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Marriage
The sacrament of the union of a man and woman — crowned with the crowns of martyrdom, an image of the Kingdom.
Marriage (gamos) in Orthodox theology is one of the seven mysteries: the sacrament of the union of a man and woman in Christ. The central rite is the crowning: the priest places crowns on the heads of the bride and groom, crowning them as king and queen of a new household — and also as martyrs, for each is called to lay down their life for the other. The service includes the sharing of a common cup (imaging the cup of suffering and joy they will share) and the dance around the central table (the Dance of Isaiah, celebrating the Incarnation).