The parish priest will exert every effort to reconcile the couple and avert a divorce. However, should he fail to bring about a reconciliation, after a civil divorce has been obtained, he will transmit the petition of the party seeking the ecclesiastical divorce, together with the decree of the civil divorce, to the Spiritual Court of the Metropolis. The petition must include the names and surnames of the husband and wife, the wife’s surname prior to marriage, their addresses, the name of the priest who performed the wedding, and the date and place of the wedding. The petitioner must be a member in good standing with the parish through which he or she is petitioning for divorce. Orthodox Christians of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese who have obtained a civil divorce but not an ecclesiastical divorce may not participate in any of the Holy Sacraments of the Church, receive Holy Communion or serve on the Parish Council, Diocesan Council or Archdiocesan Council until they have been granted a divorce by the Church.
For those intending on marrying again in the Orthodox Church, please note that no date of marriage can be set until an ecclesiastical divorce has been obtained.