Russian Orthodox Church Permits Marriages with Representatives of Other Denominations

MOSCOW — The head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk, reminded that the Russian Orthodox Church permits mixed marriages between Christians of different denominations, reports NEWSru.com. 

“The Fundamentals of Social Concept” allow mixed marriages but not all priests follow this recommendation,” said Metropolitan Ilarion at the session of the Christian Interdenominational Consultative Committee of the CIS and Baltic countries. He admitted that he often has to deal with complaints of believers who are refused marriage with representatives of other denominations by priests.

“The problem exists if on one hand there is an official position and on the other hand it is not known in practical life,” said the hierarch.