In Romeo and Juliet, what is the name of the friar who marries the title characters?

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence is the friar who secretly marries Romeo and Juliet. He serves as Romeo’s adviser and hopes the marriage will reconcile the feuding Montague and Capulet families.

Friar Laurence agrees to the wedding even though he worries about Romeo’s sudden change of affection: only shortly before, Romeo had been in love with Rosaline. He later helps Juliet avoid marriage to Count Paris by giving her a potion that creates the appearance of death. His plan fails because Friar John cannot deliver the explanatory letter to Romeo.

The friar’s name appears in variant spellings, including Friar Lawrence and Friar Laurence, but these refer to the same character. Friar John is another friar who appears later and is prevented from delivering the message. Friar Peter is associated with the Capulet household, while Friar Tuck belongs to the Robin Hood tradition, not Shakespeare’s tragedy. Friar Laurence survives the catastrophe and explains the secret marriage to Verona’s authorities.