Marriage

  Marriage in an Anglican church has no legal standing in Portugal. It therefore follows that anyone wishing to

  celebrate their marriage in St George's or St Paul's Church would need first to complete the legal essentials

  elsewhere.

  The whole question of marriage and divorce has been under debate in the Church of England for some considerable time and at the moment the regulation not to allow marriage in church for a divorcee whose previous partner is still living applies. It applies in all cases where there has been a legally contracted prior marriage, and the Church of England regards a register office wedding as having the same legal validity as a religious wedding. The regulation applies even though the other partner may not be a divorcee, and there is no provision made for the circumstances of individual cases to be taken into account.

As an alternative, the Chaplain may be able to arrange a service of Prayer and Dedication (sometimes called a "Blessing service") after consultation with the Bishop.

Most marriages taking place in our two churches will involve at least one of the parties having a link with the Lisbon area. As for people resident in foreign countries, the Chaplain would need to liaise with their clergy at home at an early stage.

The solemnisation of matrimony is the Church's blessing on the marriage of Christians; and may not be celebrated where neither party is baptized.

Except in special circumstances, such as the serious illness or incapacity of one of the parties, for which the Bishop's Licence is required, marriages may only be celebrated in the chaplaincy's usual place of worship (which means St George's Church Lisbon or St Paul's Church Estoril) or in another consecrated church, which would of course require the consent of the ecclesiastical authorities of that church.

The only other impediments to marriage refer to people who are closely related by blood.