Manasseh was the King of Judea in the 16th Century BC. He was led into captivity to Babylon and there he offered the prayer attributed to him, as found in the Orthodox Old Testament.

What are the qualifications and responsibilities of church membership? What are the requirements and rules relevant to sacraments of the Orthodox Church? In this series on “Members & Sacraments” we are publishing excerpts from the Archdiocesan Priest Guide and other sources that answer these important questions. Please share this information with your family and friends so that we can all be on the same page.

The following requirements are from the Priest Guide:

• 1. Marriage is prohibited between ascending and descending blood relatives (e.g., between parents and children, or grandparents and grandchildren) in the direct line.
• 2. Marriage is prohibited between collateral blood relatives to the Sixth Degree, e.g., first cousins.
• 3. Marriage is prohibited between relatives by marriage to the Fourth Degree, e.g., between two brothers and two sisters, or a brother and his sister to a sister and her brother.
• 4. Marriage is forbidden between spiritual relatives to the Fourth Degree, e.g., Godchildren with their Sponsors at Baptism.
• 5. Marriage between blood relatives in the collateral line may be permitted in the Fifth and Sixth Degree, and marriage between relatives by marriage may be permitted in the Third and Fourth Degree, and between spiritual relatives in the Third and Fourth Degree in cases of extreme urgency. Such case MUST be reported to the Metropolitan of this Archdiocese who may issue a written dispensation.
• 6. Understanding that the liturgical day begins at the Vesper Hour (sunset) the celebration of marriage is prohibited at the following times:
  • Every Wednesday and Friday, the eve of every Sunday and Great Feast throughout the year, the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross (September 14), and the commemoration of the Beheading of the Forerunner (August 29).
    
  • During the Christmas Fast (November 15 to December 25).
    
  • During the Great Lent, including Cheese Week and Bright Week, i.e., from Meat Fare Sunday to Thomas Sunday.
    
  • During the Dormition Fast (August 1-15).

NOTE: In cases of extreme necessity when the celebration of marriage is considered necessary on one of the above listed prohibitive days or seasons, the Priest must first report the nature of the emergency to the Metropolitan and request written permission and dispensation which would permit the celebration of a marriage.

7. The Sacrament of Marriage must be administered in a church building and not a private home. In cases where both parties are Orthodox, they should be instructed by the Priest to receive the Sacraments of Penance and Communion. If necessity requires the offering of the Marriage Service outside of a church building, a written dispensation must be requested from the Metropolitan.

When the Most-holy Virgin Mary reached the age of three, her holy parents Joachim and Anna took her from Nazareth to Jerusalem to dedicate her to the service of God according to their earlier promise. It was a three-day journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem but, traveling to do a God-pleasing work, this journey was not difficult for them.

Many kinsmen of Joachim and Anna gathered in Jerusalem to take part in this event, at which the invisible angels of God were also present. Leading the procession into the Temple were virgins with lighted tapers in their hands, then the Most-holy Virgin, led on one side by her father and on the other side by her mother. The virgin was clad in vesture of royal magnificence and adornments as was befitting the ``King's daughter, the Bride of God'' (Psalm 45:13-15). Following them were many kinsmen and friends, all with lighted tapers.

Fifteen steps led up to the Temple. Joachim and Anna lifted the Virgin onto the first step, then she ran quickly to the top herself, where she was met by the High Priest Zacharias, who was to be the father of St. John the Forerunner. Taking her by the hand, he led her not only into the Temple, but into the ``Holy of Holies,'' the holiest of holy places, into which no one but the high priest ever entered, and only once each year, at that. St. Theophylact of Ohrid says that Zacharias ``was outside himself and possessed by God'' when he led the Virgin into the holiest place in the Temple, beyond the second curtain--otherwise, his action could not be explained.

Mary's parents then offered sacrifice to God according to the Law, received the priest's blessing and returned home. The Most-holy Virgin remained in the Temple and dwelt there for nine full years. While her parents were alive, they visited her often, especially Righteous Anna. When God called her parents from this world, the Most-holy Virgin was left an orphan and did not wish to leave the Temple until death or to enter into marriage.

As that would have been against the Law and custom of Israel, she was given to St. Joseph, her kinsman in Nazareth, after reaching the age of twelve. Under the acceptable role of one betrothed, she could live in virginity and thus fulfill her desire and formally satisfy the Law, for it was then unknown in Israel for maidens to vow virginity to the end of their lives. The Most-holy Virgin Mary was the first of such life-vowed virgins, of the thousands and thousands of virgin men and women who would follow her in the Church of Christ.

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany. There He dined with His friend Lazarus (whom He had raised from the dead), whose sister Mary poured sweet perfume over Jesus’ feet. The next day Jesus sent His Disciples to bring an ass and her colt. And He whose throne is heaven entered Jerusalem mounted on the colt. The Hebrew children threw their garments over it, and went ahead of Him waving palm branches and crying out, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.’ The palms foretold Christ’s victory over death; for it was the custom for conquerors to be escorted in victory processions with branches of evergreen trees. The colt signified us, the people He gathered from all nations, for riding upon it Christ was proclaimed King of the whole earth. Of this Feast the Prophet Zachariah said, ‘Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. See, your King comes to you, meek and seated on a beast of burden and a colt of an ass, offspring of a beast of burden’ (Zach. 9:9). And David speaks of the children, ‘Out of the mouths of Infants and babes thou hast perfected praise’ (Psalm 8:2). But as Christ entered, all Jerusalem was shaken and the crowds, provoked by the Chief Priests, were looking to do away with him.