Holy Matrimony is regarded in the Church as a sacred mystery, a sacrament through which a man and a woman, both baptized in Christ, enter into a lifelong union before God and the Church. This union is not merely a social or legal contract, but a spiritual covenant established through vows made in the presence of God, and sealed by divine grace. In this mystery, the couple seeks not only mutual love and companionship, but also the blessing and sustaining power of God upon their shared life.
The Apostle Paul speaks of marriage as a profound mystery, linking it to the relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32). He teaches that the husband is called to be the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, not in domination but in sacrificial love. In this light, the husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:22–25), and the marital bond becomes a living icon of divine love. Christ Himself affirmed the sanctity and indissolubility of marriage when He declared, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
Within this theological framework, marriage is understood as the most perfect natural expression of God’s creative and caring love for humanity. It reflects the very communion of the Holy Trinity and the sacrificial love of Christ for His Church. When the Church blesses the union of a couple and incorporates it into the life of Christ’s Body, the marriage becomes an image of divine communion—love that is self-giving, enduring, and sanctifying.
The sacrament of marriage also emphasizes the transformative presence of the Holy Spirit. Through this grace, man and woman are enabled to become “one spirit and one flesh” in a way that surpasses natural human capacity alone. This union is not limited to emotional or physical harmony but extends to spiritual, intellectual, social, and even economic unity, all grounded in the life of Christ. The presence of the Holy Spirit empowers the couple so that their union, begun on earth, may be fulfilled in eternity and not be separated even by death, but perfected in the Kingdom of God.
From the earliest centuries of the Church, the rite of crowning has been central to Christian marriage. By the fourth century, early Christian writers already describe the crowning of couples during the Eucharistic Liturgy. According to St. John Chrysostom, these crowns signify victory over passions and symbolize the eternal character of the sacrament. By the eleventh century, this rite had become distinct from the Divine Liturgy, though it retained its deep liturgical and theological significance.
In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the matrimonial ceremony is traditionally called the “Crown” (Besag), reflecting the symbolic crowns placed upon the heads of the bride and groom. These crowns signify honor, glory, and the establishment of a new “kingdom”—the shared life and household of the couple. The bridegroom is symbolically called “king” and the bride “queen.” In some instances, the crowns may be replaced by the narod, a red and green ribbon adorned with a small cross, tied upon the foreheads of the couple as a sign of unity and blessing.
The rite is conducted according to the Mashdotz, the Armenian Book of Ceremonies, which prescribes the proper order for both first and second marriages. Third and fourth marriages, however, require special permission from the Holy See, reflecting the Church’s seriousness regarding the sanctity and permanence of the marital bond.
Within the ceremony, several symbolic actions express the theology of the sacrament. Rings are exchanged as a sign of fidelity and eternal commitment. The right hands of the bride and groom are joined, symbolizing their unity as one life. The crowns or narods are placed upon them as signs of glory and responsibility in their shared life. The couple also drinks from a common cup of wine, recalling the wedding at Cana and emphasizing the fullness of shared life, joy, and mutual participation.
The Church does not encourage divorce, recognizing marriage as a lifelong covenant. It is permitted only in exceptional circumstances, such as fornication, and even then only under the authority of the Catholicos. Similarly, marriage between close relatives is prohibited, originally up to eight generations apart and now reduced to five, in order to preserve both moral integrity and the health of future generations.
Ultimately, Christian marriage is not defined by the search for the “right person,” but by the commitment to become the right person within the covenantal relationship. It calls for intimacy, openness, honesty, mutual care, and shared life rooted in faith. Without Christ’s presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of marital unity cannot be realized. With Him, however, marriage becomes not only a human partnership, but a divine mystery reflecting eternal love.