MARRIAGE REGULATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE A. Registration for marriage and preparation 1. Registration for Christian marriage is done on Tuesday at 7.00 pm. The couple must present: i. Baptism and confirmation certificates. ii. Passport (s) iii. One passport size photograph (each) iv. Two witnesses; preferably family members (one from each side). 2. Courses for the preparation of future couples are held once every week on Tuesday at 8.00pm. This course lasts 7 weeks after which a day for the celebration of the wedding can be agreed upon with the priest in charge. 3. Marriage banns will be published immediately after registration and put on the parish notice board for a duration of 7 weeks. It is the duty of all Christians to inform the priests if there are reasons for which a given couple should not celebrate this Sacrament. B. The celebration: 1. Tuesday and Thursday are the only days on which marriages are celebrated. No marriage celebrations will be held during the time of Lent. 2. The celebration must start at 7.00 p.m. If by 8.00 p.m. the spouses are not ready in Church, the celebration will be limited to the nuptial blessing, that is, without the Eucharist. For special cases, weddings can be celebrated in the morning hours. 3. In case the couple wishes that the main celebrant be a priest who is not from Sacred Heart church, the parish priest should be informed in writing two weeks before the celebration. 4. The couple will contact the choir and readers in case they are to take part in the liturgy. 5. Taking photographs during Mass is allowed on condition that there is only one photographer. Photographers must be ready to abide with the liturgical regulations of our parish which will be communicated to them before or during the celebration. C. Church facilities 1. A contribution of L.E. 50 for cleaning and electricity has to be given to the parish council two weeks before the celebration. As for Christians who come from countries outside Africa (Canada, USA, Australia, Finland etc) to celebrate marriage in Sacred Heart parish, another contribution to the newly set building maintenance fund, mounting to an equivalent of U.S 50$ will be given. 2. The decoration of the church will be done only by persons appointed by the Church council. 3. If the parish hall is to be used, the church will provide only chairs and tables. The spouses will have to arrange for the table cloth, knives, plates, etc. 4. Any gathering in the parish hall after prayer must end by 10.00pm. D. Celebration of marriage when one of the spouses does not live in Egypt. In order to have enough time for preparation and given that the partner from abroad usually has limited time of stay in Egypt, the following regulations should be observed: 1. The families whose members are foreseeing a celebration of marriage in Church must approach the priest in charge two months in advance for the registration procedures. 2. The party residing in Egypt will attend the regular premarital course given in our church and which lasts two months. 3. The party living abroad must approach his/her parish priest, register for marriage and have marriage banns published in the parish of his/her residence. Communication will have to be established between the authorities of his/her parish and those of Sacred Heart parish. He/she will have to bring to our parish a letter from his/her parish priest testifying to the fact that he/she is a member of a given catholic parish, that he/she has registered and has been prepared for marriage, that marriage banns have been published and that there is no impediment to his/her celebrating marriage according to the norms of the catholic church. 4. As soon as he/she arrives in Egypt, contact must be made with the priest in charge of couples for the final preparations. 5. In case the party living abroad has not received baptism or confirmation, he/she will have to undergo the necessary preparation and receive these sacraments in the country of residence. 6. Before the party living abroad travels to Egypt, he/she must get in touch with the parish priest of Sacred Heart Church to see if all the necessary conditions are fulfilled. E. Weddings celebrated elsewhere If Sacred Heart Church is to issue a marriage certificate for a wedding celebrated in another church (this happens when Sudanese refugees who live outside Cairo marry in their parish of residence and would like a certificate from the Sacred Heart Church which is legally appointed to serve all catholic Sudanese in Egypt), the following conditions will have to be met: 1. Marriage banns will have been sent to Sacred Heart Church at least three weeks before the date of the wedding. 2. A photocopy of the details of registration for marriage will be sent to Sacred Heart Church. This is to be accompanied by photocopies of passport, baptism and confirmation certificates. 3. A certificate of marriage issued at the church where the celebration was held will be presented together with certificates of baptism and confirmation. Fr. Simon Mbuthia( Parish priest of Sacred Heart Church) Fr. Achilles K. Kasozi(In charge of preparation for sacraments)

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