Ukrainians May Be Allowed to Officially Marry in Church Without Visiting the Civil Registry Office
The possibility of officially registering a marriage without applying to the civil registry offices, but through an authorized clergyman, has once again become a topic of discussion during the review of the draft new Civil Code of Ukraine. Such a mechanism could be introduced in Ukraine as an additional form of marriage registration, although it is unlikely to become widely demanded.
Religious marriage registration: what is being proposed
The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience stated that they would support such an initiative if proposed, but are not sure it is one of the most demanded.
They point out that the religious form of state marriage registration is entirely possible. In this case, the clergyman, in addition to performing the religious ceremony, must receive authority from the state to register the marriage. Similar practices exist in many countries.
At the same time, it is emphasized that over the past ten years, much has been done in Ukraine to make the marriage procedure faster and simpler, so it is difficult to speak of a significant public demand for a new registration format.
However, such a form may be appropriate in certain cases. In particular, in frontline settlements where the church is often one of the main institutions supporting the life of local communities.
Marriage registration through a clergyman: what is proposed in the new Civil Code
At the end of May, representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations and members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy discussed several provisions of the draft new Civil Code of Ukraine.
During the meeting, the Council of Churches supported the definition of marriage as a union between a woman and a man, as enshrined in the draft document. Participants also discussed the possibility of introducing a religious form of state marriage registration as an additional way to conclude it.
This involves granting authorized clergymen of registered religious organizations the right to perform state marriage registration with subsequent entry of the relevant information into the State Register of Civil Status Acts of Citizens.
Discussions around the new Civil Code
Recall that during the discussion of the draft new Civil Code of Ukraine, lawyers called for a clear distinction between registered marriage and cohabitation as one family. They emphasized that the update of civil legislation should consider various forms of family relations while preserving the special legal status of marriage.
Attention was also drawn to the proposed concepts of "marital union" and "family union" in the draft, which, according to lawyers, require further elaboration. Experts warn that new approaches should not blur the line between officially registered marriage and other forms of family relations.
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