marry another member of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. If I decide to convert to the Coptic Orthodox Church, would a non-Egyptian like myself have difficulty finding a Coptic wife?
• I am a practicing Catholic recently got engaged to a practicing Coptic Orthodox. We have always supported each other's religion, and attended services at both churches. Since both of us are from one apostolic church, why then, do I need to convert in order to be married in the.Orthodox Church?
• I have a problem that involves an American girl whom I have known for the past 5 years. She met Abouna and had a few sessions with him to introduce her to our church. She is very committed to joining our church. She is Lutheran and her father is the pastor of her church. The problem came up when we told her parents that we are hoping to get married and started talking about the wedding arrangements. They are saying that in the American tradition, the couple gets married at the bride's church. I insisted on getting married at my church, which is not a problem for her, but her parents have a big problem with it.
• I have recently met a Coptic woman who is amazing. She is just a spiritual as I am, and I have felt closer to God since she has come into my life. I have also been studying the Coptic faith and visited the church. It feels like home to me, and in my heart the place, I should be. I have begun classes after my study in order to join the church (not just because of wanting to spend my life with this woman) but because I agree with the beliefs and the feeling of God placing me here at this time. We have been talking marriage as we believe our Lord has brought us together especially how we met and came across one another and the feeling of home and peace when we are together and want to start a life in God as one with the Church behind us. Will we be allowed to marry? What might I need to do so? I do understand that in my Protestant faith marriage was not one of the sacraments. I am divorced and have children. Annulments are never needed for Protestants. They abide by the laws of the land in terms of court divorce. I am trying to understand how that relates or is even recognized by the Coptic Church in which I would need some type of annulment. Any advice on how to warm her family up to the idea as I am not of Egyptian decent and the prior marriage. We are really struggling right now. The parents at this time due to the divorce and children, will not look passed it to get to know me to see godly attributes. They are really putting a lot of pressure on her and our relationship to be ended. Is there any way that you can think of that will warm her father to even meeting me? Getting a chance to get to know me and to see if my heart and everything about me belongs to our Heavenly Father? I understand his protective nature of his daughter as I would feel the same. However, I do believe there are times in life where you find your place with God, when He takes over after you give your life to Him fully, and you are changed. My marriage ended due to infidelity, and other contributing factors not on my end. However, I realize their outlook in my choice, etc. How do I get them to know me? I believe judging a book by its cover or mistakes in years past does not make the person you are when your life is given unconditional to our heavenly Father. There is new life. We are not looking to speed up our relationship per say because I believe all things and timing will come as God wills it. We will take the time God deems necessary for the next step. I really am just looking for them to agree to meet me and give themselves an opportunity to get to know who I am. Do you have any advice on how, I may be able to approach? Also, not sure if it s customary for me to approach her father or would I have her set that up. As far as the church is concerned, I have been through the reading and am awaiting the classes. She is not really involved in that with me other than giving me the contact.
• I was recently baptized in the Coptic Church and will soon marry a Coptic man, the love of my life. Unfortunately, a very close relative in his immediate family just passed away. From what I understand, there is a mourning period? We have not had an official engagement in the church yet because our priest was not available. My fiancée told me he is concerned what his family will think about our engagement if we do it before the forty-day-memorial of the passing of their loved one, and also, our wedding date is not at least a year after his passing. I hope this will not affect our wedding date because many people planned to attend, and deposits for the wedding have already been paid. I feel hurt and in the dark about things and that his family meddles and imposes on him too much financially and they are more of a priority than us. 1. Is there a mourning period? 2. What is going on with his family? 3. Is this going to mess up our wedding date and delay our official engagement in the church?
• If a Coptic Orthodox woman and a Roman Catholic man wish to marry in the Coptic Orthodox Church, can the marriage be celebrated without the Catholic man converting to the Orthodox Church through anointing with oil?
• If an Orthodox girl marries a Catholic man and she does not change her religion, can she still have communion in her Orthodox Church?
• In May 2011, I will be getting engaged to a Coptic Christian in his Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt. He and I have had many discussions about our faith, and I have done a lot of research and reading about Coptic Orthodoxy. We both feel it is important for our family to have the same faith, and to raise our future children with the same beliefs. After all I have learned, I feel 100% that Coptic Orthodoxy is the right faith for me and our family. I am seeking information on how to become Coptic and what steps I need to take to do so. Regarding me, I am Christian and accept our Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. I was raised Baptist, but I am currently not a member of a church, and have never been baptized.   The closest Coptic Church is located in a state in the SUS Diocese. However, it is about an hour and fifteen minutes from where I live. I would love to attend as often as possible, but I currently do not have a vehicle, so I will be relying on my father to take me. I would love your advice on what I should do? Is it okay to just go as often as I'm able or will this affect my being able to convert? This is very important to me, and I will try my hardest to attend regularly, but it might not be possible to go weekly due to the distance. Also, when I do go to the Church, is there anything in particular I should discuss with the Priest? My fiancée and I are planning to be engaged this May, and I know in order for this to happen, I will need to convert before the engagement ceremony. It is already February. Is this enough time for me to speak with a priest, learn more about Coptic Orthodoxy, and become a member of the faith?
• My boyfriend is a Coptic Orthodox. I am a Mormon. Can we be married in his church without me having to convert to his faith?
• My family and I are not religious, but I have fallen in love with a Coptic man. We are both still in college and it is a long distance relationship. We met in person and spent less than 12 hours together. I am struggling to accept the fact, after 6 months of talking long distance, that we cannot be together due to our differing religions and the rules of the Coptic Church. Can you explain why we are not meant to be together and how I can accept that we cannot marry?
• My fiancé, his mom, his sister, and I are protestant. My fiancé’s father is Coptic. He is putting a lot of pressure on us to have a Coptic ceremony. I agreed to it out of respect to him. However, I did not know until recently that I would have to convert and be baptized in the Coptic Church. Our wedding is only 2 months away now and we have to deal with this big issue. I told them that I didn't feel comfortable getting rebaptized because I was already baptized and joining the Church just to do a ceremony is not right. My fiancé and I will attend the Coptic Church 1-2x per year out of respect to his dad, but we attend a protestant church and plan to continue attending it after our wedding. We both love God and serve and obey Him and feel like we have been able to grow and become closer to God through the church where we currently attend. I have expressed my feelings to my fiancé’s family and they are still pressuring me to go through with a Coptic ceremony. I have read in many places, including the baptism and even the ceremony rites, where statements are made saying that you will serve, attend, etc., the Coptic Church. I most certainly will not lie if asked, and I find it hard to believe that a priest would carry through with a baptism and ceremony considering that. I know my fiancé’s dad is a Christian just as I am and he is a loving man. I know his dad and any other person in the Coptic Church would want to see us attend and get married there, but I am following, obeying God, and growing in my character and faith and feel that the church I attend now is where I am to remain and my fiancé also feels the same way. I know that the Coptic ceremony is important to my fiancé’s dad, but I am really at a loss as to what to do or to say to him. I feel like if I don't do it, that it will cause problems between us and he will think I am being dishonoring or disrespectful. He said if we don't do a Coptic ceremony, he will not invite his family, and that is hurtful to me. My fiancé is very stressed over the whole situation and also does not know what to do.
• What are the different options available in marrying someone of a different Christian religion? What are the different steps involved?
• What does it mean for a Catholic to be anointed before getting married to a Copt?