pic_025 Priest leads the bride and groom towards the altar

pic_025 The priest leads the bride, the groom, and the witnesses towards the altar. The procession is preceded by a woman holding a huge candleholder with a candle. I’m not sure what her role in the ceremony is, but I don’t think she was a close relative of anyone in the wedding party. Perhaps she holds some kind of office in the church and assists with the ceremonies.

My sister’s wedding took place in the Orthodox church of Our Lady of the Sign in Vilnius, Lithuania, in May of 2006.

This picture was taken by one of the groom’s friends, whose name I unfortunately don’t know.