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Hi Father My brother is getting married and he wants his friend to be best man. My brother is Greek orthodox and his friend is Roman Catholic or church of England but the priest at the Engagement who blessed the rings wouldn't have it. I see it as being silly as in our faith we believe in one Lord Jesus and the holy spirit what's the problem?
Answer to Question 538 When it comes to Best men we have something of a hypocritical situation. In many cases we marry someone who is Anglican but insist that the best man must be Orthodox. Also in recent years we turn a blind eye if the maid of honour is non-Orthodox but again the best man must be Orthodox. The best man and the maid of honour do not sign anything and during the service the only thing they do is exchange the rings on the couple’s fingers. They are representatives of the people of God and stand as witnesses to the promise of love and devotion between the new couple. Their exchanging of the rings is symbolic of their promise to stand by the couple and always support them in their new life. The only reason why the best man has to be Orthodox is that it was and still is the custom for the best man to baptize the first child and the Godparent cannot be anything but Orthodox.
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