Theclergyveryearlyendeavouredtoputanendtothearbitrarymannerinwhichparentsdisposedoftheirchildren’sfuture，buttheforceofcustomandthefeelingthatsupporteditweresostrongthattheonlymeasurewhichtheecclesiasticalstatuteofJaroslav（XIthcentury）introducedfortheprotectionofthefreedomofmarriageablechildrenwastheonebywhichafinewhichwenttothebishopwasinflictedontheparentsofadaughterwho，afteramarriagecontractedagainstherwill，hadcommittedsuicide。
Thecountrypeoplestillbelievethatamarriagewithouttheparent’sapprovalwillcalldownthewrathofHeavenontheheadsoftheyoungcouple。Thismoralsanction，therightofparentstodecidethefutureoftheirchildren，hasreceivedfromthecustomarylawofRussiathesupportofapenaltyincaseofdisobedience；thesonanddaughterwhoconcludeamarriagewithoutconsultingtheirparents，loseallrightstoinheritanceanddowry。
AccordingtomodernRussianlaw，marriageisareligiousact；
itcannotbeperformedwithoutthehelpoftheChurch，andisregardedasasacrament。Butsuchisbynomeansthelightinwhichthecountrypeoplelookonit，norwasittheviewoftheoldRussianlaw。FormanycenturiestheRussianclergyhadtofightagainsttheinveteratecustomofourlowerclassestocontractunionswithoutthesanctionoftheChurch。Theyoungcouplesavedtheexpenseofareligiousceremonyandthoughttheirunionlegallyestablishedassoonastheywerepubliclyjoinedtoeachotherinthepresenceofthecommunity，whichwasinvitedontheoccasiontoasortoffestivalcalledthevesselic。NolaterthantheendofthesixteenthcenturyanassemblyofDivinesconvenedbyIvantheCruelenteredastrongprotestagainstthecustomwhicheverywhereprevailedofomittingthereligiousconsecrationofthemarriagetie，andstrongmeasureswereinconsequencetakenagainstthosewhodidnotcomplywiththerequirementsoftheclergy。All，however，failed，andmarriageremainedintheeyesofthecommonpeoplenothingmorethanasortofcivilcontract，enteredintointhepresenceofthecommunityasasignofitsrecognitionandsanction。
Thatsuchgenerallywas，andstillis，theprevailingopinionoftheRussianpeasantmaybeseenfromthefollowingfacts。