Does a religious wedding have legal effect?
Yes: a religious wedding has the same legal effect as a civil one. Under Art. 1367 CC (as amended by Law 1250/1982), the two forms are legally equivalent — you choose one. You need a marriage licence from each spouse's parish priest (if the church is in another Metropolis, it's endorsed by the Metropolis), banns in a newspaper, and documents: a birth-certificate extract, a €15 stamp fee, ID, a certificate of being unmarried/no impediment, and a baptism certificate for the Orthodox rite. Registration at the registry office is a separate mandatory step, within 40 days. In short: yes, equivalent, with registry registration.
📋 The rules
- Legally equivalent to a civil marriage (CC 1367)
- Marriage licence from each spouse's parish
- Banns in a daily newspaper
- Documents + a €15 stamp fee
- Register at the registry office within 40 days
🔓 Exceptions
- Orthodox sacrament: both spouses baptised Orthodox
- Religious remarriage: ecclesiastical dissolution of the prior one
- Foreigners: a certificate of no impediment (translated/apostilled)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no "fine" for the wedding — but registry registration is crucial: the legal record is the marriage registration act, declared within 40 days. Late registration brings ~€100 (≈€300 if very late, Law 344/1976). Beware myths: "you also need a civil marriage for it to be legal" — wrong since 1982 (the two forms are equivalent, you choose one); "the church auto-registers with the state" — wrong (registry registration is a separate required step). To stay compliant: get the marriage licence, publish the banns, and after the ceremony register the marriage at the registry office within 40 days.
📎 Official sources
- Civil Code (Art. 1367) — forms of marriage →
- Law 1250/1982 — civil/religious marriage →
- gov.gr — marriage registration act →
❓ Frequently asked
Does a religious marriage have the same effect as a civil one?
Yes. Since Law 1250/1982, religious and civil marriage have the same legal effect. You choose one of the two forms; you don't need to do both. It's a myth that a religious marriage also needs a civil one to be valid.
What do I need for a religious wedding?
You need a marriage licence from each spouse's parish priest, banns in a newspaper, and documents: a birth-certificate extract, a €15 stamp fee, ID, a certificate of being unmarried or having no impediment, and, for the Orthodox rite, a baptism certificate.
Do I have to register the marriage at the registry office?
Yes, it's mandatory. The legal record of the marriage is the marriage registration act, declared at the registry office within 40 days of the ceremony. It's a myth that the church automatically registers the marriage with the state. Registry registration is a separate, required step.
What if I'm late registering the marriage?
Late registration at the registry office brings a fine, about €100, which can reach around €300 with very long delay. So it's important to register the marriage within the 40-day deadline, to avoid a fine and problems with your documents.
Can foreigners have a religious wedding?
Yes, under conditions. They need a certificate of no impediment to marriage from their country, properly translated and apostilled. For the Orthodox sacrament both must be baptised Orthodox; otherwise a civil marriage or a marriage of another known religion is chosen.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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