Greek Orthodox wedding and christening dates for 2027
Before you book a venue, a photographer or flights for a wedding or a christening in 2027, make sure the Church allows the date. The Orthodox Church does not celebrate weddings, and usually not christenings with a party, during fasting periods and on certain major feast days. This applies in Greece and, as a rule, in Greek Orthodox parishes in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia too. Below are the 2027 dates, the difference between weddings and christenings, and the points on which parishes do not all agree.
Ask your parish first
There is no single official list that every church follows in exactly the same way. The lists published by church media in Greece, such as Orthodoxia News Agency and Ekklisia Online, and by parishes themselves agree on the main periods but differ on details, for example whether the Christmas restriction starts on 17 or 18 December. Each diocese can issue its own guidance, and a church may decline a ceremony on its own feast day. Exceptions for a serious reason are given only with special permission from the bishop.
Use the dates below for a first plan, but always confirm with the parish where the ceremony will take place before you pay a deposit anywhere. If you live abroad and marry in Greece, ask the Greek parish directly, not your local one: the church where the sacrament happens decides.
Key dates in 2027
In 2027 Orthodox Easter falls on Sunday 2 May, five weeks after Western Easter on 28 March. Every movable feast of the year follows from Easter:
- Clean Monday (start of Lent): 15 March 2027
- Lazarus Saturday: 24 April 2027
- Palm Sunday: 25 April 2027
- Holy Week: Monday 26 April to Saturday 1 May 2027
- Easter Sunday: 2 May 2027
- Thomas Sunday: 9 May 2027
- Pentecost: Sunday 20 June 2027
- Holy Spirit Monday: 21 June 2027
- All Saints' Sunday: 27 June 2027
For couples abroad this matters more than it seems. A wedding planned for "after Easter" in April 2027 would, in the Orthodox calendar, land in Lent or Holy Week.
When there are no weddings in 2027
The table brings together the dates that appear on most church lists. The right-hand column notes where lists differ.
| Period or feast | 2027 dates | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Eve and day of Theophany (Epiphany) | Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 January | On every list |
| Great Lent and Holy Week | Monday 15 March to Saturday 1 May | On every list |
| Holy Spirit Monday | Monday 21 June | On many lists |
| Fast of the Holy Apostles | Monday 28 June | On some lists. In 2027 the fast lasts a single day, because All Saints' Sunday falls on 27 June |
| Fast before the Dormition (Dekapentavgoustos) | 1 to 15 August | Some lists give 31 July to 14 August, which adds Saturday 31 July |
| Beheading of St John the Baptist | Sunday 29 August | Some lists add the eve, Saturday 28 August |
| Exaltation of the Holy Cross | Tuesday 14 September | Some lists add the eve, Monday 13 September |
| Fast before Christmas | Roughly 17 or 18 to 24 or 25 December | The exact span differs from list to list |
Two dates to watch in 2027
- The weekend of 28 and 29 August. 29 August falls on a Sunday. For a late-summer wedding it is one of the most doubtful weekends of the year and needs the parish's confirmation.
- The August fast covers two weekends. 1 and 15 August are both Sundays. In practice the whole first half of August is closed, together with Saturday 31 July in churches that follow the stricter version.
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays of the Souls
Orthodoxia News Agency lists every Wednesday and Friday of the year, because they are fasting days, except during Bright Week (3 to 8 May 2027). Most weddings and christenings take place on a Saturday or Sunday, so this rarely matters. For a Friday evening wedding, ask first.
Joyful sacraments are usually not held on the Saturdays of the Souls, days of prayer for the dead. Those that fall in Lent are already covered. Two fall outside it, and some parishes avoid them: the Saturday before Meatfare Sunday (6 March 2027) and the Saturday before Pentecost (19 June 2027).
Weddings and christenings usually follow the same dates
Most lists give the same dates for both sacraments, and this is how parishes apply them in practice. In theory there is a difference.
For weddings, the restrictions are clear and strict. For christenings, the Greek site Askitikon, citing the Pedalion (the Orthodox book of canons), notes that the sacrament itself is not forbidden and can be performed on any day in case of need. It also mentions the older practice of holding christenings in Lent only on Saturdays or Sundays. What does not fit a fasting period is the reception and the celebration that follow.
In practice:
- For a wedding, treat the dates in the table as closed.
- For a christening with a meal and guests, follow the table as well.
- If a christening has to take place in a fasting period, for health reasons or because the godparents live abroad and can only travel then, speak to the priest. It can often be done, without a large party.
Many Greek families also avoid christenings during the Twelve Days of Christmas, from 25 December to Theophany on 6 January. This is a folk custom that does not appear on the lists we looked at, so it depends on the family and the parish.
The best periods for a wedding or christening in 2027
Take out the closed dates and 2027 has four good windows:
- From Thomas Sunday to mid-June. Sunday 9 May is traditionally one of the most sought-after wedding dates in Greece, so book early. Watch the weekend of 19 and 20 June (a Saturday of the Souls and Pentecost) and Monday 21 June.
- July. After 29 June the whole of July is open, except Saturday 31 July in churches that follow the stricter version of the August fast.
- From 16 August to mid-December. Except 28 and 29 August and 13 and 14 September. September and October are the favourite months for christenings in Greece, and early autumn is still warm enough for an island wedding.
- From 7 January to 14 March. A winter wedding or christening finds more free dates at churches and venues, and lower prices for travelling guests.
Before you book a date
- Pick two or three dates that are not in the table.
- Ask the parish which are free, and when the church celebrates its own feast day.
- Book the church first, then the reception venue.
- Tell the koumbaros, koumbara or godparents early, especially if they are travelling.
- Send the invitation in good time. For a wedding with guests from abroad, see the destination wedding invitation timeline. For a christening, see the christening invitation wording and the themes for a girl or a boy.
Your invitation for 2027
Once the parish confirms your date, Day2Remember makes your invitation: a countdown to the day and an RSVP form that sends replies to your email, and from Gold up the church and reception on a map and the IBAN for gifts with a copy button. For christenings there are designs such as Little elephant in blue, Evil eye and Hot-air balloon; for weddings, Olive, Cycladic island and Island gate. See the wedding designs, the christening designs and the prices, from €59.
Questions couples ask
When is Orthodox Easter in 2027? Sunday 2 May 2027. Western Easter is on 28 March 2027, so the two are five weeks apart.
Can you get married in the Greek Orthodox Church during Lent? No. In 2027 Great Lent and Holy Week run from Monday 15 March to Saturday 1 May, and no weddings are held in that period.
Do Greek Orthodox churches in the UK, US or Australia follow the same dates? As a rule, yes: the fasting periods are the same across the Orthodox Church. Details such as eves of feasts can vary, so confirm with the parish priest.
Can a christening be held on a date when weddings are not allowed? The sacrament itself can be performed in case of need, but christenings with a party usually follow the same dates as weddings. Ask the priest if you have a particular reason.