When to get church marriage in Thailand?
Due to its territorial location, Thailand is open for comfortable visits all year round. It is an island country and even in the rainy season, at least one place will be pleasant to stay. The rainy season in some parts of the country can last from early May to November. This phenomenon is rare but quite probable.
The most pleasant time to visit the kingdom is the calendar winter: the period from December to February. If we are talking about the northern parts of the country, then even in this pleasant weather period you can run into minus night temperatures. In the case of popular resort destinations, winter is most interesting. The air temperature ranges up to plus 27 degrees, while in summer the air warms up to plus 45, plus moisture from the rains. To have a relaxed and comfortable wedding ceremony, it is better to choose winter or early spring.
Where to get church marriage in Thailand?
The Thai people are mostly Buddhists, although the king of the country is considered to be free from belonging to any particular concession and is considered the protector of all religions. Despite the fact that the majority of the population worships Buddha, in Thailand, not surprisingly, it is possible to perform a wedding ceremony according to Orthodox canons.
In recent years, a large number of Orthodox Christians have been coming to Thailand for permanent residence, and in order to provide them with all conditions, Orthodox parishes and churches have begun to appear in the country. It is hard to imagine, but on the territory of the country there are ten Orthodox churches, one monastery and even a spiritual school.
St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bangkok
The temple, which is considered one of the largest and is the main Orthodox church in Thailand. The cathedral has a rather complicated history. The idea to build it appeared in the mid 90’s of the last century, then and began to collect funds for its construction. However, the decision of the Russian Orthodox Church to build a temple in Bangkok was taken closer to zero. Around this time, a parish was organized in the city, which did not have its own premises, but used rented space.
For several years the parish worked almost illegally, without official registration. In 2001, the Orthodox Church obtained registration, after which a small church was built on rented land. It was possible to build a large cathedral only by 2012, when the collection of donations began. Today St. Nicholas Cathedral decorates one of the streets of Bangkok, and on its territory there is a parochial school. Services and sacraments are held in the cathedral.
All Saints Temple in Pattaya
Pattaya was one of the first cities in Thailand to be favored by Russian tourists. By the mid-1990s, this city had become known as «Russian». The huge number of Orthodox tourists caused the need to organize a temple or church. The question of the appearance of the temple was decided since the beginning of the noughties and only a few years ago the Thai authorities allowed the Russian Orthodox Church to purchase a plot of land for the construction of the church.
In less than a year in the northern part of Pattaya appeared one of the first Orthodox churches in Thailand — the Church of All Saints. Today it fulfills not only the main function of conducting services and sacraments, but also performs a number of educational functions. At the temple work:
— Sunday school for children;
— Russian language school for Thais;
— courses of familiarization with icon painting, etc.
The Pattaya temple is very active in educational and charitable activities. In addition, services and rituals are regularly held at the temple.
Ascension Temple on Koh Samui
Like most other Orthodox churches, the church on Samui Island was built not so long ago, although the need for construction arose at least a dozen years ago. The building was completed in 2013. The construction was the most expensive of all Orthodox churches on the territory of Thailand. The temple is located in the west of the island and fits perfectly into the local landscape. The terraces of the temple offer a magnificent view of the sea.
The building is built in the classical Russian style — white walls with golden domes. Inside the walls and ceiling are decorated with painted frescoes and a rich iconostasis. The temple contains relics of saints and magnificent icons. Services are held in the church twice a day, as well as baptism and wedding ceremonies.
How does the church wedding take place in Thailand?
In all churches and parishes in Thailand the sacrament of marriage is held according to the traditional canons of the Orthodox Church. There are no differences. For the ceremony, the couple must meet with the priest a few days in advance and discuss the details of the event. On the eve of the ceremony, spouses are not allowed to eat, drink water and alcohol after midnight.
For the sacrament it is necessary to arrive at the temple for the morning service, both spouses confess and receive Holy Communion, after which the sacrament of marriage will take place. In order for the rite to take place it is necessary to have:
— a document of the concluded marriage;
— a document confirming the Baptism of both spouses;
— witnesses who are not married to each other.
After the wedding ceremony, which lasts about an hour, the newlyweds receive a standard certificate valid in all Orthodox countries.
The sacrament of marriage is a serious decision. To make the ceremony so that only the best moments are remembered, contact our company. We will organize your wedding tour from «A to Z».
