Finding an orthodox spouse

As Orthodox people, we should be at least as serious as the servant in the parable when it comes to the critical question of selecting a spouse. The Orthodox faith presents us with two alternative paths for our life: life in the community of a married family, or life in the community of a monastery. Such a choice in intimately tied with the way will live, our job, our family life, our diet, our entertainment, and ultimately to our happiness.

You can find someone you really like, get close with them, and try to talk them into the orthodox faith. A lot of people converted due to their spouse. Or you can find a girl at your church.

Even in Orthodox countries it can be difficult for young people to find a devout spouse. Consequently, parish and diocese events, stays at monasteries where visitors have to work together in the kitchen, and pilgrimages are commonly used as matchmaking opportunities. Who is the Patron Saint of finding a good spouse? My dear sister is wondering. Personally, I’ve been praying to St.

Though probably more often to Our Lady. Joseph (for the ladies especially), St. Valentine (those in love rather), St.

Posts about Choosing a spouse written by John Habib. Dating can be a tough scene for us Orthodox Christians–let’s be honest: there are not that many of us, and there can be a lot of pressure from family to make something work or to choose a particular kind of person. Not to mention the crazy way the world often treats relationships as means simply to fulfill our own selfish desires.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, when a seminarian proposed to the girl he hoped to marry and to have as his life’s companion, consort or “Matushka,” he would send her a note with the above words from the Bible. A way of life is a whole coming together of habits and attitudes, ideas and actions: a style of life, a way to live. Like most things, online dating sites are a tool, not a path, to finding your spouse.

The principles of being properly prepared for marriage and choosing a spouse apply regardless of whether you meet someone online, at a party, or are introduced by a friend. Marriage To Heaven (How to choose a spouse ) - Duration: 13:36. Even when they both share the tasks, to exalt the Lord together means that they grow beyond selfishness.

Finding An Orthodox Wife Luke Ford. I’ve had so many cases where they appreciated the counseling, congratulated choir and me for a glorious wedding, then dropped out of Church commitment, even if they had formally been active members. The biggest problem with being a single young Orthodox person, I have foun is that you kind of fall into a lonesome gray area within the cohort of the church. Most Orthodox are either married with kids, empty nesters, or young single people committed to lifelong chastity or religious vocations. You need to have several acquaintances and a few friends before you can find your wife.

So work on finding Orthodox women acquaintances first. Then consider expressing a romantic interest in one of your friends. Singles are being encouraged to join a novena starting Feb.

For the Choice of a Good Spouse St.

Raphael , you were sent by God to guide young Tobias in choosing a good and virtuous spouse. Please help me in this important choice which will affect my whole future. When we consider the Orthodox Christian understanding of vocation, several points can be made.

The most obvious are the following: Everyone Has A Calling. God creates every human being in His image and likeness for everlasting life. As the saying goes, God makes no junk.

There are no mistakes and no accidents. O Jesus, lover of the young, the dearest Friend I have, in all confidence I open my heart to You to beg Your light and assistance in the important task of planning my future. In marriage , conjugal relations are guaranteed as a fundamental right for a woman, along with food and clothing.

This obligation is known as onah. If either partner refuses to participate, that person is considered rebellious, and the other spouse can sue for divorce. All Orthodox priests know how difficult it is for young people to find the right husband or wife and to marry, especially in modern societies. We have always advised them to kneel down in humility and ask for the prayers of the Mother of God.

However, it is also possible to ask for the prayers of St Nicholas. Actually there is more than one patron saint of marriage and many patron saints of various aspects of marriage and family life in the Catholic Church. When a spouse dies, people want to comfort the surviving spouse and families may draw together, but in a divorce, we may feel like we’re on trial for the murder of our own marriage. According to Orthodox teaching, one of the essential characteristics of marriage is its indissolubility. This situation is between you and your partner and should not involve your children at all.

Unless you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, sharing details about an affair will only cause them anxiety, make them feel stuck in the middle, and forced to take sides.