THE COVENANT OF LOVE: A Liturgical and Theological Investigation into the Rites of Marriage of Three Liturgical Traditions of the Catholic Church PDF Free Download
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KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
FACULTY OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
THE COVENANT OF LOVE
A Liturgical and Theological Investigation into the Rites of Marriage of
Three Liturgical Traditions of the Catholic Church
A dissertation presented in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the
Doctor‘s Degree (PhD) in Theology and
Religious Studies (STD)
Promoter By
Prof. Dr. Joris GELDHOF Jolly VASUPURATHUKARAN PAVUNNY
2020
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
―Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me‖ (Ps 31:21).
This research project and dissertation have been made possible through the support and
generosity of so many people that to name all of them would be impossible in the short
space of this page. However, on the completion of my dissertation, The Covenant of
Love: A Liturgical and Theological Investigation into the Rites of Marriage of Three
Liturgical Traditions of the Catholic Church, I gratefully acknowledge all those who
were a source of inspiration and guidance in this academic pursuit. First and foremost I
bow my head in reverence before God for His ever-accompanying presence and
abundant blessings all throughout this academic endeavour. I remember Sedes Sapientiae
with sentiments of gratitude for her maternal protection and guidance. With great
pleasure, I express my deep sentiments of gratitude to my promoter Prof. Dr. Joris
Geldhof, for his continuous encouragement and support. He directed me with his
erudition, constructive corrections and insightful suggestions with a personal concern.
Without his incisive insights on liturgy and his proficient and scholarly directions, the
completion of this work would be unthinkable. Along with my promoter, I would like to
express my sincere gratitude to the professors of the examination committee of this
dissertation: Prof. Dr. Bert Groen, Prof. Dr. Gabriël Quicke, Dr. Stijn Van den Bossche
and the Chair of the defence, Prof. Dr. Johan Leemans. Dear Professors, I thank you
sincerely for your encouraging comments, words of appreciation, corrections, and
scholarly insights.
I wish to extend my sincere appreciation and thanks to all my professors and the staff
members at the research secretariat. Especially I take this opportunity to thank all the
librarians whose timely assistance has helped me in the completion of this research. I
sincerely thank the members of the research unit of Pastoral and Empirical Theology,
and the research group of Prof. Geldhof for their collegiality and constant support by
way of encouragement and insightful suggestions. I am immensely grateful for the
academic and intellectual training I have received from this prestigious center of
learning. I gratefully remember Prof. Johan De Tavernier, the Dean of the Faculty, and
former deans, Prof. Mathijs Lamberigts, and Prof. Lieven Boeve, who also oversaw my
master‘s thesis. I am also indebted to the Church in Need for their financial support that
has made my stay and study in KU Leuven possible. I owe my gratitude to the Salesian
Sisters of Don Bosco at Groenveldstraat, Sr. Hilde Uyttersprot, Sr. Mia Schepens, Sr.
Hilde Stinkens, Sr. Helene Ceyssens, Sr. Ghislaine Ceyssens, Sr. Doris Nolf and Sr. Lies
De Soete, who provided me with a home away from home in Leuven. I also remember
with gratitude the International Sisters‘ Communities at Paridaens and the American
College.
iv Acknowledgements
At this juncture, I recall with immense gratitude my Superior General Mother Udaya and
her General Council, who encouraged me to accomplish this work successfully. I also
gratefully remember my Provincial Superior Sr. Elsy Xavier and her Council for their
prayer and encouragement. I also would like to thank our former Superior General
Mother Prasanna Thattil and her Council, along with Provincial Superiors Sr. Smitha
Kavunkal and Sr. Betty Louis and their Council, who approved me for my studies and
sent me to KU Leuven to pursue my studies and extended me unflinching support. With
a warm and thankful heart I remember Sr. Anjana, Sr. Daisy Maria, Sr. Anitha, Sr. Litty,
Sr. Lisy, Sr. Cincy, Sr. Elveena, and all my beloved sisters in Holy Family and Mariam
Thresia Convents at Monschau, Germany, for their unwavering support in prayers and
encouragement.
I thank in a very special way Fr. Bettoy Kulathinal, OCD for his constant support, and
his meticulous reading of the text and productive instructions for the completion of my
dissertation. I am much indebted to Mrs. Carrie Schumacher, Fr. Anthony Bawyn and Sr.
Maryann Madhavathu, CMC for proof-reading my dissertation. My sincere thanks to Fr.
Sebeesh Vettiyadan, CMI for designing the cover page of this dissertation. During my
stay in Leuven, I have experienced the generosity and benevolence of many people
during my research. In a special way, I am grateful to all priests and sisters from Kerala
whose friendship and camaraderie were a source of great strength and support during
these years. With great sentiments of love and gratitude, I remember my beloved parents,
who are my first teachers and my inspiring role models, and my two loving brothers and
their families, for the unconditional love and caring support that they demonstrated in
innumerable ways.
Leuven Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny
June 25, 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... iii
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ v
Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... xi
General Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 1
THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING MARRIAGE OF THE ROMAN RITE:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 15
1.1. The Origin and Development of the Roman Rite of Marriage .................................. 16
1.1.1. The Early Phase: Matrimony as a Domestic Affair ............................................ 17
1.1.2. A Shift in Locus: Marriage from the Family to the Church ............................... 20
1.1.3. The Second Vatican Council and Renewal of the Rite of Marriage ................... 24
1.1.3.1. Guidelines for the Reform of the Rite of the Marriage ............................... 25
a. A Call for Revision and Enrichment ................................................................. 25
b. A Call for Retention and Preservation .............................................................. 26
c. A Call for Inculturation and Adaptation ........................................................... 26
1.1.3.2. The Operational Principles for the Renewal of the Rite of Marriage .......... 28
a. The Celebration of Marriage within the Eucharist ........................................... 28
b. The Nuptial Blessing for Both Spouses ............................................................ 29
c. The Significance of the Liturgy of the Word .................................................... 30
d. The Blessing as Indispensable for the Rite of Marriage ................................... 31
1.1.4. The Two Typical Editions of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium ..................... 32
1.1.4.1. The Typical Edition of 1969 ........................................................................ 32
1.1.4.2. The Renewed Typical Edition of 1991 ........................................................ 34
1.2. The Rite of Betrothal in the Roman Rite ................................................................... 35
1.3. The Rite of Marriage of the Roman Rite ................................................................... 38
1.3.1. The Introductory Rites ........................................................................................ 39
1.3.1.1. The Reception of the Bride and Bridegroom ............................................... 39
1.3.1.2. The Versions for the Opening Exhortation .................................................. 43
a. The First Version (ROCM, no. 52) ................................................................... 43
b. The Second Version (ROCM, no. 53) .............................................................. 44
1.3.2. The Word of God and its Proclamation .............................................................. 46
vi Table of Contents
1.3.2.1. The Manner of Celebrating the Liturgy of the Word ................................... 47
1.3.2.2. Biblical Readings ......................................................................................... 48
1.3.3. The Rite Proper of the Sacrament of Marriage ................................................... 51
1.3.3.1. The Scrutiny before the Consent.................................................................. 54
1.3.3.2. The Declaration of the Consent ................................................................... 57
1.3.3.3. The Reception of the Consent ...................................................................... 59
1.3.3.4. The Blessing and Exchange of the Rings .................................................... 61
1.3.3.5. The Hymn of Praise and the Universal Prayer............................................. 64
1.3.4. The Liturgy of the Eucharist ............................................................................... 65
1.3.5. The Nuptial Blessing........................................................................................... 66
1.3.6. The Concluding Rites ......................................................................................... 70
1.3.6.1. The Exchange of Peace ................................................................................ 70
1.3.6.2. The Rite of Communion .............................................................................. 70
1.3.6.3. The Final Blessing ....................................................................................... 71
1.4. The Order of Celebrating Matrimony without Mass ................................................. 72
1.5. The Order of Celebrating Matrimony between a Catholic and a Catechumen or a
Non-Christian .................................................................................................................... 73
1.6. The Order of Celebrating Marriage before an Assisting Layperson .......................... 75
Concluding Remarks ......................................................................................................... 78
CHAPTER 2
THE SYRO-MALABAR RITE OF MARRIAGE:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 81
2.1. A Brief History of the Rite of Marriage..................................................................... 81
2.2. The Rite of Betrothal in the Syro-Malabar Church ................................................... 84
2.3. The Rites of Marriage ................................................................................................ 86
2.3.1. Introductory Rites ............................................................................................... 86
2.3.1.1. The Liturgical Procession ............................................................................ 86
2.3.1.2. The Angelic Hymn: Gloria in Excelsis ........................................................ 89
2.3.1.3. The Lord‘s Prayer with Qanona .................................................................. 91
2.3.1.4. Opening Prayer (Slosa) ................................................................................ 92
2.3.1.5. Psalms 45 and 128 ....................................................................................... 94
2.3.1.6. The Blessing of the Incense and the Ritual of Incensing ............................. 95
Table of Contents vii
2.3.1.7. The Lighting of the Lamp and the Prayer .................................................... 96
2.3.1.8. Lāku Mārā Hymn and the Collect ............................................................... 96
2.3.2. The Liturgy of the Word ................................................................................... 100
2.3.2.1. The Trisagion............................................................................................. 100
2.3.2.2. The Old Testament Readings: The Law and the Prophets ........................ 103
a. The Announcement of the Deacon and the Specific Posture .......................... 104
b. The Blessing and the Reading ........................................................................ 105
2.3.2.3. Suraya ........................................................................................................ 106
2.3.2.4. Prayer before the Epistles (Slotha) ............................................................ 107
2.3.2.5. The Reading from the Epistles .................................................................. 108
2.3.2.6. Zummara .................................................................................................... 109
2.3.2.7. The Procession with the Gospel and its Veneration .................................. 110
2.3.2.8. The Gospel Reading .................................................................................. 112
2.3.2.9. The Intercessory Prayer ............................................................................. 114
2.3.3. Rites of Marriage .............................................................................................. 116
2.3.3.1. The Announcement of the Deacon ............................................................ 116
2.3.3.2. The Prayer of the Priest for Himself .......................................................... 118
2.3.3.3. The Nuptial Covenant ................................................................................ 121
a. An Analysis of the Question ........................................................................... 122
b. The Presence of the Witness ........................................................................... 124
c. The Symbolism of Joining of Right Hands..................................................... 125
2.3.3.4. The Blessing of the Thali, the Knot ........................................................... 125
a. The Traditional Elements and Ceremonial Practices with the Thali .............. 126
b. The Significance of Tying Thali ..................................................................... 128
2.3.3.5. The Blessing of the Rings .......................................................................... 130
2.3.3.6. The Blessing of the Manthrakodi .............................................................. 131
a. The significance of Manthrakodi .................................................................... 131
b. The Formula for Blessing and its Implications............................................... 132
2.3.3.7. The Matrimonial Pledge ............................................................................ 136
2.3.3.8. The Nuptial Blessing ................................................................................. 138
2.3.4. Concluding Ceremonies .................................................................................... 139
Concluding Remarks ...................................................................................................... 140
CHAPTER 3
THE SERVICE OF CROWNING OF THE SYRO-MALANKARA CHURCH:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 143
3.1. A Brief Sketch of the History of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite ...................... 144
viii Table of Contents
3.2. Declaration of the Consent....................................................................................... 146
3.21. The Doxology ................................................................................................ 146
3.2.2. An Analysis of the Question and the Declaration of the Consent ................ 148
3.3. The First Service: The Blessing of the Rings .......................................................... 149
3.4. The Second Service: The Blessing of the Crowns ................................................... 151
3.4.1. The Introductory Rites for the Service of Crowning ........................................ 151
3.4.1.1. The Opening Prayer ................................................................................... 152
3.4.1.2. Enyono ....................................................................................................... 155
a. Unique Role of the Old Testament Couples in the Salvation History ............ 156
b. The Link between the Old and the New Testaments ...................................... 159
3.4.1.3. Quqliyon ..................................................................................................... 162
3.4.1.4. Husoyo: Propitiatory Prayers ..................................................................... 164
a. Proemion – Introductory prayer ...................................................................... 165
b. The Sedro Prayer............................................................................................. 166
3.4.1.5. Qolo-Quqoyo.............................................................................................. 168
3.4.1.6. Etro: Prayer of Incense .............................................................................. 169
3.4.2. The Liturgy of the Word of God ....................................................................... 171
3.4.2.1. The Epistle Reading ................................................................................... 172
a. Zumoro ............................................................................................................ 172
b. The Reading from the Epistle ......................................................................... 173
3.4.2.2. The Gospel Reading ................................................................................... 174
a. Pethgomo......................................................................................................... 174
b. The Announcement of the Deacon ................................................................. 175
c. The Declaration of the Priest and the Gospel Reading ................................... 176
3.4.3. The Proper Rites of Marriage ........................................................................... 178
3.4.3.1. The Blessing of the Crown and the Ritual of Crowning ............................ 179
a. The Christological Dimension of the Mystery of Marriage ............................ 182
b. Justice and Righteousness ............................................................................... 183
c. Glory and Joy: The Temporal and Eternal Rewards ....................................... 185
3.4.3.2. Adapted Symbolic Gestures: The Minnu and the Manthrakodi ................ 187
3.4.3.4. Prayer of Blessing ...................................................................................... 189
3.4.3.5. Soogitho ..................................................................................................... 191
3.4.3.6. Bo`utho of Mar Jacob................................................................................. 194
3.4.3.7. The Joining of the Hands and Exhortation ................................................ 195
3.4.4. Concluding Ceremonies .................................................................................... 197
3.4.4.1. Commemoration of the Mother of God and the Saints .............................. 197
Table of Contents ix
3.4.4.2. The Final Blessing: Huttomo ..................................................................... 198
Concluding Remarks ...................................................................................................... 199
CHAPTER 4
A LITURGICAL THEOLOGY OF MARRIAGE:
A SYNTHESIS OF MARRIAGE RITES
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 201
4.1. The Divine Dimension of the Rites of Marriage ..................................................... 202
4.1.1. The Marriage: A Divinely Willed Institution ................................................... 202
4.1.2. The Marriage: Restored by Christ to a Sacrament ............................................ 204
4.1.3. The Marriage: Sealed and Empowered by the Presence of the Holy Spirit ..... 208
4.2. The Human Dimension of the Rite of Marriage ...................................................... 211
4.2.1. Marriage: The Partnership between Man and Woman ..................................... 211
4.2.2. Marriage: Constituted by Mutual Human Consent ........................................... 214
4.2.3. Marriage: A Bond of Indissoluble Conjugal Love ........................................... 216
4.3. The Spiritual Dimension of the Rite of Marriage .................................................... 218
4.3.1. Religious Dimension of the Rite of Marriage ................................................... 219
4.3.1.1. A Life Based on God‘s Commandments ................................................... 219
4.3.1.2. Undivided Faithfulness to the End ............................................................ 222
4.3.1.3. A Call to Holiness ...................................................................................... 225
4.3.2. The Ecclesial Dimension of the Rite of Marriage ............................................ 228
4.3.2.1. Marriage: The Entrance into the Domestic Church ................................... 228
4.3.2.2. Marriage: Undertaking the Three-fold Functions of the Faithful .............. 232
4.3.2.3. Liturgy of Marriage during Mixed Marriages ........................................... 235
4.3.3. The Social Dimension of the Rites of Marriage ............................................... 237
4.3.3.1. Widening the Horizon of the Matrimonial Relationship ........................... 238
4.3.3.2. Societal Meaning of the Liturgical Symbols ............................................. 243
Concluding Remarks ...................................................................................................... 245
x Table of Contents
CHAPTER 5
LITURGIES OF MARRIAGE IN DIALOGUE:
IMPULSES FOR A RENEWED UNDERSTANDING OF THE THEOLOGY OF
MARRIAGE
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 247
5.1. The Celebrative and Ceremonial Dimension of the Liturgy of Marriage ................ 248
5.1.1. Setting the Stage for the Celebration of Marriage ............................................ 248
5.1.1.1. The Time for the Celebration ..................................................................... 248
5.1.1.2. The Space for the Wedding Ceremony ...................................................... 250
5.1.1.3. Vestments of the Priest .............................................................................. 252
5.1.2. The Style of the Prayers of the Rites of Marriage ............................................ 254
5.1.2.1. The Role of the Liturgical Hymns ............................................................. 254
5.1.2.2. The Repetitive and Memorized Nature of the Prayers ............................... 257
5.1.2.3. The Use of Euchological Texts in the Liturgies ........................................ 258
5.1.2.4. Liturgical Corporeal Actions and Gestures ................................................ 260
5.1.3. The Word of God in the Liturgies of Marriage................................................. 262
5.1.3.1. The Readings from the Scripture ............................................................... 262
5.1.3.2. The Use of Biblical References in the Prayers of the Rites of Marriage ... 264
5.2. Mystical Dimension of the Liturgy of Marriage ...................................................... 265
5.2.1. The Christ-Church Relationship as the Basis of Christian Marriage ................ 266
5.2.2. The Nuptial Blessing and its Placement ........................................................... 268
5.2.3. The Epiclesis: Optional or Obligatory? ............................................................ 270
5.2.4. The Ministeriality in the Rites of Marriage ...................................................... 272
5.2.4.1. Spouses ...................................................................................................... 272
5.2.4.2. Priest .......................................................................................................... 274
5.2.4.3. Witnesses ................................................................................................... 277
5.2.4.4. Deacon and Servers.................................................................................... 278
5.3. The Cultural Character of the Liturgy ..................................................................... 282
5.3.1. The Inculturation and its Impact ....................................................................... 282
5.3.2. The Liturgical Reforms and their Impact on the Liturgy of Marriage .............. 284
Concluding Remarks ....................................................................................................... 286
General Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 289
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bibliographical references are divided into two major sections: primary and secondary
literatures. In the first section, the liturgical books of the Sacraments of different
liturgical traditions are given. The second section includes the books, Church documents,
book chapters from the edited works, articles from academic journals, as well as internet
sources.
Primary Literature
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GENERAL INTRODUCTION
In every society, culture and religion, certain ceremonies and celebrations mark the
passage of a human person from one stage of life to another. From a religious
perspective, these celebrations become occasions for celebrating one‘s faith by giving
expression to one‘s religious convictions and traditions. Christianity is not an exception,
and these kinds of celebrations assume religious characteristics. The seven sacraments of
the Church can, thus, be seen as occasions that ritually celebrate the different stages of
life in a Christian manner.
1
These sacramental celebrations therefore, reflect the
Christian perspective on life and, more specifically, the human and religious significance
of a stage of life that a particular sacrament celebrates. The sacrament of marriage marks
the passage in human and Christian life whereby a man and a woman enter into a stage
of their life as spouses by forming a family of their own. Different expressions given to
family – such as, ―the fundamental cell of the society,‖ ―domestic Church,‖ ―school of
deeper humanity‖ – underline the idea that marriage and stable families are the backbone
of society and the Church.
1. Status of the Question
Searle and Stevenson affirm that ―[m]arriage is both a social institution and a religious
event.‖
2
As a social institution, marriage constitutes social bonds by enhancing
relationships in society. As a religious event, marriage is celebrated through ritual
ceremonies that are defined and designed as liturgical practices based on the cultural
traditions and religious convictions of the society of the spouses. This celebration is
shaped and determined by the faith convictions, customs and practices existing in the
context of the couple which is imbued and nurtured by the theological developments.
Thus, liturgy is the celebration of faith integrating particular cultural and contextual
elements. Therefore, rites of celebration can be called precious ―documents of the faith‖
of a faith community.
3
The Christian rite of marriage is thus the outcome of a creative
and faithful interaction between faith and the context and the culture of the believers
through the centuries under the guidance of the magisterium. The Second Vatican
Council through Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, not only
exhorted but also has given stipulations for the revision of the liturgy of marriage in the
1
Underlining this understanding, The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that: ―the seven
sacraments touch all stages and all the important moments of Christian life‖ […] ―There is, thus, a
certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of spiritual life.‖ The Catechism of
the Catholic Church, (New Delhi: Theological Publications in India, 1996), §1210.
2
Mark Searle and Kenneth W. Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy (Collegeville: Liturgical
Press, 1992), 1. The same idea is repeated in other books of Stevenson. Kenneth W. Stevenson, To Join
Together: The Rite of Marriage (New York: Pueblo, 1987), 3.
3
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 252.
2 General Introduction
Catholic Church (SC, 77-78). The fact that the committee for the study and revision of
the rite of marriage was the first one that was constituted and has brought out the revised
rite indicates the importance afforded to the sacrament of marriage.
4
Kenneth W.
Stevenson made a unique and notable contribution in the study of liturgies of marriage.
In Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriages, he presents his study as pioneering
in the field of a liturgical theology of marriage.
5
Another significant study in this field is
Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, co-edited by Mark Searle and Kenneth Stevenson.
This work collects and presents the rites of marriage as they existed at different periods
in the past and provides an introduction to the rite of marriage with emphasis on the
different phases of its evolution. Making a survey of the existing studies and their limited
character, Searle observes that these studies ―rarely served as anything more than a
useful source of quotations in treatises on the theology of marriage, or as evidence of the
development of canonical legislation on marriage.‖
6
Some other studies on marriage tend
to be dogmatic and canonical in their approach with the result that the ―liturgical and
spiritual dimensions have not yet been explored fully enough.‖
7
My Advanced Master‘s thesis, entitled Door to the Domestic Church: A Liturgical and
Theological Analysis into the Rite of Marriage, was an attempt to respond to this
academic gap. There, my goal was to draw out a liturgical theology of marriage and
family as envisaged in the 1991 typical edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium of
the Roman Rite. It was done by comparing 1969 and 1991 typical editions of the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium, and it concluded that the 1969 typical edition of the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium could reflect the theology of the Second Vatican Council on
marriage only to a limited extent. Consequently, making a notable evolution, the revised
edition, the 1991 typical version of the Ordo, succeeded in enriching and deepening the
nuptial rite according to the Second Vatican Council‘s vision of marriage. One of the
formative insights which resulted from this study was that anyone interested in the
theology of marriage can find in the texts and ritual actions of the liturgy of marriage
significant fodder for reflection and investigation on Christian marriage.
8
This
recognition demands that any serious attempt to explore the theology of marriage should
4
Annibale Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy 1948-1975, trans., Matthew J. O‘Connell (Collegeville:
Liturgical Press, 1990), 696.
5
Kenneth W. Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites (London: Alcuin Club,
1983), 2.
6
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 261.
7
Andrea Grillo, ―Marriage and the Rite: A Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ INTAMS Review II,
no. 2 (2005), 172.
8
Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny, ―Door to the Domestic Church: A Liturgical and Theological Analysis
into the Rite of Marriage‖ [Unpublished Master Thesis, Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven, 2014]. See
also Paul Covino, ―Introduction to ‗Marriage Rites as Documents of Faith: Notes for Theology of
Marriage‘,‖ in Vision: The Scholarly Contributions of Mark Searle to Liturgical Renewal, ed. Anne Y.
Koester and Barbara Searle (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2004), 233.
General Introduction 3
take into account the liturgical theology of marriage. Therefore, it is our hypothesis that
the study of the different rites of marriage can open up a new vision for the theology of
marriage which is often unrecognized but stands closer to the believer than any
systematic treatise on the theology of marriage.
2. The Context of the Study
There are different liturgical traditions in the Catholic Church: the Alexandrian liturgical
tradition (including the Coptic and Ethiopic Rites); the Antiochene liturgical tradition
(including the Maronite, West Syrian and Malankara Rites); the Armenian liturgical
tradition (Armenian Rite); the East Syrian or Chaldean or Syro-Oriental liturgical
tradition (including the Chaldean and Syro-Malabar Rites); the Byzantine liturgical
tradition (Byzantine Rite) and the Latin liturgical tradition (principally the Roman Rite).
9
Each liturgical tradition has particular rites constituted by various ceremonies and
customs for the celebration of faith that sheds light also on the particularity of each
liturgical tradition. From a liturgical perspective, the mode of performing a liturgical
action is the ‗liturgical rite‘ of a particular worship. Thus, the cluster of modes of
performing the liturgical actions is often called ‗rite.‘
10
The Code of the Eastern
Churches defines rite as ―the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage
distinguished according to people‘s culture and historical circumstances, that finds
expression in each autonomous Church‘s way of living the faith‖ (CCEO, 28 §1).
Indian Christianity is unique because of the co-existence of three liturgical traditions,
namely, Roman, East-Syrian and West-Syrian respectively celebrated by the Roman,
Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.
11
According to tradition, the Apostle
Thomas came to India in 52 A.D. He formed a community of Christians in Kerala, one of
the southern provinces in India which was then generally known as Malabar.
12
From the
9
George Cathanar, ―The Orthodoxy of the St. Thomas Christians,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The
Nazranies, ed. George Menachery (South Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 168.
10
Placid Joseph Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy (Kottayam: OIRSI, 1983), 11-12.
11
George Karotemprel, The Syro-Malabar Church: The Church of St. Thomas Christians in India (Rajkot:
Gujarat, 1999), 1; Michael Geddes, ―A Short History of the Church of Malabar Together with the Synod
of Diamper,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed. George Menachery (Thrissur: South
Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 31-55; Adolf E. Medlycott, ―India and the Apostle Thomas,‖
in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed. George Menachery (Thrissur: South Asia
Research Assistance Services, 1998), 189-203.
12
Geddes, ―A Short History of Church of Malabar,‖ 36-37. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, the former
Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church acknowledges that ―[l]iving in almost complete isolation,
separated from every other Christian community and in the midst of an overwhelming majority of
Hindus and Mohammedans, these Christians never ceased to regard themselves as the ‗St. Thomas
Christians‘ – belonging to the Universal Church founded by Jesus Christ.‖ Varkey J. Vithayathil, The
Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy (Kottayam: OIRSI, 1980), 19; Leslie Brown, The
Indian Christians of Saint Thomas: An Account of the Ancient Syrian Church of Malabar (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1982), 47; Cathanar, ―The Orthodoxy of the St. Thomas Christians,‖ 150-
162. This work contains explanations by the bishop of Cochin and Documents by the Vatican on the
Syrian Church in Malabar.
4 General Introduction
seventh century onwards they were connected to the East Syrian rite or Chaldean rite for
its liturgy and administration.
13
A different chapter in the history of the St. Thomas
Christians was opened by the arrival of Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, at
Calicut in 1498, which marked the beginning of the Roman Church in India.
14
The
Portuguese missionaries in Kerala suspected the Syrian Christians of being under the
spell of Nestorian heresy ―because, for them [the Portuguese], anything that was not
Latin was heresy and schism.‖
15
From 1514 the Portuguese exerted influence over all
Eastern Christians in India, convening a Synod in 1599, known in history as the Synod of
Diamper. This synod forcefully terminated the relations between the East-Syrian Church
and the Indian church, and the Thomas Christians were brought under Latin Jurisdiction
of the Portuguese Padroado.
16
It further paved the way for the famous ―Coonan Cross
oath‖ in 1653 which eventually split the St. Thomas Christians into two groups: One
group accepted the prelates appointed by Rome, while the other group entered into
communion with the West Syrian Church of Antioch by breaking away from Rome.
17
The period that followed was a phase of latinization that had its retarding effects on the
system of church administration and the indigenous liturgies of the church.
18
In order to
ease the tension existing between the Portuguese and the Syro-Malabar Church, the Holy
See deputed the Discalced Carmelites to take charge of the St. Thomas Christians.
19
In
1887 as a result of continuous effort by the Malabar Christians, Pope Leo XIII decreed
the separation of the Rite of the St. Thomas Catholics from that of the Latin Church.
20
In
13
Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 15; Lonappan Arangassery, Ecclesial
Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy: An Introduction to Liturgical Ecclesiology (Kottayam: OIRSI,
1990), 4; Geddes, ―A Short History of Church of Malabar,‖ 36.
14
Geddes, ―A Short History of Church of Malabar,‖ 36; Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas,
12.
15
Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 20.
16
Karotemprel, The Syro-Malabar Church, 2; Jonas Thaliath, The Synod of Diamper (Rome: Pontificium
Institutum Orientalium Studiorum, 1958), 15. Portuguese Padroado imposed a rule on the Syrians which
affirmed that ―the Bishop of Goa [was] the rightful ruler of Malabar just as he was the Bishop of all the
Indies and of the whole East under Portuguese control.‖ Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the
Syro-Malabar, 30.
17
Coonan Cross Oath is an oath taken by a group of people consisting of almost 25,000 who gathered
before a Church and hold a rope which had been tied to the Coonan Cross where the people swore that
they would never obey the Padroado Archbishop. Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-
Malabar, 23-25; Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 100-101; Pacid J. Podipara, ―The
Syrian Church of Malabar,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed. George Menachery
(Thrissur: South Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 371-372.
18
Karotemprel, The Syro-Malabar Church, 2-3; Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian
Liturgy, 4-5; Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 39.
19
Felix Alfred Plattner, The Catholic Church in India: Yesterday and Today (Allahabad: St. Paul
Publications, 1964), 98; Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 24; Brown, The
Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 101; K. V. Varughese, ―A Synopsis of the History of the Syrian
Church in Malabar,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed. George Menachery
(Thrissur: South Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 273.
20
The immediate effect of making the ritual separation of different Churches was the introduction of the
―double jurisdiction in the same territory.‖ Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar,
General Introduction 5
1923, Pope Pius XI formally reconstituted the Syro-Malabar hierarchy.
21
In 1992 Syro-
Malabar Church was raised to a Major Archiepiscopal Sui Iuris Church.
22
The origin of the Syro-Malankara Church can also be traced to the protest against the
latinization of the Indian church. In 1653 the reaction against the latinization by the
indigenous St. Thomas Christians led to a schism by which a large part of the Indian
Christian community broke away from the communion with the Holy See and eventually
placed itself under the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.
23
Thus, the Malankara
Church emerged from the division within the Saint Thomas Christian community of the
17th century, that is, after the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653.
24
The Malankara Church was
formed as the Puthenkuttukar, or ―New Party‖, who are united with Archdeacon Mar
Thoma I by resisting the Latin Catholic Portuguese Padroado.
25
The process of introducing the Antiochene liturgy began with the arrival of Mar
Gregorios, Syriac Orthodox bishop of Jerusalem. It effectively brought the separated
body of Malabar Christians closer to the Antiochene liturgy gradually adopting the West-
Syrian Rite. Moreover, at the critical period, communion with the Antiochene prelates
was thought necessary to safeguard the oriental traditions against latinization.
26
However, a split in the Syrian Jacobites known as the ‗Bishop‘s party‘ and ‗Patriarch‘s
party‘ further occurred in the Church due to the struggles that had taken place on the
basis of the temporal jurisdiction by the Patriarch. Later, in the course of history, Syriac
Orthodox prelates of the ‗Bishop‘s party‘ tried to reunite with Catholic Church.
27
The
Metropolitan of Bethany Mar Ivanios succeeded in reuniting parts of the Syriac
60. For detailed description of the process of ritual separation see Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress
of the Syro-Malabar, 56-63; Karotemprel, The Syro-Malabar Church, 4; Podipara, ―The Syrian Church
of Malabar,‖ 372-373.
21
For the Apostolic Constitution of Pius XI: ―Romani Pontifices‖ see Vithayathil, The Origin and
Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 116-120.
22
Karotemprel, The Syro-Malabar Church, 7; D. Webb, ―The Versions of the Malabar Liturgy and the
Mass,‖ in The Malabar Church, ed. Jacob Vellian (Roma: Pontificium Institutum Orientalium
Studiorum, 1970), 43; Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 5; Plattner, The
Catholic Church in India, 98; Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 26; Podipara,
―The Syrian Church of Malabar,‖ 374.
23
Cyril Malancharuvil, The Syro-Malankara Church (Ernakulam: L. F. I. Press, 1974), 25-30; Alexander
Mar Thoma, ―The Mar Thoma Church,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed. George
Menachery (Thrissur: South Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 564.
24
Malancharuvil, The Syro-Malankara Church, 19-22; Thoma, ―The Mar Thoma Church,‖ 564; Sylvester
Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara Catholic Church (Kottayam: OIRSI, 2002), 57.
25
Malancharuvil, The Syro-Malankara Church, 22; Podipara, ―The Syrian Church of Malabar,‖ 372;
Thoma, ―The Mar Thoma Church,‖ 564; Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara Catholic
Church, 58.
26
Mathew Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church: A Study on the Baptismal Ritual of the Malankara
Church (Bangalore: Dharmaram College, 1974), 7; Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara
Catholic Church, 59.
27
Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara Catholic Church, 58-62.
6 General Introduction
Orthodox Church with Rome, and the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church was
established on 20 September 1930.
28
The Portuguese who came to India in the fifteenth century had two goals: trade and
mission. As it is written, ―‗[p]epper and souls together‘ was the motto of the times.‖
29
The western and eastern regions had already been allotted to Spanish and Portuguese
kings in negotiation with Rome for the growth of the Church.
30
Parallel to the growth of
the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Church in India, the Roman Church also
developed and flourished in different parts of India.
31
Geographically some of the
provinces, namely, Goa, Mumbai, Cochin and Quilon in Kerala and Mylapore near
Madras came under the Portuguese influence. The Church in Goa had been erected as a
diocese in 1533 and later in 1557 it was raised to the status of an archdiocese by Pope
Pius III, with Cochin and later Cranganore (Kerala), Mylapore and Damaun as suffragan
dioceses.
32
Later, it spread all over India with the missionary activities of a number of
religious orders like the Franciscans, Augustinians, Jesuits, Dominicans, and so on with
the continuous encounter with Hindu religion.
33
In the course of time, the Roman Church
spread over all India, and dioceses of the Roman Church were established by the Holy
See in different parts of India.
34
At present, there are 175 Catholic dioceses in India, comprised of 132 dioceses of the
Latin Church, 31 dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church, and 12 dioceses of the Syro-
Malankara Church. With the growth of emigration of faithful from India to the different
parts of the world, different dioceses of Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches are
also established in other parts of the world. In short, India could be viewed as a miniature
form of the Catholic Church with the presence of three Churches with three different
liturgical traditions, even to the extent that a triple jurisdiction exists over certain
28
Malancharuvil, The Syro-Malankara Church, 131; Podipara, ―The Syrian Church of Malabar,‖ 374;
Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara Catholic Church, 62-63.
29
Plattner, The Catholic Church in India, 17; Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar,
20; Joseph Albert Lobley, The Church and the Churches in Southern India: A Review of the Portuguese
Missions to That Part of the World in the Sixteenth Century, with Special Reference to the Syrian
Christians, and to Modern Missionary Efforts in the Same Quarter (Cambridge: Deighton, Bell and Co,
1870), 6-7.
30
Plattner, The Catholic Church in India, 17-18; Podipara, ―The Syrian Church of Malabar,‖ 373.
31
G.T. Mackenzie, ―Christianity in Travancore,‖ in Indian Church History Classics: The Nazranies, ed.
George Menachery (Thrissur: South Asia Research Assistance Services, 1998), 113-124; Clement
Valluvassery and Preemus Perinchery, eds., Kerala Latin Church History (Malayalam) (Verapoly:
Department of Catechesis, 2004), 11.
32
Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar, 20; Plattner, The Catholic Church in India,
19; Lobley, The Church and the Churches in Southern India, 13; Valluvassery and Perinchery, eds.,
Kerala Latin Church History, 20.
33
Lobley, The Church and the Churches in Southern India, 15-35.
34
Plattner, The Catholic Church in India, 98-99; Vithayathil, The Origin and Progress of the Syro-
Malabar, 23; Lobley, The Church and the Churches in Southern India, 104-120; Valluvassery and
Perinchery, eds., Kerala Latin Church History, 48.
General Introduction 7
territories in India with the presence of Roman, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara
Churches. Hence, ―[i]t is of special importance for the Church in India to become more
Catholic in her outlook.‖
35
Underscoring various liturgical rites in India, the proposition underlying the present
research is that the rites of marriage can serve as a source for a theology of marriage and
family life expressing the living faith of the communities of different liturgical traditions
and the theological developments in the course of time. Further, as stated by the scholars
in the field of liturgical studies, ―[l]iturgical theology is principally what is transacted in
historic liturgical rites and secondarily that which can be uncovered by structural
analysis of those rites.‖
36
Therefore, a comparison of the similarities and differences in
structure, content of the prayer, symbols and rituals will unveil the richness of the rites of
marriage of the Catholic Church more thoroughly. At the same time, comparative liturgy
further provides ―an encounter and a cross-fertilization of traditions‖
37
that will yield
new insights for the improvement and enrichment of the liturgies of particular churches.
3. Research Questions
The guiding research questions of this study are the following. What are the similarities
and differences between the official rites of marriage currently in use in different
liturgical traditions of the Catholic Church, namely, Roman, East-Syrian and West-
Syrian that co-exist in India? Which understanding of marriage and family is reflected in
these rites of marriage? What is the theological significance of the similarities and
differences between them, and what pastoral, cultural and spiritual implications do they
entail?
These questions are further divided into sub-questions. How is the sacrament of marriage
celebrated today in the Church, both among Eastern and Western rites, particularly in the
three liturgical traditions that co-exist in India? What liturgical theology of marriage can
be drawn out from the wedding liturgy by discovering the profound symbolic richness
and meaning of the textual prayers as well as of the rituals and actions? What are the
differences and similarities in the structural units as well as in the ritual and textual
components of the rites of marriage? What are the reasons behind those similarities and
differences? What specific role do the inculturation processes play in the contemporary
rites of marriage? What are the insights that liturgy of marriage may offer for the
theology of marriage of the Catholic Church?
35
Plattner, The Catholic Church in India, 158.
36
David W. Fagerberg, What Is Liturgical Theology: A Study in Methodology (Collegeville: The Liturgical
Press, 1992), 9; Covino, ―Introduction to Marriage Rites as Documents of Faith,‖ 233.
37
Klaus Demmer, ―The Origin of an Idea,‖ in Christian Marriage Today, ed. Aldegonde Brenninkmeijer-
Werhahn and Klaus Demmer (Washington (D.C.): Catholic University of America Press, 1997), 11.
8 General Introduction
4. The Primary Sources
From the perspective of the historical development of the liturgy of the Syro-Malabar
Church in general, three phases can be distinguished. The early period up to the Synod of
Diamper in 1599, followed by a middle period from 1599 to Vatican II, and finally from
Vatican II to the formation of the new texts for the liturgical celebrations.
38
Parallel to
them, there are three significant phases in the development of the rite of marriage of the
Syro-Malabar Church. Till the end of the 16th century the rite of marriage of the Syro-
Malabar Church was mainly based on the East-Syrian liturgical tradition.
39
However,
significant elements of the inculturation integrating elements from the Indian culture are
also seen in the rite of marriage. Later, with the influence of the missionaries from the
Latin Church, Latin liturgical tradition elements intruded into the liturgical ceremonies
of Syro-Malabar Church.
40
The Second Vatican Council promulgated a decree on the
Oriental Churches which emphasized that the Oriental Churches should return to their
original liturgical heritage.
41
A new text of the sacrament of marriage is published in
2005, The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, after a long period of discussions,
revisions of various drafts, and experimental implementations.
42
One of the instructions given to the Malankara Church at its union with the Catholic
Church was that it ―is a particular Church which has its own liturgy and rites‖ which ―are
to be preserved intact.‖
43
Consequently, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church recognized
its liturgical rites and customs of the Antiochene liturgy that had been used by the Syriac
Orthodox in Malabar ―with corrections.‖
44
The Syro-Malankara Church followed the
38
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 263; See also, Thaliath, The Synod of Diamper, 15.
39
Louis Edakalathur, The Theology of Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition (Roma: Mar Thoma Yogam,
1994), Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 261. Webb, ―The Versions of the Malabar Liturgy and
the Mass,‖ 43.
40
The Second Council of Goa in 1585 ordered that Latin rite of marriage is to be translated into Syriac for
the use of St. Thomas Christians. Consequently, Syriac translation of the Latin rituals came into use.
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam
(Malayalam) (Kakkanad: Syro-Malabar Synod, 2015), 141. Lobley, The Church and the Churches in
Southern India, 95; Jose Kochuparampil, ―Theology of Mysteries in the East Syriac Tradition,‖ in Mar
Thoma Margam: The Ecclesial Heritage of the St Thomas Christians, ed. Andrews George
Mekkattukunnel, Mar Thoma Margam (Kottayam: OIRSI Publications, 2012), 246-247.
41
Orientalium Ecclesiarum: Decree on the Catholic Churches of the Eastern Rite, Solemnly Promulgated
by His Holiness Pope Paul Vi on November 21, 1964 (1964), § 6: ―All Oriental rite members should
know and become convinced that they can and should preserve their lawful liturgical rites and their
established way of life.‖
42
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church. Kakkanad: Commission for Liturgy, 2007.
43
Malancharuvil, The Syro-Malankara Church, 140; Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara
Catholic Church, 62.
44
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 14. Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara
Catholic Church, 80-82; Pope Pius XI, ―Christo Pastorum Principi: Apostolic Constitution on the
Reuniting the Syro-Malankara Rite with the See of Rome‖
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vXNRG8uWagz2ZmB6ac9yMTN7qBg72hG_/view (accessed 3
November 2019). One of the guidelines of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches was the
following: ―Regarding the liturgical books (Missal, Ritual, Pontifical) which had been printed by the
General Introduction 9
Order for the solemnization of marriage and ceremony of crowning of the West Syrian
Church that was ―compiled, arranged and revised‖ by St. Jacob of Edessa.
45
Despite
some revisions and adaptations over the course of time, the present edition of the text for
the celebration of the sacraments is the translation of the original text prepared by
Abraham Konatt and printed in 1964 by the Mar Julius Press at Pampakuda. The latest
version of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church in English is the translated
version of the liturgical text for the Order for the Sacraments published in 2017 under the
approval of the Bishops‘ Synod.
46
The formation of the new rite of marriage of the Roman Church is a long process of
evolution. In order to respond to the Second Vatican Council‘s recommendations and
proposals for the renewal of the various liturgical rites, a Consilium for the
Implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy with different study groups for
each rite (sacrament and sacramental) was established for the Roman Church.
47
The
study group for the rite of marriage was launched in March 1964, and they had to take
into account the guidelines given in the SC and the later instructions provided in the
motu proprio, Sacram Liturgiam and Inter Oecumenici.
48
Later in 1968, the plenary
session of the Consilium approved a new rite for a trial period.
49
The historical fact that a
revision of this new edition was needed, within a relatively short period, shows clearly
that the 1969 edition had certain limitations. In 1991 a new revised edition was
promulgated for the rite of marriage, and the latest English version of the text is the
Propaganda, the same will be kept, correcting, however, any inaccurate or erroneous expressions which
have been introduced in the course of time.‖ Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 13.
45
Ignatius Aphram Barsoum, The History of Syriac Literature and Sciences of the Western Syrian
(Jacobite) Church, Kitab Al-Lulu Al-Manthur Fi Tarikh Al-Ulum Wa Al-Adab Al-Suryaniyya, trans.,
Matti Issac Koosa (Pueblo: Passeggiata Press, 1965), 121.
46
The Book of the Holy Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Matrimony and the Order of House
Blessing, 69-147, (Trivandrum: The Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2017).
47
Stevenson gives a detailed description of the assignment of the Consilium: ―After the Constitution was
passed, the Consilium Liturgicum set up various study groups that were to be charged with drawing up
new rites in accord with the Constitution. It was left to Groups 22 and 23 to deal with the new Rituale;
Group 23 in particular was given the task of compiling the new Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium in
consultation with the other group.‖ Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 127; See also,
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 697.
48
Sacram Liturgiam and Inter Oecumenici are the instructions given by the Vatican for the renewal of the
liturgy.
49
Annibale Bugnini presents the evolution of the new Ordo in brief: ―Meanwhile study group 23, in
collaboration with group 22, began its examination of the entire subject. It held special meetings at Mont
Saint Odile (Strasbourg) in December 1965, at Le Saulchoir (Paris) in March 1966, and at Verona in
June of the same year. In the following October it was able to present the Consilium with a first report
on the general structure. At the next general meeting (April 1967) it presented the first three chapters of
the new Ordo and, in November of that year, the complete schema in a final form that could be used for
experimentation. The most important and impressive of these experiments was the one conducted by
Pope Paul VI himself at the International Eucharistic Congress in Bogotá in August 1968. The Pope
used the rite in marrying twenty four couples with the enthusiastic participation of a huge crowd.‖
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 697-8.
10 General Introduction
officially translated version, according to the second typical edition, The Order of
Celebrating Matrimony.
50
5. Methodology
Lex orandi, lex credendi, is one of the central axioms that reiterates the significance of
liturgical theology. It clearly and rightly underlines the intrinsic and essential connection
between one‘s faith and its ritual expression. As stated in the Status of the Question, the
liturgical celebration is the living expression of those who celebrate it and thus, the rites
of celebration are the ‗documents of faith‘ of a community. Consequently, the ―liturgical
books are a theological source of the first value.‖
51
Emphasizing the theological
significance of the rites and rubrics of liturgy, the Catechism of the Catholic Church
affirms that ―[t]he meaning and grace of the sacrament […] are clearly seen in the rites
of its celebration. By following the gestures and words of this celebration with attentive
participation, the faithful are initiated into the riches this sacrament signifies and actually
brings about‖ (can. 1234). It implies that the rites give concrete expression to the faith of
the community. Further, the active participation of the ecclesial community in the
celebration of the rituals promotes and contributes towards the unity of the community
by recognizing a common identity for those who partake in the same ritual celebrations.
Because of these unique characteristics of the liturgy, the rite of marriage is both ―an
event‖ and ―a theological act.‖
52
Therefore, the study of the rite of marriage – the
documentation of the faith of consecutive generations – of different liturgical traditions
(rites) is a valid source for the theology of marriage. Recognizing the significant
contributions given by Seale and Stevenson in the area of liturgy of marriage, our
research also follows along with their theological contributions.
Joris Geldhof, distinguishing the methodology used for liturgical studies and liturgical
theology states: ―[l]iturgical studies predominantly use a comparative, anthropological,
pastoral, philological, and/or historical-critical-method, whereas liturgical theology aims
at a much more encompassing approach, which integrates and synthesizes the findings of
analytical work.‖
53
Thus, given the goal of this research, there will be different
50
The Order of Celebrating Matrimony: English Translation According to the Second Typical Edition
(Totowa, New Jersey: Catholic Book Publishing Corporation, 2016). A cross reference will be made
with the draft copy of the same to point out the rites that are particularly followed by the Roman Church
in India: The Order of Celebrating Marriage: English Translation according to the Second Typical
Edition. Bangalore: Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, 2018.
51
Kevin W. Irwin, Context and Text: A Method in Liturgical Theology (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press,
2018), 35.
52
Irwin, Context and Text, 120.
53
Joris Geldhof, ―Liturgy as Theological Norm: Getting Acquainted with ‗Liturgical Theology‘,‖ Neue
Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie 52, no. 2 (2010), 156. See also
Alexander Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology,translated by Asheleigh E. Moorhouse.
London: Faith Press, 1966; Aidan Kavanagh, On Liturgical Theology. New York (N.Y.): Pueblo, 1984;
David W. Fagerberg, Theologia Prima: What is Liturgical Theology? Chicago: Liturgy Training
General Introduction 11
methodological approaches in this research. The first task is to make a structural and
textual analysis of the rites of marriage of the different traditions that are available in
English. Secondly, our goal is to make a comparative evaluation of the findings of the
structural and textual analysis of the rites of marriage. Here, our aim is to bring out
similarities and the differences in the rite of marriage of different liturgical traditions.
Then, pursuing a synthesis, we attempt at a theology of marriage collating the theological
insights that emerge from the previous analytical and comparative evaluation of the rites
of marriage.
6. Outline of the Study
The fundamental concepts of Christian marriage that are emphasized in each liturgical
tradition are succinctly expressed in the instructions, prayers, hymns, and liturgical
actions of the rites of marriage. Therefore, the first three chapters analyse the rites of
marriage in the different liturgical traditions of the Catholic Church in India. The first
three chapters will focus on the textual and structural components of the rites of marriage
together with the symbolic representations of the liturgical actions. The last two chapters
will deal with the comparison and synthesis on the basis of the analysis of the rites.
The first chapter, namely, The Order of Celebrating Marriage of the Roman Rite: A
Structural and Textual Analysis is an investigation of the 1991 typical edition of the
Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium. Given the goal of the project, the exploration of the text
will prove important to uncovering and emphasizing the theological and liturgical
understanding of marriage envisaged by the Roman marriage rite. Realizing this
significance, this chapter is structured in six parts. The first section comprises a brief
description of the origin and development of the Roman rite of marriage. The second part
very briefly discusses the betrothal ceremony in the Roman Church. The third part
analyses, in detail, the Order of celebrating marriage. It is developed in six sub-sections.
The first section is on the preliminary rites of marriage, focusing on the liturgical
procession and the introductory prayers. The second section presents the significance of
the Word of God and the amendments in the lectionary of the new Ordo. The third
section offers an analysis of the structure and text of the rite proper of marriage, which
includes the declaration and reception of consent and the exchange of rings. The fourth
section explores the specific rites that have been incorporated into the Eucharist when
celebrated along with the sacrament of marriage. The fifth section takes up the study of
the solemn nuptial blessing and its key tenets. Finally, the sixth section examines the
concluding rites, including the solemn blessing. The fourth part of the chapter discusses
The Order of Celebrating Marriage without Eucharist, and the fifth part analyses The
Order of Celebrating Matrimony between a Catholic and a Catechumen or a Non-
Publications, 2004.
12 General Introduction
Christian and the sixth part explores The Order of Celebrating Marriage before an
Assisting Layperson.
The second chapter is entitled as The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony of the Syro-Malabar
Church: A Structural and Textual Analysis. It is divided into three parts. The first part
discusses the history of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church; the second part
examines the rite of betrothal; and the third part investigates the structure and the text of
the sacrament of marriage of the Syro-Malabar marriage rite (SMB).
54
As in the other
rites of marriage, basically, SMB could be divided into the introductory rites, liturgy of
the Word of God, the rites proper to marriage, and the rites of conclusion. Thus, this part
is developed in four sub-sections. The first section discuss the introductory rites
consisting of liturgical procession and introductory hymns and prayers. The second
section deals with the Liturgy of the Word examining the focus of particular readings
and the sturcture of the Liturgy of the Word. The third section discusses in detail the
specific rites of marriage that constitute the sacrament of matrimony which take place
immediately after the Liturgy of the Word and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The
fourth section, in brief deals with the final rites of marriage with the final prayers and
blessing.
Moving further, the third chapter is entitled The Service of Crowning of the Syro-
Malankara Church: A Structural and Textual Analysis.
55
The purpose of this chapter is
to examine the sacrament of marriage in the Syro-Malankara Church and subject it to a
detailed hermeneutical analysis so as to draw out the liturgical theology of this particular
rite of marriage. This chapter has three major parts. The first part deals with a short
description of the history of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church. The
second part offers a discussion on the betrothal ceremony of the Church. The third part
analyses the structure of the marriage rite, the theme and the content of each prayer and
hymn. The third part is further divided into four sub-sections: The introductory rites, the
Liturgy of the Word, marriage rites proper, and the concluding ceremonies.
Based on the analysis in the previous chapters, chapter 4, entitled A Theological Vision
of Marriage Drawn from the Rites of Marriage, compares the results of the textual and
structural analysis in order to locate the similarities and differences of one liturgy from
the other liturgies. Based on insights drawn from the analysis of the prayers and liturgical
actions particular to the liturgies of marriage taken from three different liturgical
traditions of the Catholic Church, this chapter will focus on drawing out a liturgical
theology of marriage which may concretely contribute towards a deeper understanding of
the meaning and significance of the marriage in the Church.
54
Hereafter, the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage is abbreviated as SMB.
55
Hereafter, the Syro-Malankara rite of marriage is abbreviated as SMK.
General Introduction 13
The final chapter, Liturgies of Marriage in Dialogue: Impulses for a Renewed
Understanding of the Theology of Marriage attempts to outline the richness of the
diversity of traditions for an understanding of marriage with its consequences and
implications for the practical life of the spouses. It further deepens the distinctive
features of each liturgical tradition which would work as a check for the other liturgical
traditions and discover the possibilities for growth in one‘s own liturgical practice and
how these possibilities can be realized. It also helps the liturgists to learn from each other
in order to deepen each‘s own tradition. Further, it enlightens on the understanding how
the comparative liturgical theology does bring in new nuances and insights from the
concrete experience and liturgical celebration of marriage. How does the uniqueness of
each of the Rites add to the theology of marriage from a liturgical perspective?
CHAPTER 1
THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING MARRIAGE OF THE ROMAN RITE:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction
Being the prime and basic unit of the society, the family is considered as one of the
foundational elements of every culture and society regardless of place and time of its
existence.
1
Though, in the postmodern culture family systems are changing, it is
recognized that the well-being of the society is closely knit with the stability of the
family.
2
Marriage is considered as the beginning of the family life, and the liturgy of
marriage, by which the entrance to marriage is ritualized, thus, occupies a distinct role in
every culture and society.
3
Understanding the significance of marriage Joseph Martos
comments that ―marriage was always a socially institutionalized way of defining
relationships between the sexes, of establishing rights and responsibilities for parents and
offspring, of providing for cohesiveness and continuity in society.‖
4
Consequently,
through marriage not only does the close-knit relationship come into existence but it also
continues its relevance by determining the rights and responsibilities demanded from
each member of the family. Realizing the significant and unique role that marriage
occupies in every society, the ceremonial rituals attached to it are considered ―revered
and sacred, and in that broad sense, religious.‖
5
In the light of this background, I have
taken up the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium of 1969 and the revised typical edition of
Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium of 1991, representing the Roman liturgical tradition of
1
Second Vatican Council, ―Degree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 18
November, 1965,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and
Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), § 11; Pontifical Commission
for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Vatican city: Libreria editrice
Vatican, 2005), § 211.
2
Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, announces this situation in an
explicit way: ―At a moment of history in which the family is the object of numerous forces that seek to
destroy it or in some way to deform it, and aware that the well-being of society and her own good are
intimately tied to the good of the family, the Church perceives in a more urgent and compelling way her
mission of proclaiming to all people the plan of God for marriage and the family, ensuring their full
vitality and human and Christian development, and thus contributing to the renewal of society and of the
People of God.‖ Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Christian Family in the
Modern World, Familiaris Consortio, trans. Vatican Polyglot Press (London: Catholic Truth Society,
1981), § 3.
3
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 3.
4
Joseph Martos, Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church
(Liguori, Missouri: Liguori/Triumph, 2001), 352; The Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace
asserts this idea in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: ―The family, the natural
community in which human social nature is experienced, makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution
to the good of the society.‖ Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church, 213.
5
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 352.
16 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
the Catholic Church,
6
as the primary sources of my Master‘s thesis entitled Door to the
Domestic Church: A Liturgical and Theological Analysis into the Rite of Marriage.
7
Since it is an exclusive study on the text and structure of ROCM along with its
evolutionary process, I incorporate those analyses into the dissertation which is a study
of the three rites of marriage, the Roman, Syro-Malankara and Syro-Malabar rites of
marriage.
This chapter is saturated around some specific questions: How is the sacrament of
marriage being celebrated today in the Roman Rite? How are the dignity and value of
marriage, of the spouses, and of the family protected, sustained, and nurtured through the
rite of marriage proper to this particular rite of the Catholic Church? By discovering the
profound symbolic richness and meaning of the textual prayers as well as the rituals and
actions of ROCM, how can a liturgical theology of marriage be drawn out from the
wedding liturgy? It will further contribute to the general research area of our project: a
comparison of different liturgies of marriage. This chapter is divided into three parts.
Any relevant discussion of a Christian rite as it exists today necessitates a serious
investigation of its origin and evolution through history and thus, the first part will
discuss very briefly the origin and development of the Roman rite of marriage. The
second section will discuss very briefly the history and the celebration of the rites of
betrothal in the Roman Church. Focusing more on the text and the structure of ROCM,
the third part will explore a structural and textual analysis of the rite of marriage in a
detailed manner.
1.1. The Origin and Development of the Roman Rite of Marriage
The historical consideration of the rite of marriage becomes important since the rite in its
present form is the fruit of a long and continued process, and it carries the marks of its
development through the different periods of history.
8
Looking from this perspective,
6
Hereafter, the revised Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium of 1991 is abbreviated as ROCM and the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium of 1969 as OCM.
7
Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny, ―Door to the Domestic Church: A Liturgical and Theological Analysis
into the Rite of Marriage‖ (Unpublished Master Thesis, Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven, 2014). The
major portion of this chapter is taken from the Master Thesis.
8
Herman Schmidt while exploring the methodology for the study of the liturgy emphasizes the
significance of the historical dimension of the celebration. According to him, ―[t]he liturgist must
proceed historically; namely, he has to investigate the origin, the development, the change, the death, the
rebirth of Orders.‖ Herman Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ Studia Missionalia 23,
(1974), 252. The same attitude is taken up by many liturgists. For example, see the following: Searle and
Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 253; Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian
Marriage Rites, vii. For a detailed description on the significance of the liturgical reforms see Chad J.
Glendinning, ―The Significance of the Liturgical Reforms Prior to the Second Vatican Council in Light
of Summorum Pontificum,‖ Studia Canonica 44, (2010), 293-342.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 17
this section ventures a brief history of the development of the Roman rite of marriage
from the practices of the early church to its present form ROCM.
9
1.1.1. The Early Phase: Matrimony as a Domestic Affair
Parallel to the development of Christianity, the celebration of marriage in the early
Church was influenced by Jewish, Greek and Roman cultural elements and customs. As
a result, it is difficult to find distinct or specific wedding ceremonies in the context of
marriage between Christians.
10
At the beginning of Christianity Christian marriages
largely followed the Jewish model of marriage. In the Jewish rites for marriage two
phases can be distinguished, namely, betrothal and the conclusion of marriage. They
were considered as two distinct moments celebrated at different times. After a stipulated
period following the betrothal, the celebration of marriage took place with the prevailing
customs and cultural celebrations. During the wedding ceremony, the bridegroom put a
ring on the forefinger of the right hand of the bride signifying that she was consecrated to
him. Then, there was blessing over the wine glass presided over by the bridegroom‘s
father. The celebration ended with the banquet and the ―table prayers‖ consisting of
seven benedictions praising God for his marvelous works culminating in a supplication
to bless the newly wedded couple.
11
The Greek rite of the celebration of marriage consisted of five parts. In the first, a
sacrifice was offered by the bride‘s father or the priest; secondly, there was a banquet
during which the spouses are crowned; thirdly, by late evening, the bride‘s father gave
his daughter to the bridegroom; fourthly, the bride was welcomed by groom‘s parents
and they crowned the bride with different types of fruits symbolizing fertility and
prosperity; fifthly and finally, the couple was led to the bridal chamber by relatives and
friends and, the groom unfastened the cincture of the bride.
12
Customs similar to these
practices can be found among the Early Christians consisting of a betrothal ring, an
expression of mutual consent and the joining of the hands.
13
9
Based on this section, a paper is presented in a Conference and published in the following publication:
Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny. ―The Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium 1991 as a Case Study for the
Creative Exchange between Liturgical Traditions and Theological Developments.‖ In Traditions
Recomposées : Liturgie Et Doctrine En Harmonie Ou En Tension, edited by A. Lossky and G.
Sekulovski, Semaines d‘Études liturgiques Saint-Serge, 63, (Münster: Aschendorff, 2017), 155- 174.
10
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 364. However, this claim does not disregard the existence of particular
rituals in relation to the celebration of marriage. Realizing it Nocent comments: ―The fact that we know
of no specifically Christian celebration of marriage, crowned with rites and prayers, does not mean it did
not exist, only that no traces of a special Christian ritual have come down to us.‖ Adrien Nocent, ―The
Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ in Handbook for Liturgical Studies, ed. Anscar J. Chupungco
(Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1997), 280.
11
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 29, 25.
12
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 278; See also Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 420;
25.
13
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 278; Schmidt describes a distinction in the
18 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
These references give the impression that the celebration of marriage had a systematic
form of manifestation in every culture, although no one form had been recognized as
universal. However, marking the inauguration of the couple‘s life together, in the ancient
church, marriage was mainly a family celebration by expressing mutual consent and
joining of the hands. There was neither a specified rite nor a legal formula to present the
religious meaning and significance of marriage. Neither the Eucharist nor the presence of
the priest was an indispensable part of a wedding even though in rare situations Eucharist
was celebrated during a wedding ceremony. With the proclamation of the Christian
religion as the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century, the rites of
marriage became more solemn. Though not a custom, there were occasions when
bishops and priests were invited to the wedding to confer their blessing on the newly
married couple after the family marriage rituals were concluded.
14
The consent of the
bishop had no constitutive effect on the validity of the marriage. Consequently, it was
only optional, not mandatory. Often the presence and blessings of the bishop was looked
upon as a personal favor to the family of the couple. Underlining this relative character,
Martos assumes that the blessing was given as ―a favor to the family or as a sign of his
approval on the marriage‖ and sometimes was given during ―a Eucharistic liturgy a day
or more after the wedding itself.‖
15
One of the ancient writings by Tertullian becomes
very significant and relevant here:
―How shall we ever be able adequately to describe the happiness of that
marriage which the Church arranges, the Sacrifice strengthens, upon
which the blessing sets a seal, at which angels are present as witnesses,
and to which the Father gives His consent. […] How beautiful, then,
the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire,
one in the way of life that follow, one in the religion they practice.‖
16
It seems to me that one might interpret this as a step in the evolution towards the
celebration of marriage from the perspective of the Catholic Church. With Augustine, the
understanding of marriage takes a decisive turn. Augustine developed a more systematic
approach to marriage by emphasizing the symbolic character of Christian marriage.
Thus, marriage is presented as a sacrament. In Augustine we can also find the emphasis
celebration in the different classes of people: ―In Rome and its Empire it is evident that betrothal and
wedding were juridically established and culturally religiously solemnized in the upper circles
(patricians and rich people), but were simple and less formal in the circles of the poor and the slaves.‖
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 258; Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 365.
14
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 368.
15
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 368.
16
Tertullian, Treatises on Marriage and Remarriage to His Wife: An Exhortation to Chastity, Monogamy,
ed. Johannes Quasten and Joseph Conrad Plumpe, trans., William P. Le Saint, Ancient Christian Writers,
XIII (London: The Newman Press, 1951), 35. This teaching by Tertullian became one of the basic
teachings on marriage in Catholic circles. For example, see the following references: The Catechism of
the Catholic Church (New Delhi: Theological Publications in India, 1996), § 1642; Pope John Paul II,
Familiaris Consortio, § 13. We can see that this famous quote is integrated into the Introduction of the
revised typical edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium. ROCM, no. 11.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 19
on the indissoluble character of Christian marriage. Emphasizing this dimension,
Augustine affirms that Christian marriage is ―entered upon in the City [that is, Church]
of our God, where also from the first union of the two human beings marriage bears a
kind of sacred bond, it can be dissolved in no way except by the death of one of the
parties.‖
17
Another notable development in Augustine is his treatise on the goods of
marriage. He distinguishes three goods of marriage, namely, children, fidelity between
husband and wife, and the sacred sign of the union between Christ and the Church.
18
Though nuptial blessing was not an essential part of the matrimonial rite as celebrated by
Christians in the first centuries of the Church‘s history, it deserves a special mention that
an ecclesiastical blessing was prescribed in the rite for the marriages of deacons and
priests.
19
Hence, in the early centuries of the Church, despite the fact that some bishops
in their sermons and letters encouraged Christians to have their marriages blessed by the
clergy, this blessing did not constitute an indispensable part of the rite of matrimony. The
relative character of such a blessing is recognizable from the fact that this blessing was
more of a grace or favor than a constitutive part of the prescribed rite. Representing the
different types of blessings for the celebration of marriage it is noted that ―[i]n some
places it was given during the wedding feast, in others it was a blessing of the wedding
chamber, and in others it was a blessing during a mass after the wedding.‖
20
17
Aurelius Augustine, ―The Good of Marriage,‖ in St. Augustine: Treatises on Marriage and Other
Subjects, ed. Roy J. Deferrari (New York: The Catholic University of America Press, 1955), 31; See also
Liam Kelly, ―Matrimony,‖ in Sacraments Revisited: What Do They Mean Today?, ed. Vincent Nichols
(London: Longman & Todd, 1998), 158.
18
Augustine, ―The Good of Marriage,‖ 49, § 33. Augustine wrote De bono coniugali in between 397 and
404. It is considered as the ―first systematic treatise on marriage‖ where he mentions three goods of
marriage: faithfulness, offspring and the sacrament. Julie Hanlon Rubio, A Christian Theology of
Marriage and Family (Mahwah: Paulist Press, 2003), 71. Mathijs Lamberigts, ―Augustine on Marriage:
A Comparison of De Bono Coniugali and De Nuptiis e Concupiscentia,‖ Louvain Studies 35, no. 1-2
(2011), 34; Perry J. Cahall, ―The Trinitarian Structure of St. Augustine‘s Good of Marriage,‖
Augustinian Studies 34, no. 2 (2003), 223.
19
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 368. See also, Isidore of Serville, De Ecclesiasticis Officiis, ed. Dennis D.
McManus, trans., Thomas L. Knoebel, Ancient Christian Writers, vol. 61 (New York: The Newman
Press, 2008), 99; Edward Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery (London:
London Sheed & Ward, 1988), 204, where the author affirms that ―there was, then, no obligatory liturgy
of marriage in the church before the eleventh century, except that for the lower orders of the clergy. The
father‘s consent, or the mutual consent of the bride and bridegroom, according to the prevailing custom
of the country, continued to be the essential element in the constitution of a marriage.‖ In relation to it
we can see that the Poems of Paulinus refer to the marriage of the cleric in the Church. Paulinus instructs
them with the following words: ―May your father the bishop bless you, and lead the singing of holy lays
in company with the hymn chanting chorus. Kindly Memor [the name of the father] lead your children
before the altar, and with a prayer and blessing of the hand commend them to the Lord.‖ And he
continues that ―Christ, instruct the newly married pair through the holy bishop. Aid the pure hearts
through his chaste hands, so that they may both agree on a compact of virginity, or be the source of
consecrated virgins.‖ Pontius Meropius Paulinus, The Poems of St. Paulinus of Nola, ed. Johannes
Quasten, Walter Burghardt, and Thomas Comerford Lawler, trans., Patrick Gerard Walsh (New York:
Newman Press, 1975), 251, 252.
20
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 369.
20 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
In this connection, there are some significant documents from the period between the
fifth and eighth centuries, including the Veronese or Leonine Sacramentary, the
Gregorian Sacramentary, and the Gelasian Sacramentary.
21
They provide important
information about how marriage was celebrated in these centuries. According to these
liturgical texts, the rite of marriage consisted of the blessing by the priest, the
bridegroom putting a ring on the bride‘s finger and the veiling of the bride. The veiling
of the bride has a great impact in relation to the rite of marriage.
22
These rites were not
observed uniformly in every instance of marriage, but they were ―strongly
recommended.‖
23
Thus, up until the eleventh century, the rite of marriage was more of a
family celebration in its form and was conducted in the family. The blessing by a priest
or a bishop, when it occurred, denoted generally a sign of special favor to the family or
the couple.
1.1.2. A Shift in Locus: Marriage from the Family to the Church
With the dawn of the eleventh century, some remarkable changes occurred in the rite of
marriage: both in its form and in the manner in which it was conducted. One major
change concerned with the place where the rite was celebrated. Differing from the early
phase, where the whole of the rite of marriage was celebrated in the home, marriage was
increasingly celebrated at the door of the Church, in facie ecclesiae though it was not
necessary for the validity of marriage.
24
The vows were pronounced by the couples at the
door of the Church and the wedding party would be led into the Church where they
celebrated the Eucharist. Another important feature of marriage was the introduction of
the blessing by the priest into the rite of marriage. After communion, a veil was spread
over the new couple and the priest blessed them.
25
The first part of the nuptial ceremony
21
Paul Turner, The Inseparable Love: A Commentary on the Order of Celebrating Matrimony in the
Catholic Church (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2017), xviii.
22
When we look down into the history of the liturgical rite of veiling of the bride it takes us back to the
fourth century where the veiling of the bride was introduced in parallel with the veiling of the virgins.
―The veiling of the bride was given, in the Gregorianum especially, a liturgical form which was
consciously in keeping with the liturgical veiling of the virgin, since the same mystery of the church was
symbolized in both, in the case of the bride‘s veiling indirectly and in the case of the veiling of the virgin
directly. Just as a special and publicly recognized place in the church was assigned to the woman by her
dedication as a virgin so was the bride‘s marriage-contracted civilly within the family – given an
ecclesiastical confirmation by the marriage blessing; the church‘s solemnization of her marriage gave it
a public status within the church.‖ Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 310.
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 255.
23
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 269; Refer also Isidore of Seville, De Ecclesiasticis
Officiis, 99.
24
Philip Lyndon Reynolds, Marriage in the Western Church: The Christianization of Marriage During the
Patristic and Early Medieval Periods (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994), xiv; Stevenson also points out this shift:
―we can discern a gradual shift from a domestic rite, which was led either by a member of the family or
a local cleric, to a church wedding, presided over by a bishop or presbyter.‖ Stevenson, Nuptial
Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 20.
25
In relation to the veiling of the bride, The Liber Ordinum, ―a collection of Old Spanish or Visigothic
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 21
consisted of the expression of mutual consent. The exchange of the rings was performed
outside the Church. In a second part of the ceremony, the whole community proceeded to
the Church for the celebration of mass, where a blessing was given by the priest.
26
Thus,
there is a gradual development in the celebration of marriage at the facie ecclesiae to the
recognition of marriage exercised within the walls of the Church.
The Council of Trent (1563) could be considered pivotal in the development of the rite of
marriage with its impact on the renewal of the rite of marriage, both through its new
theology of marriage and the recommendations proposed for the valid rite of marriage. In
the manner it had existed in those days, marriage was generally understood to be a
private affair and lacked a juridical nature; the Church had no significant role in its
celebration. Consequently, before the Council there was a proliferation of irregularities
and abuses in relation to marriage and clandestine marriages were prominent.
27
In this
context, the Council realized the urgent need to put a check on the existing situation and
serious steps were taken to avoid ―the serious sins‖ effected from clandestine
marriages.
28
The Council accepted the official regulations promulgated by the Fourth
Lateran Council
29
for the validity of the marriage, but demanded a renewal. Recognizing
the inadequacy of the existing ecclesiastical prohibitions to uphold the indissolubility of
rites‖ gives a detailed documentation. It stipulates that there is ―a blessing for the veiling of the bride.‖
However, the author argues that the prayer for the blessing presented in the text is ―certainly out of
place‖ because at that time, ―both bride and bridegroom are under the same veil!‖ Here, we can also see
a transition of the marriage blessing into the bridal blessing. Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the
Marriage Liturgy, 120.
26
Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 372; See also Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy,
120.
27
Clandestine marriages are ―secret marriages‖ which are contracted ―with the free consent of the
contracting parties.‖ The main problem that arose from clandestine marriage was that, since it is a secret
marriage, contracted only with the consent of bride and bridegroom it may gradually lead to a situation
that ―they have deserted a first wife married in secrecy and have publicly contracted marriage with
another woman and live with her in a permanent state of adultery.‖ Council of Trent. ―Canons on the
Reform of Marriage, Session 24, 11 November 1563.‖ In Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to
Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe Alberigo, 2, 755-759. Washington: Georgetown University
Press, 1990, 755. Theodore Mackin explains the problems arose from the clandestine marriages.
According to him, ―[t]he clandestinity was sometimes a companion and a sequel to another and more
brutal abuse, the kidnapping of women to force them into marriage. Kidnapper and kidnapped could
hardly enter marriage in a publicly approved way.‖ He suggested that the ―grand strategy for ending
clandestinity was to force the creating of marriages, the concluding of marital contracts, to be done
publicly.‖ Theodore Mackin, The Marital Sacrament (New York: Paulist, 1989), 255-256.
28
Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of Marriage, Session 24, 11 November 1563,‖ in Decrees of
the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington,
DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), 755. See also, Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the
Marriage Liturgy, 179.
29
The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) is one of the important Ecumenical Councils with regard to the rite
of marriage, as it deals with the ―restriction of prohibitions to matrimony‖ and ―the punishment of those
who contract clandestine marriages.‖ It also announced that ―when marriages are to be contracted they
shall be publicly announced in the churches by priests.‖ See, on this, Lateran Council IV, ―On the
Punishments of Those Who Contract Clandestine Marriages,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils,
ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), §
51.
22 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
marriage, the Council enforced a specific form of marriage. Hence, the Council of Trent
solemnly teaches: ―the celebration of the marriage must then take place in open Church,
during which the parish priest will, by questioning the man and woman, make sure of
their consent and then say, I join you together in marriage, in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit, or use other words according to the accepted rite of each
province.‖
30
Thereby, the Council of Trent offered a new form for the expression of the
consent and, at the same time, recognized the various forms of celebrations that existed
in different cultures. As a result, Juraj Kumas observes that the decree of the Council of
Trent on the renewal of marriage, ―introduced for the first time in the history of
marriage, a canonical form of public celebration of marriage required for its validity and
thus resolved the long and serious [issues] of clandestine marriages.‖
31
With regard to marriages which had been secretly contracted in the past, the Council of
Trent announced that if they had been ―made with the free consent of the contracting
parties, [they] are valid and true marriages, so long as the Church has not rendered them
invalid.‖
32
However, in the case of marriages contracted after Trent, ―matrimonial
consent must be exchanged in the prescribed juridical and liturgical form, that is,
marriage is to be celebrated in the presence of the parish priest, or another priest with the
authorization of the parish priest or the Ordinary, and of two or three other witnesses.‖
33
The council very strongly condemns any attempt to bypass these stipulations and
―declares such contracts invalid and null, as by the present decree it invalidates and
annuls them.‖
34
In this way, the council defended the sacramental character of marriage,
asserted the Church‘s authority to organize matrimonial affairs and presented a
structured rite for the celebration of marriage. As a result, the revised Roman Missal
appeared in 1570, which offered a new rite of marriage. However, the rite of marriage
introduced in this new Missal was not really innovative because it was almost identical
to the local missals of that time, but ―relatively simple and sober.‖
35
Consequently, a
need for the revised order of marriage arose. As a result, in 1614 a revised rite for
30
Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of Marriage,‖ § 755; Joel Francis Harrington, Reordering
Marriage and Society in Reformation Germany (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 96.
31
Juraj Kumas, ―The Separation of the Spouses with the Bond Remaining : Historical and Canonical Study
with Pastoral Applications,‖ [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Pontificia Università Gregoriana,
Rome, 1997], 131.
32
Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of Marriage,‖ § 756. Kumas, ―The Separation of the Spouses
with the Bond Remaining,‖ 131.
33
Kumas, ―The Separation of the Spouses with the Bond Remaining,‖ 131.
34
Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of Marriage,‖ § 755; Documents of the Marriage Liturgy
informs that the Council of Trent took a significant step in promulgating that marriage without public
ceremony is null and void, ―despite the long history of the axiom that ‗consent makes marriage‘.‖ Searle
and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 179.
35
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 179.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 23
marriage was promulgated. Antonio summarized the rite of marriage according to the
Rituale Romanum of 1614 in the following manner:
―[T]he marriage celebration, except in cases of mixed marriage, takes
place normally within the mass, before the altar. It begins with the
exchange of consent and the blessing of the couple (with their hands
joined) by the priest with the formula, Ego coniungo vos in
Matrimonium. The blessing and giving of the wedding ring follows.
The priest then recites some psalm verses and a short concluding
prayer. The mass continues as usual but immediately after the Lord‘s
Prayer and before the embolism Liberanos…, the spouses receive the
nuptial blessing. A final blessing patterned upon that which is found in
the Book of Tobit (7:15), concludes the rite.‖
36
In the presence of a variety of challenges and problems that marriage encountered at that
time, the Council of Trent eagerly wanted to attend to these issues and propose remedial
measures. In its effort to intervene in the situation, the Council‘s discussions and
decisions on marriage were driven by a two-fold motive: ―to ensure its public celebration
out of respect for the social character of marriage, and to secure its reverent celebration
out of respect for its sacramental character.‖
37
Motivated by these goals, the Council
stipulated ―a series of prescriptions concerning the publications of banns, marriage
before the Church, in the presence of the priest, the ascertaining of the couple‘s consent
to the marriage, and the exchange of vows in the presence of the priest.‖
38
One striking
change enacted by the Council of Trent was the insistence on the need for the presence
of a priest. While this had been ―strongly urged‖ prior to Trent, Kristi Thomas notes, it
―was not necessary in Catholic weddings until 1563.‖
39
With the Council of Trent
categorically emphasizing the mandatory presence of the priest for the ratification of the
marriage, the Church officially put an end to the situation that arose from the
understanding that it was only the mutual consent of the couple that validates the
marriage.
Through these prescriptive procedures, the Council hoped to rectify the irregularities that
had become part of the celebration of marriage when it was considered a private
domestic affair with no place for the active role for the Church. In such a context, the
mandatory need of the priest to ratify marriage through a formula like ―I join you
together in matrimony‖ ensured that the Church would have a commanding and
36
David William Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ The ICST
Journal 3 (2001), 27. Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 296; Searle and Stevenson,
Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 184-188.
37
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 184.
38
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 184; See also Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of
Marriage in the West,‖ 295-296.
39
Kirsti S. Thomas, ―Medieval and Renaissance Marriage: Theory and Customs‖
http://celyn.drizzlehosting.com/mrwp/mrwed.html (accessed 30 November 2014). See also Nocent, ―The
Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 296.
24 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
regulating role. By prescribing banns and the presence of the priest, the Council
expressed its view of marriage as a sacrament and a social contract. However, these
insistent measures taken by the Council to ensure its social and sacramental character
were not completely meritorious for the marriage. Speaking on the practical
consequences of the undue insistence on the prescriptive procedures that the consent of
couple must be made before a priest, Antonio laments that ―the role of the couple
appeared as secondary to that of the priest.‖
40
Even though the chaotic situation that
arose from the exclusive emphasis on the mutual consent of the couple was put to an end,
the emphasis on ―I join you‖ said by priest was criticized because the role of the couples
in the marriage only secondary to that of priest and rite did not underline the active
responsibility of the couple.
1.1.3. The Second Vatican Council and Renewal of the Rite of Marriage
The Second Vatican Council greatly contributed to liturgy, just as it paid serious
attention to the life of the Church. The fact that Sacrosanctum Concilium,
41
the
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, was the first official document from the Second
Vatican Council speaks amply to the importance the Council gave to liturgy. Complying
with the motto of the Council to renew the Church, aggiornamento, SC made clear
recommendations and proposed practical guidelines for the revision and renewal of the
various aspects and dimensions of liturgy. As Anscar Chupungco points out, the Council
fathers were much concerned about the aggiornamento, the renewal of all the rites, and
with regard to the rite of marriage, ―the principles they articulate and the wide range of
possibilities they offer meet amply the expectations for the aggiornamento of the rite of
marriage.‖
42
Within two paragraphs of the document Sacrosanctum Concilium, 77 and
78, the Council set out the guidelines for the reform of the rite of marriage and specified
the operational principles for the renewal.
40
David William Antonio, An Inculturation Model of the Catholic Marriage Ritual (Collegeville: The
Liturgical Press, 2002), 3; Antonio repeats the same idea in his article on the revised Ordo. Antonio,
―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 27.
41
This Constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on December 4, 1963. Hereafter this constitution
will be cited in the text as SC. Elenchus, Membrorum - Consultorum, Consiliariorum, Coetuum a
Studiis, Consilium Ad Exsequendam Constitutionem De Sacra Liturgia (Vatican City: Typis Polyglottis
Vaticanis, 1967), 7-57, gives detailed information about the Concilium presidents, secretaries and
committees for the liturgical renewal after the Second Vatican Council.
42
Anscar J. Chupungco, Liturgies of the Future: The Process and Methods of Inculturation (New York:
Paulist, 1989),118. Italics added for emphasis. See also Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the
West,‖ 297-298. Annibale Bugnini while writing about the process of the reform of the rite of marriage,
observes the rationale behind the revision of the rite of marriage: ―Marriage is one of the most
meaningful and important moments in the life of a Christian, and the reformers therefore felt it urgent to
revise and enrich the rite of marriage so that it might more clearly signify the grace of the sacrament and
the duties of the spouses.‖ Annibale Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy 1948-1975, trans. Matthew J.
O‘Connell (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1990), 696.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 25
1.1.3.1. Guidelines for the Reform of the Rite of the Marriage
The guidelines proposed by the Council for the renewal of the rite of marriage can be
seen as a creative and faithful response to the signs of the time. This remark is well
expressed in the words of Stevenson: ―the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy appeared
first, what it has to say about the reform of the marriage rite is eloquent testimony to the
fresh winds blowing through the thinking of the Church.‖
43
Viewed from this
perspective, these guidelines expressed a progressive theological and cultural
understanding of marriage. In the following, we will explore the guidelines proposed for
the revision of the rite of marriage.
a. A Call for Revision and Enrichment
The first paragraph of Article 77 of SC clearly emphasizes the need for the revision and
enrichment of the rite of marriage and affirms that ―[t]he rite of celebrating marriage in
the Roman book is to be revised, and made richer.‖ Referring to the existing rite, it is
observed that it ―did not express quite adequately the grace of the sacrament and the
obligation of the spouses.‖
44
Evaluating the Roman Rite of 1614, with its adaptations and
modifications in the course of history, Anscar Chupungco comments that the concern of
the rite of marriage prevailing at the time of Second Vatican II ―seems to be juridical,
that is, to obtain the valid consent of the contracting parties‖ and he adds that ―its
celebration was too short and too sober to have an impact or leave a lasting
impression.‖
45
Further he retraces that the council fathers recognized ―the brevity and
ritual poverty of the Roman rite.‖
46
Indeed, this deficiency invited the serious attention of
the Council fathers. Realizing, thus, the need for a renewed version of the rite of
marriage, the Second Vatican Council undoubtedly asked for the revision and
enrichment of the rite of the marriage. The Council clearly demanded a renewal of the
rite that would rightly express the sacramental character of marriage and the
responsibilities of the spouses.
43
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 124.
44
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 26. See also Stevenson, To
Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 136.
45
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 118. See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 2; Antonio,
―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 26; Kelly, ―Matrimony,‖ 164.
46
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 118. See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 2; Antonio,
―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 26. In this context, the observation of
Kenneth Stevenson is remarkable: ―Given the extreme sparseness of the service provided in the Ritual,
what we have here is less a nuptial liturgy than a formula for ensuring that all the conditions for a clearly
valid marriage are met.‖ Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 184; Antonio, ―The
1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 27.
26 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
b. A Call for Retention and Preservation
The second paragraph of Article 77 of SC quotes from the Council of Trent: ―If any parts
of the world […] use other praiseworthy customs and ceremonies while celebrating the
sacrament of marriage, the synod is very concerned that they be preserved in their
entirety.‖
47
Like the Council of Trent, SC approves and endorses the use of local customs
that have a contextual and cultural relevance to the particular rites of marriage. The
Council of Trent, though it is often looked upon as an advocate of uniformity in liturgy,
has rightfully ―guaranteed the right of every local church to keep its particular marriage
rite.‖
48
SC highly appreciated this Tridentine affirmation and, realizing its significant
impact, reaffirmed it. Therefore, SC made sure that praiseworthy customs and
ceremonies which are uniquely a part of the living tradition of the people must be
preserved and retained. Commenting on it, Chupungco asserts that ―the new editio typica
not only will not suppress what still remains of them, but also will vindicate their rightful
place in the particular rituals.‖
49
Accordingly, SC reiterated the need to encourage
customs prevailing in different cultures and localities and to preserve these existing
options in the formation of the new rites. The impact of this openness has far-reaching
consequences for the Church, ―because it opens up many liberties that include structure
as well as content.‖
50
c. A Call for Inculturation and Adaptation
The last paragraph of SC 77 authorizes the competent ecclesiastical authorities ―to draw
up its own rite, suited to the usages of place and people in according to the provision of
art.63.‖ Article 63 of SC opens possibilities for adaptations: firstly, it provides an
opportunity for the use of ―vernacular language‖ in the administration of sacraments and
sacramentals and secondly, it permits ―the competent territorial ecclesiastical
authority‖
51
to prepare ―particular rituals.‖
52
On a closer analysis of this article, Antonio
47
Second Vatican Council, ―Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 4 December,
1963,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe
Alberigo (Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1990), §77. See also Council of Trent, ―Canons on
the Reform of Marriage,‖ 756. It states: ―The holy synod earnestly desires that, if any provinces have
praiseworthy customs and ceremonies in this matter, […] these should by all means retained.‖ J. D.
Crichton, The Church‟s Worship: Considerations on the Liturgical Constitution of the Second Vatican
Council (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1966), 177.
48
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 119.
49
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 119. See also Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of
Marriage, 138.
50
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 139.
51
Article 22 of SC specifies who the competent authorities are. See § 22.1 ―Regulation of the sacred
liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may
determine, on the bishop. 2. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within
certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 27
finds that this directive of SC does not limit itself to the possibilities of an ―insertion or
integration of good, laudable and honorable indigenous marriage ceremonies into
particular rituals‖ to rather constrained forms of adaptations. Rather, it grants bishops
―the faculty to create new marriage rites proper to their own regions.‖
53
Amidst this great
liberty, the only prerequisite demanded by SC was that ―the rite must always conform to
the law that the priest assisting at the marriage must ask for and obtain the consent of the
contracting parties.‖
54
This condition was seen as indispensible and as a necessary
element for the juridical validity of the marriage.
With regard to the adaptation of contextual customs into the rite of marriage, the
Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites
55
have proposed some important principles. The
first one is related to the formulas of the ritual: ―the formulas of the Roman Ritual may
be adapted or as the case may be, filled out (including the questions before the consent
and the actual words of the consent).‖
56
Further, this Instruction permits great freedom
with regard to the arrangement of the parts of the rite by stating that ―even the questions
before the consent may be omitted as long as the priest asks and receives the consent of
the contracting parties.‖
57
Added to these, it allows for further adaptation in the crowning
of the bride in stating that ―after the exchange of rings, the crowning or veiling of the
bride may take place according to local custom.‖
58
Thus, in general, this Instruction
allows the adaptation of ―whatever is good and is not indissolubly bound up with
superstition and error‖ into the liturgy, provided it is in harmony with the liturgy‘s true
and authentic spirit.
59
In short, in these guidelines one can recognize possibilities for the renewal of the rite of
marriage with due respect to the contextual and local customs of the parties involved, but
at the same time an affirmation of the undeniable character of marriage as a sacrament.
Having discussed the guidelines set forth by SC, let us now explore the nature and scope
of the operational principles proposed by SC for the renewal of the rite of marriage.
legitimately established. 3. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change
anything in the liturgy on his own authority.‖ Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 22.
52
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 63.
53
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28.
54
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ §77. See also Crichton, The Church‟s Worship,
177.
55
The Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, in Latin, Inter Oecumenici, is the first instruction
promulgated by Pope Paul VI for the revision of the Roman Rite. Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the
Revised Roman Rites, Inter Oecumenici (Glasgow: Collins, 1979).
56
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, 206.
57
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, 206.
58
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, 206; Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of
Marriage, 138.
59
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, 207. See also Second Vatican Council,
―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 37. Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 139.
28 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
1.1.3.2. The Operational Principles for the Renewal of the Rite of Marriage
The Second Vatican Council stipulated some practical guidelines which are to be
implemented in order to effect concretely the renewal and the revision of the rite of
marriage. Antonio describes these guidelines ―operational principles.‖
60
These principles
are given in article 78 of SC, and in a way they complement the spirit of the guidelines
we have already discussed. Therefore, we will now take up a discussion of these
principles and their implications for the renewal of the rite of marriage.
a. The Celebration of Marriage within the Eucharist
One of the striking innovations of SC with regard to the renewal of the rite of marriage is
its proposal to place the celebration of marriage within the Eucharist. This suggestion is
stated explicitly in SC 78, where we read that ―Marriage should normally be celebrated
during the mass.‖
61
This operational principle really brings in a major transition in the
evolution of the rite of marriage. As already mentioned, in the early phase of its
development, marriage was only a family affair and later it was connected to the Church
premises – in facie ecclesiae. Now, it is placed within the celebration of the Eucharist.
The celebration of marriage essentially became an ecclesial celebration and part of the
liturgical life of the Christian community.
62
In such a move, I think, one can detect the
seminal form of the great iconic statement of Lumen Gentium that the Eucharist is ―the
source and the culmination of all Christian life.‖
63
Further, the insertion of the sacrament
60
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 3.
61
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78. In this context, it is significant to note down
the instructions given in the Motu Proprio Sacram Liturgiam, the apostolic letter issued by Pope Paul VI,
on the celebration of marriage within the Eucharistic celebration: ―Concerning Article 78, we admonish
all concerned that the sacrament of Matrimony must normally be celebrated during holy Mass, after the
reading of the Gospel and the sermon. If Matrimony is administered outside the Mass, we order that the
following rules be observed until a new ritual is established: At the beginning of this sacred rite […]
after a brief exhortation, the Gospel and Epistle of the Nuptial Mass must be read; and then let spouses
receive the blessing which is contained in the Roman Ritual in Section 8, Chapter III.‖ Pope Paul VI,
―Motu Proprio Sacram Liturgiam‖, Libreria Editrice Vaticana http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-
vi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19640125_sacram-liturgiam.html (accessed 6
March 2015), §V.
62
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 125. See also Josef Andreas Jungmann,
―Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,‖ in Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II: Constitution on
the Sacred Liturgy; Decree on the Instruments of Social Communication; Dogmatic Constitution on the
Church; Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches., ed. Herbert Vorgrimler (New York: The Crossroad,
1989), 78.
63
Second Vatican Council, ―Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 21 November 1964,‖
in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe Alberigo
(Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1990), § 11. In its original Latin version these words are
written as ―Sacrificium eucharisticum, totius vitae christianae fontem et culmen‖ which means
―Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.‖ For a detailed vision of the nuptial character
of Eucharist see also Pope Benedict XVI, ―Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist as the
Source and Summit of the Church‘s Life and Mission, Sacramentum caritatis,‖ Libreria editrice
Vaticana http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-
xvi_exh_20070222_ sacramentum-caritatis.html#The_Eucharist_and_the_Sacraments (accessed 14
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 29
of marriage into the sacrament of the Eucharist also ―underscore[s] the close relationship
between the two sacraments‖ by recognizing the Eucharist as the ‗source and summit‘ of
the wedding celebration.
64
Added to these, this new perspective has implications for the
sacramental life of a Christian, as it rightly points to the interrelatedness of all
sacraments. Finding in it an added significance, Anscar Chupungco observes that
―marriage as the sacrament of covenant between man and woman has its source and
finds meaning in the covenant sacrifice which the Church celebrates in the Eucharist.‖
65
Based on this understanding, one can also infer that the sacramental dimension of the
sacrament of marriage is affirmed by the insertion of the rite of marriage into the
Eucharist.
b. The Nuptial Blessing for Both Spouses
The introduction of the blessing of bride and the bridegroom was another decisive step
proposed in SC. In SC 78, we find a radically different perspective in relation to the
blessing of the spouses. It states, ―The prayer for the bride, duly amended to remind both
spouses of their equal obligation to remain faithful to each other, may be said in the
mother tongue.‖
66
Thus, it demands that the nuptial blessing be given to both spouses in
the local language.
The unique significance of this innovation can be understood only against the
background of the traditional approach.
67
In this context, commenting on SC, Josef
Andreas Jungmann observes that the Fathers of the Council reflected on ―the fact that the
[earlier] stress on the bride was to be traced to an ancient Christian concern to make the
bride (who could hitherto receive the nuptial blessing only in the first marriage, as virgin;
January 2015). § 27-29.
64
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 3. We can also see some other writers assert this aspect. For example,
see Crichton, The Church‟s Worship, 177; Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 270.
65
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 121. In relation to the sacramental celebration of marriage
along with the nuptial Eucharist, Kevin Irwin underscores that ―[t]his Eucharistic celebration says a great
deal about the sacramentality of marriage in the first place, which needs to be developed for a liturgical
theology, as opposed to a focus on the couple‘s consent only.‖ Irwin, Context and Text, 271-272. See
also Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28,
66
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78.
67
When we look into the history of the bridal blessing, we can retrace an evolutionary process.
Schillebeeckx presents the historical shift of marriage blessing to bridal blessing in a systematic
manner. According to him, there was a ―veiling ceremony‖ in the Roman rite of marriage which includes
the veiling of both the bride and the bridegroom. By referring to Paulinus of Nola and Ambrose, he
emphasized that ―veiling and blessing‖ was an irreplaceable liturgical action for the sanctification of
marriage. However, he argues that there emerged a tendency to propose a centralized position to bride in
marriage which further leads to the replacement of ―marriage blessing‖ with ―a blessing of the bride
alone.‖ He further claims that in Liber Ordinum a shift of focus is underscored. ―In this book,‖ he points
out, ―a first blessing, pronounced over the bride and the bridegroom, and thus a blessing of the marriage,
is followed by a second blessing pronounced over the bride alone.‖ Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human
Reality and Saving Mystery, 304.
30 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
CIC, Canon 1143) appear as portraying the Church, similar to the virgin in the
consecration of virgins.‖
68
Without discarding the special recognition of the dignity of
the women expressed in the earlier form of blessing given only to the bride, the
introduction of the blessing for both the spouses was intended ―to stress the equal
obligation of husband and wife.‖
69
This change also can be seen as a response of the
Council to the expectations of the faithful. Crichton comments on this, stating that ―[f]or
long enough people have been asking for a revision of the wedding prayer and the
inclusion in it of the husband.‖
70
Thus, through this operational principle SC solemnly
affirms ―the equality or reciprocity between husband and wife as well as the obligation
of mutual fidelity.‖
71
When SC permits that this blessing ―may be said in the mother
tongue‖, it expresses the mind of the Council that the couples must fully understand the
meaning and significance of the rite.
72
c. The Significance of the Liturgy of the Word
The third of the operational principles in SC endorses the irreplaceable role of the liturgy
of the Word in the rite of marriage. It is stated very explicitly that, even on occasions
where marriage is celebrated outside the mass, ―the epistle and the gospel of the nuptial
Mass should be read at the beginning of the ceremony.‖
73
Hence, SC clearly makes a
point that, whatever be the nature of the celebration of the marriage, it should begin with
the liturgy of the Word. With this emphasis, SC underlines the constituent role of the
Liturgy of the Word in the rite of marriage. In order to realize this vision of the Council,
the Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites clearly reiterates it, stating that ―[i]n the
celebration of marriage (which normally should be within the Mass), certain elements
should be stressed, especially the liturgy of the word.‖
74
Referring to this insistence of
SC, Chupungco a significant observation that one of the momentous contributions to the
Second Vatican Council‘s liturgical theology was the emphasis on the Liturgy of the
Word of God and thus comments that ―the Liturgy of the Word gives form‖ to the liturgy
because ―the Word of God leads to faith and the celebration of the sacrament; the
68
Jungmann, ―Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,‖ 54
69
Jungmann, ―Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,‖ 54; During the reformation of the rite Bugnini wrote:
―The nuptial blessing is always given to the spouses, even during the closed times and even if one or
both spouses are contracting a new marriage.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 697.
70
Crichton, The Church‟s Worship, 178.
71
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 121. Crichton, The Church‟s Worship, 177; Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 3; Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28.
72
Crichton, The Church‟s Worship, 178. See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 3; Antonio, ―The 1991
Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28.
73
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78. See also Crichton, The Church‟s Worship,
178.
74
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, 205. See also Bugnini, The Reform of the
Liturgy, 702.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 31
sacrament in its turn ritualizes the Word and nourishes faith.‖
75
The Council perceived
the renewal of the rite of marriage in the light of the Word of God and wanted it to be
implemented by making the liturgy of the Word a constituent part of the rite.
d. The Blessing as Indispensable for the Rite of Marriage
The fourth and final operational principle for the renewal of the rite of marriage in SC 78
stressed the obligatory character of the nuptial blessing. In the rite for the celebration of
marriage existing before the second Vatican council, the nuptial blessing was not given
when the rite was celebrated without the mass.
76
The Council wanted that ―the blessing
should always be given to the couple.‖
77
Along with the understanding, that the nuptial
blessing should be given to both spouses, this operational principle affirms the equality
of the two sexes as well. We can also recognize the mind of the Council when we realize
that, in the Council, this was decided by a great majority of votes. When the council was
asked whether there should be the nuptial blessing on the bridal couple even in the
celebrations of marriage outside the mass, it was hugely ―accepted by 2194 to 24
votes.‖
78
The insistence on the obligation of the nuptial blessing in the rite of marriage
has a further implication as well. This claim not only underlines the ―rich doctrinal
content of this liturgical formulary‖ but also ensures ―the juridical character of the
marriage contract.‖
79
This also serves as proof for the detailed attention the Council paid
to the doctrinal and juridical dimensions in its proposal for the renewal of the rite of
marriage. Having dealt with the operational principles and their implications, one can
rightly conclude that the Council sought a renewal of the rite of marriage and set out a
concrete framework for this through these operational principles.
In brief, from the detailed analysis of the guidelines proposed by the Council, we can
summarize that those principles were the building stones for the reform of the rite of
marriage. They provided the active evolution of a revised typical version of the rite.
75
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 121. See also Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28.
76
National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States, The 1964 English Ritual, Collectio
Rituum (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1964), 385-6. We can see Stevenson reminding it
when he evaluates the typical edition of the 1969 Ordo: ―It will be remembered that in the old Order
without mass, the nuptial blessing was not given, only a meager blessing of the couple.‖ Stevenson,
Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 188.
77
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78. See also Crichton, The Church‟s Worship,
178; Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 697. Italics added for emphasis. Annibale Bugnini, ―The Rite
of Marriage‖, Eternal Word Television Network
http://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/MARRIAGE.HTM (accessed 20 April 2020).
78
Jungmann, ―Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,‖ 54.
79
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 121. See also Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman
Rites, 205; Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 28; Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 3.
32 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
1.1.4. The Two Typical Editions of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium
Responding to the Second Vatican Council‘s call for the reform of the rite of marriage,
Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium was promulgated in 1969. However, realizing the need
for a revised version of the Ordo, a new typical edition of Ordo Celebrandi
Matrimonium was promulgated in 1991. Thus, the next section will also discuss the
reasons that necessitated the formulation of the 1991 typical edition of the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium emphasizing its ritual novelty and theological implications.
1.1.4.1. The Typical Edition of 1969
The typical edition of 1969, the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium, which included a
revised rite of marriage, was officially promulgated on March 19 of that year by the
Sacred Congregation of Rites. Indicating that this edition has creatively and positively
responded to the recommendations of the Council, the promulgating Decree expressly
states: ―the rite for celebrating marriage has been revised according to the decrees of the
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, in order that this richer rite would more clearly
signify the grace of the sacrament and the responsibilities of the married couple would be
better thought.‖
80
One can see a remarkable development by way of continuity and
discontinuity with the preceding rite of 1614 and its amendments introduced by various
Popes: namely Benedict XIV (1752), Pius IX (1872), Leo XIII (1884), Pius XI (1925)
and Pius XII (1952).
81
The theological and liturgical orientations of the rite are well
stated in its introduction (nos.1-18). It also contains four chapters dealing with a variety
of rituals and texts for the wedding ceremony.
According to Stevenson, the Ordo of 1969 is characterized by its ―creative use of
tradition, incorporation within the mass, centrality of consent, pastoral distinctions into
three types of marriage liturgy, all of them full liturgies, in their own right.‖
82
With the
integration of these different dimensions and aspects into the new rite, the new edition
went a long way from the ―‗irreducible minimum‘ model of 1614.‖
83
Affirming this
progressive leap, Antonio observes, ―the typical edition is characterized by a richer
theological content, a nobler liturgical shape, and a very liberal or flexible attitude
80
Sacred Congregation of Rites, Rite of Marriage (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1970), v. See also
Chupungco, The Liturgies of the Future, 139; Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 136.
81
David William Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 26. See also
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 1-2; Turner, The Inseparable Love, 90-91.
82
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 132. Antonio emphasizes the continuity in the
rituals of marriage especially with regard to some of the traditional rituals. According to him, essential
elements of the rite of marriage prevailed in the tradition of the church, such as, ―interrogation and the
giving of consent, reception of consent by the priest, blessing and handing over of wedding ring, nuptial
and closing blessings.‖ These symbolic actions and rituals are accepted in the liturgical reforms of the
new Ordo. Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 30,
83
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 132.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 33
toward liturgical adaptation.‖
84
The typical edition is enriched with an Introduction
detailing the ―importance and dignity of the sacrament of matrimony,‖ ―choice of rite,‖
and ―preparation of local rituals‖ (nos.1-18). There are four chapters: the first chapter
deals with the order for marriage celebrated within the Mass (nos.19-38), the second one
presents the order for marriage outside the Eucharistic celebration (nos. 39-54), the third
chapter offers the order for the marriage ceremony between a Catholic and an unbaptized
person (nos. 55-56), and the fourth chapter proposes the optional texts to be used in the
rite of marriage and in the nuptial mass (nos. 67-127).
85
Despite the great efforts taken to integrate and respond to the theological insights of the
Council and to the contemporary sociological and anthropological dimensions of
marriage, some scholars claim that the 1969 Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium has many
pitfalls. Let us therefore try to summarize them here. One of the major limitations of the
1969 edition is its lack of a ―sacramental pneumatology.‖ In this rite one cannot find an
epiclesis which aptly ―expresses the relationship between marriage and the Holy Spirit,
who makes the union and fidelity to the bond possible.‖
86
The absence of this
pneumatological character of the celebration can, thus, undermine the marriage by
making it appear to be a merely human endeavor. Referring to this criticism, Adrien
Nocent observes that it is a ―fair criticism‖ because ―the rite of marriage contained no
reference to the activity of the spirit.‖
87
Another limitation that has been attributed to the 1969 edition is that it did not explicitly
present ecclesial dimension of marriage. Annibale Bugnini, while reforming the liturgies
in general, asserted the need for the active participation of the ecclesial community in the
celebration of every liturgy. He stated: ―The liturgical action would make no sense today
if it did not involve the whole congregation, priest and people; if it did not involve them
consciously and therefore with the necessary preparation (doctrinal and technical,
musical and pastoral).‖
88
However, we can observe that in spite of this claim, in this rite
of celebration, we find no active role for the great number of the liturgical assembly
present as relatives and friends. No active role is assigned to the faithful in this rite,
which reduces them to mere onlookers. Hence, the criticism made by Antonio is
legitimate, namely, that ―[t]he liturgical assembly is not granted enough opportunities to
exercise its common priesthood through a more active participation in the rites.‖
89
84
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 30. Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 4.
85
Sacred Congregation of Rites, Rite of Marriage, 1-61.
86
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 31; Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 5.
87
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 300.
88
Annibale Bugnini, ―The Consilium and Liturgical Reform,‖ The Furrow 19, no. 3 (1968), 178.
89
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 31. Antonio, An
34 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
Still another strong criticism put forward by Antonio is that this edition does not
adequately take into account ―contemporary cultural anthropology.‖ He argues that
―[s]ensitive issues and values like fidelity, equality, respect for each other‘s rights,
collaboration in all of the tasks within the family, and participation in the life of the
larger society, were not seriously addressed.‖
90
A similar line of thought is suggested by
Stevenson. Noting the tendency of the readings to overlook the cultural gap between the
cultural world of the Bible and contemporary culture, he claims that the ―[i]mages like
the Ephesians analogy and the creation of Adam and Eve need careful handling if they
are not to be ‗heard‘ by ordinary people as propounding a culture-bond message about
women.‖
91
Reading along their lines we can assert that the cultural anthropological
vision of a human person has yet to be integrated into the rite of marriage. Thus, taking
into account these diverse opinions and criticisms, the Church recognized the need for a
revision of the rite of marriage.
1.1.4.2. The Renewed Typical Edition of 1991
The new revised version of the rite of marriage did not substantially depart from the
1969 edition but included much theological enrichment and several ritual modifications.
As can be expected, this edition pays serious attention to the concerns raised about the
previous edition. The quite long Introduction
92
in the new version can be seen as an
attestation of the fact that very serious and detailed reflection had gone into the revision
and formulation of the new edition. Added to this, the new insights and theological
understanding on marriage and the family reflected in the post-conciliar documents, such
as Familiaris Consortio (1980), the Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II on the family,
and the Code of Canon Law (1983), greatly motivated and were rightly integrated into
the formulation of the new version of 1991. From the perspective of ritual improvement,
the cultural elements and practices related to the wedding ceremonies in different
countries and cultures have been respectfully considered in the revision and indirectly
influenced the enrichment of this version.
93
Emphasizing the theological and ritual
progress represented by the new edition, the promulgating Decree affirms that in the
―second typical edition the same Ordo is presented with an enrichment of the
introduction, rites and prayers, and with certain changes introduced in keeping with the
Inculturation Model, 5.
90
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 31. Adrien Nocent also
commented on this criticism: ―In general, there have been complaints about the lack of participation by
the faithful in the rite of marriage.‖ Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 300.
91
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 179.
92
Commenting on the drawbacks of the Introduction of the 1969 Ordo Annibale wrote as follows: ―This
document shows the disadvantages attached to being a firstborn. It was the first of the many
introductions to new liturgical books.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 699.
93
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 32; See also Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 6; Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 298.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 35
norm of the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983.‖
94
Thus, it emphasizes that the
aggiornamento demanded by the Second Vatican Council is more radically realized in
the new edition since it inculcates the Church‘s renewed reflections on marriage and the
family in response to current pastoral aspirations and expectations.
95
A comparison between the typical editions of 1969 and 1991 affirms that both qualitative
and quantitative progress and evolution is apparent in the latter edition. Instead of the
127 articles of the 1969 edition, the 1991 edition has 286 articles, more than double. This
very noticeable increase in the number of articles in the 1991 edition not only points to
the quantitative addition but indicates the meticulous character of the revision that was
made. Further, there are some additions, apparently new to the rite, such as the
celebration of marriage before a lay minister, three appendices consisting of ―examples
of the universal prayers,‖ ―Order of blessing an engaged couple,‖ and ―the order of
blessing a married couple within mass on the anniversary of marriage‖ (ROCM, nos.
216-247). All these innovations and additions make clear that the 1991 edition in every
manner improves and perfects the 1969 edition.
The aforementioned discussion provides a general view of how Christian marriage was
greatly shaped in its early phase by the dominant cultural milieu of the time, which was
Jewish, Greek and Roman. It had been an exclusively familial event; however, over time,
it has evolved into a societal and ecclesial event with a distinctive Christian character.
This progressive evolution was marked by both cumulative and dialectical progress.
When the cumulative progress refers to the successive and gradual additions and editions
of the rite of marriage, the dialectical progress refers to the adaptations and modifications
of the rite acquired through the Christian encounters with new cultures. Thus, through
the history of the past twenty centuries, marked by certain moments of transition, the
Christian rite of marriage attained a uniquely Christian character after each phase of its
evolution. As of today, this long evolution has culminated in the 1991 Ordo Celebrandi
Matrimonium with a definitively Christian structure and content.
1.2. The Rite of Betrothal in the Roman Rite
Betrothal, the engagement ceremony, was part of marriage in the history of the evolution
of the Roman rite of marriage. At the beginning of Christianity, betrothal and marriage
were two phases in the Jewish rites for marriage with betrothal being the first phase.
96
94
The Order of Celebrating Marriage: English Translation According to the Second Typical Edition, 6.
95
Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ 32; See also Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 7.
96
The author further expresses that ―before and after the expulsion of Christians from the synagogue,
marriages were celebrated in the Jewish manner, with betrothal, followed at some point by a formal
agreement, and the marriage.‖ Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 277;
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 38.
36 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
The betrothal consisted of a meeting between the aspiring bridegroom and the woman‘s
father where an agreement on the formalities of the marriage ceremonies and dowry took
place.
97
The formal content of the betrothal was constituted by both the giving of a
―monetary gift‖ and the formal question expressing the consent of the father and the
groom. As a promise to enter marriage, this was further accompanied by the joining their
hands.
98
With these rites in the background, Herman Schmidt, in his article, ―Rituals and
Sacramentality of Christian Marriage,‖ explores the possible effects of these rites on the
early Christian ceremonies of marriage. He writes: the ―first Christians (most of all the
poor and slaves) observed the betrothal and wedding ceremonies and customs of their
surroundings and could without any risk avoid the non-Christian rituals and link their
marriage explicitly, if possible, with the Eucharist, at that time chiefly celebrated in the
privacy of a home.‖
99
Consequently, in early Christianity, betrothal was indispensable to
the wedding celebration.
100
From the sixth century the betrothal was considered
―essentially an agreement between the bridegroom‘s family and the ‗master‘ of the
bride.‖
101
The symbolism of conferring a ring upon the bride by the bridegroom was generally
attached to the betrothal ceremony in pagan culture and was adopted as a Christian
Roman custom in the early centuries of Christianity.
102
Later, it spread throughout other
countries and became an essential part of betrothal in France, Germany, etc.
103
It was
also prominent in the Eastern Churches. Tertullian is the first Christian to acknowledge
this custom when he writes, ―[n]o woman was acquainted with any gold except that on
one finger which her spouse had pledged to himself with the engagement ring.‖
104
When
the betrothal had concluded it was documented as definite evidence of the betrothal
ceremony. This documentation was considered an attestation of the agreement between
bride and bridegroom. Generally, it was viewed as one of the significant procedures of
97
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 277. The same idea resonates in the work of
Martos. According to him, marriages were fundamentally ―property arrangements,‖ where the man
―purchased a wife from her father.‖ A mutual exchange of gifts between the groom and the bride‘s
guardian was involved in an arrangement which can be written or spoken. The handing over of the
woman and the dowry took place on the day of the wedding, and the dowry is considered a
―compensation for her family incurred by allowing her to leave it.‖ Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 368;
See also Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 246.
98
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 277; See also, Mark Searle and Kenneth W.
Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 25.
99
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 260; See also Searle and Stevenson, Documents of
the Marriage Liturgy, 21.
100
Reg Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ in Celebrating Christian Marriage, ed. Adrian Thatcher
(Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 2001), 44.
101
Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 44.
102
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 2. For a detailed understanding of betrothal
refer also to Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 44-54.
103
Reynolds, Marriage in the Western Church, 79.
104
Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 44.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 37
the betrothal.
105
In such situations, the exchange of rings had been considered an
alternative to other forms of documentation. However, over time, the exchange of rings
took on an added significance in the celebration of marriage. Philip Lyndon Reynolds
mentions that ―[a] law in the Visigothic code under the rubric De non revocandis datis
arris determines that once a couple has become betrothed and a ring has been conferred
as arrha, then even if there is no agreement in writing, the promise is binding unless it is
dissolved by mutual consent.‖
106
This shows that the exchange of rings gradually took on
an important position in the Betrothal ceremony, replacing the documentation process.
―The Betrothal was concerned with a statement of intention and an
acceptance by society of the marriage. The wedding celebrates the
couple as members of the community and a granting of their privileges
within society. It is the Betrothal that provides the time to reflect on the
meaning and purpose of marriage. In Christian terms, it is at that point
in the process that the discussion of faithfulness, the permanence of the
marriage relationship and other elements of marriage education have
their place.‖
107
The time between betrothal and marriage was a period to prepare the engaged couples
for the sacrament of marriage by a period of virtuous courtship, and to provide an
opportunity to lay a sound spiritual foundation for all the years of their married life.
Thus, Betrothal occupied a significant place in the Roman Church. Nevertheless, the
Betrothal ceremony was amalgamated into the marriage ceremony by sixteenth century.
In the words of Harcus, ―[b]y that time [AD 1549] the kaleidoscoping of betrothal and
wedding into one ceremony was complete and the celebration of a wedding had a form
that most people would recognise still today.‖
108
As a result, the present liturgy of marriage in the Roman Rite does not have betrothal as
in the Eastern churches, and the betrothal and wedding liturgy are amalgamated into one
ritual of sacrament of marriage.
109
However, the betrothal ring was incorporated into the
wedding ceremonies renaming it as the wedding ring.
110
105
According to the betrothal rite given by Harcus the exchange of ring[s] is mentioned as the ―sign of
betrothal,‖ and the celebrant acknowledges this as follows: ―Dear friends in Christ, let us ask God‘s
blessing on this ring that it may be a sign of the continuing love and care between N. and N. as they
prepare for their marriage.‖ Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 54.
106
Reynolds, Marriage in the Western Church, 79.
107
Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 45. ―The East Syrian marriage rite has two principal stages: betrothal
and marriage proper. This basic structure is more or less similar to that of the Jewish marriage
ceremony.‖ Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 65.
108
Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 47.
109
Irénée-Henri Dalmais, The Eastern Liturgies (London: Burns and Oates, 1960), 121-124; Mathew
Koikara, The Sacredness of Marriage & Family in the Cultural Milieu of St. Thomas Christians
(Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 2018), 83. ―But today in the West these two stages are joined
together due to various reasons and celebrated in a single liturgical office.‖ Koikara, The Sacredness of
Marriage & Family, 83. A detailed discussion of the individual rites of Syro-Malabar and Syro-
Malankara will follow in the forthcoming chapters.
110
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 2; Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 45-46.
38 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
However, in one of the appendices of the ROCM, one finds The Order of Blessing an
Engaged Couple (ROCM, nos. 218-155). The rationale for introducing the rite is given
in the introduction to the Order, which states that one of the responsibilities of parents is
to exercise their apostolate in preparing and assisting their children for marriage (ROCM,
no. 218). It places the beginning of the relationship of the engaged couple at betrothal,
and its completion in marriage. Introducing this Order for the engaged couple, Antonio
points out ―what seems to be a secular or civil rite is now formally being placed in the
context of prayer and liturgy.‖
111
Further, it is primarily a family celebration when the
families of the engaged couples come together and the Order can be celebrated either by
their parents, or by a priest, a deacon or another lay person (ROCM, no. 219-220).
However, it stipulates that the betrothal or a special blessing is never to be combined
with the Eucharistic celebration (ROCM, no. 221). The rite begins with the Sign of the
Cross, followed by a greeting that prepares the participants for the celebration (ROCM,
nos. 222-224). The Liturgy of the Word follows, consisting of a Scripture reading,
responsorial psalm and a brief homily that explains the meaning of the celebration,
distinguishing it from the celebration of marriage (ROCM, nos. 225-229). This is then
followed with a common prayer and the signing a document or giving of rings that are
blessed with the given formula, or other gifts as a sign of their promise to each other
(ROCM, nos. 230-232). The prayer of blessing, the euchological text of the liturgy,
comes after the exchange of rings (ROCM, nos. 233-234). The celebration is concluded
with a short blessing of dismissal (ROCM, no. 235). The inclusion of the Order of
Blessing an Engaged Couple seems to be very significant, since this rite of engagement
can be viewed as a beginning of marriage, inaugurating a time of preparation that
culminates in the celebration of marriage.
This section was a discussion on the rite of betrothal in the Roman Church and a brief
discussion on the new rite of blessing of the engaged couples that is integrated into the
ROCM.
1.3. The Rite of Marriage of the Roman Rite
The first section was an attempt to trace the evolution of the rite of marriage up to the
proclamation of the latest version in the 1991 revised typical edition of the Ordo
Celebrandi Matrimonium (ROCM). This section is an analysis of the rite of marriage in a
detailed manner. As already said, the ROCM has four chapters: The Order of Celebrating
Matrimony within Mass, The Order of Celebrating Marriage without Mass, the Order of
―Within Greco-Roman society, the betrothal was understood as a declaration of intent that carried a
commitment not only between the two partners, but also between their families.‖ Harcus, ―The Case for
Betrothal,‖ 44.
111
David William Antonio, ―The 1991 Typical Edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium,‖ The ICST
Journal 3, (2001), 52.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 39
Celebrating Matrimony between a Catholic and a Catechumen or a Non-Christian, and
on Various Texts to Be Used in the Rite of Marriage and in the Mass for the Celebration
of Marriage. The Second edition of the ROCM in Latin includes a chapter for detailing
how a layperson presides in the absence of a priest or a deacon. .
This section will discuss the first chapter, The Order of Celebrating Matrimony within
Mass, in a detailed manner. In this effort to study the rite of marriage and its liturgical
and theological implications, the focus will be on the textual analysis of the ROCM.
However, the new revised version of the rite of marriage is not a total departure from the
1969 typical edition of the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium (OCM). It is, rather, ―an
enrichment‖ and, further, ―an updating of its predecessor‖ together with supplementary
theological and liturgical modifications.
112
Thus, while analyzing the ROCM, in every
section we will make a comparison of ROCM with OCM to deepen our discussion of the
theological reasons for the additions and revisions and to emphasize the theology of the
ROCM.
1.3.1. The Introductory Rites
Marriage liturgies that existed before the Second Vatican Council did not have any
preliminary rituals to prepare the couple and the congregation for the liturgy. This is
evident from the fact that the rite of marriage that existed from the time of the Council of
Trent up to the Second Vatican Council began with an exhortation on the significance of
marriage and then directly entered into the ―sealing of the marriage bond.‖
113
In contrast
to those previous versions of the rite of marriage, the ROCM provides an entrance ritual.
The following section presents an analysis of the introductory rites of the celebration of
marriage.
1.3.1.1. The Reception of the Bride and Bridegroom
Receiving the bride and bridegroom in a solemn manner at the beginning of the marriage
ceremony is a significant addition to the rite of marriage after Second Vatican Council
(OCM, no. 55 and ROCM, nos. 45-53).
114
There are two forms for the reception of the
112
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 6.
113
National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States, The 1964 English Ritual, Collectio
Rituum, 366. With regard to the rite of marriage, it follows the rite of 1614 with very few modifications.
This can be viewed as the immediate predecessor of the 1969 OCM.
114
Annibale Bugnini, Secretary to the Consilium for Liturgical Reform, says that different options given in
the rubrics of the Ordo refer to the divergent views within the Consilium. According to Bugnini, there
were differing views on the entrance rite. Some argued that the two types of welcome of the bride and
bridegroom to the aisle might allow for ―discrimination since they provide the opportunity to distinguish
between the wealthy and the poor: receiving the wealthy at the door in a solemn manner whilst the poor
at the altar.‖ Others opposed the idea of a procession with the assumption that it may distract the
participants from the wholeness of the liturgical setting. However, all agreed that a rite of reception is
significant as it gives an ―opportunity of immediately placing the couple and the assembly in the
40 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
couple. The first option is a reception of the couple at the ―door of the Church‖ where the
priest, vested for the Eucharist, along with other ministers, receives the bride and
bridegroom and ―greets them kindly‖ (ROCM, nos. 45-47). The purpose of this action is
presented as Church‘s sharing in the joy of the couple. The procession to the altar takes
place while the entrance hymn is sung. The procession is designed in a particular order
where the couple is followed by the ministers and the priest. Taking local custom into
account, the couple may be accompanied ―by their parents and the two witnesses‖ to the
place particularly assigned to them. The ROCM describes this accompaniment as ―a sign
of honour.‖ In the second form used for the reception the priest is not accompanying the
spouses during the procession but receives them at the particular place assigned to them
and greets them with joy (ROCM, nos. 48-50).
The ROCM indicates specific guidelines and directives for the welcoming ceremony in a
more meticulous way. Providing the option to choose between two specific forms with
particular and precise directives, the ROCM endorses the entrance rite with the
procession of the couple as mandatory, not just an option in the celebration of marriage.
According to Nicole Belmont, who studied the role of the bridal procession in the Middle
Ages, one of the significant features of popular marriage rituals was the bridal
procession, a ceremony known in Latin as the traductio.
115
Leading from bride‘s house
to the church and then to the bridegroom‘s house, the bridal procession was done in an
atmosphere of joy, dance and feast. Different terminologies were used to distinguish the
actions that were done by the father and bridegroom of the woman in the celebration of
marriage. ―For the father,‖ she writes, ―it is dare filiam suam or tradere filiam suam, to
―give his daughter in marriage‖; and for the husband it is uxorem ducere, ―to lead a
woman‖ (to his house).‖
116
These expressions, Belmont suggests, could be viewed as a
reproduction of the ―basic ritual scenario exactly,‖ implying that the father is handing
over his daughter to the bridegroom and that the bridegroom, in turn, takes her to his
house. A religious ritual ―enacted midway‖ within the Church ―serves to ratify‖ this
giving and taking process in the wedding ceremony.
117
From this perspective, the bridal
procession and handing over of the woman seem to focus on ―a male point of view,‖ the
atmosphere proper to a sacramental celebration.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 702. As a result of
wide discussions and various suggestions, the rite of welcoming was settled in the OCM and retained in
the ROCM even though many arguments were posed concerning the welcoming rite. Further, taking
these diverging arguments and discussions into account in a more positive way, the ROCM provides two
options for the reception of the couple with proper directives.
115
Nicole Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession in the Popular Rituals of
Marriage,‖ in Ritual, Religion, and the Sacred, ed. Robert Forster and Orest Ranum (Baltimore:
Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982), 1-2.
116
Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession,‖ 1.
117
Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession,‖ 2; Thomas, ―Medieval and Renaissance
Marriage: Theory and Customs ‖. Dalmais also mentions that the giving away of the bride to the
bridegroom was the ―traditional duty of the father of a family.‖ Irénée-Henri Dalmais, The Eastern
Liturgies (London: Burns and Oates, 1960), 117.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 41
woman being considered an ―object‖ to be handed over from ―one owner to another.‖
118
Along with this function of handing over the bride to the bridegroom, bringing the bride
to the Church with a loud voice and much happiness emphasized the ―public character‖
of the wedding ceremony, whereby the members of the community could express their
approval or disapproval of this particular marriage which was to be celebrated shortly.
119
Against this background, the ROCM account for the reception of both the bride and the
bridegroom at the door of the Church, as well as the subsequent procession to their
designated place. This could be conceived as ―emerging out of the old Roman thinking
about marriage,‖
120
where the focus was more on the bride. Focussing more on the
couple, ROCM replaces the bridal procession of the medieval period with the procession
of the couple together with the ecclesial community; in other words, it can be called the
ecclesial procession.
121
Joseph E. Weiss explains the meaning of the introductory rite as
follows:
―As such it is the first ritual element that refocuses the meaning of
marriage according to this rite. It does so in two ways. First, the
procession places the celebration of marriage in the context of the
Church‘s normal order of worship, pointing to the ecclesial context of
marriage between two Christians. Second, placing the bride and groom
together in the procession visualizes the rite‘s primary theology of
marriage a covenant bond established by two equal partners. From the
beginning of the ritual, then, there is no indication that either partner,
especially the woman, is property handed over to a new owner, as is
implied by the traditional ‗bridal procession.‘‖
122
Replacing the bridal procession of the medieval period with the procession of the couple,
the conciliar and post-conciliar teachings emphasize the equality between the bride and
bridegroom. According to Gaudium et Spes, marriage is ―the human action in which
spouses give themselves to each other and accept each other.‖
123
It also states that ―in
their marital covenant, [spouses] help and serve each other in their intimate union of
persons and activities, and from day to day experience and increase their sense of
118
Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession,‖ 2.
119
Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession,‖ 5; Thomas, ―Medieval and Renaissance
Marriage: Theory and Customs ‖.
120
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 217-218.
121
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 219; Joseph E. Weiss, ―Marriage Rites,‖ Liturgical
Ministry 5, (Winter, 1996), 1; Vincent Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ The Liturgical Review 3,
no. 2 (1973), 2.
122
Weiss, ―Marriage Rites,‖ 1; In the words of Stevenson, ―now that the nuptial blessing is beginning to be
seen as blessing of both partners. Therefore, the actions of the liturgy should interpret clearly that new
and deeply traditional understanding of what is happening. The bride and groom should either arrive at
church together, or else in two separate processions.‖ Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of
Marriage, 217-218.
123
Second Vatican Council, ―Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 7
December, 1965,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and
Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1990), § 48.
42 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
oneness.‖
124
According to these teachings, marriage between Christians is considered a
covenant, where neither the man nor the woman is higher or lower. Rather they are
equal, and each is called to accept the other in love.
Further, the liturgical procession of the bride and bridegroom together with the priest and
assembly tends to raise an important question: who is the real minister of the sacrament
of marriage? Gerard M. Lukken emphasized the need to interpret the symbolic actions of
the liturgy to understand their real meaning. According to him, ―the entrance of the
bridal couple into the church and the way in which this is done is a determining factor in
the constitution of the actual subject of doing in the solemnization, and this touches upon
the question of who is the minister of the sacrament.‖
125
He continues to affirm that ―by
crossing the threshold of the Church building and by solemnly walking in procession
towards the altar, the bridal couple is equipped with an official, public, and ordained
―being able to do‖. In a non-verbal way, the bridal couple is being installed as
protagonists of the celebration.‖
126
Corroborating with Lukken‘s comments here is the
view of Antonio, who holds that it is the ―couple [who] are the real ministers of the
sacramental celebration.‖
127
Once again, the focussing point of both of these views is an
affirmation that the enriched and expanded entrance rite contained in the ROCM is
effective and symbolically presents new insights and reflections on marriage and family
life. Hence, it could be affirmed that the entrance rite, as Lukken puts it, ―reveals a
theological signification at the very beginning of the celebration, without many words
being used.‖
128
Further, it asserts that while preparing the couples and the assembly
―inwardly for the celebration‖ (ROCM, no. 52), the entrance rite, with its welcoming of
the couples in a solemn manner and introductory prayers, presents the theological
meaning of this liturgical action more profoundly.
124
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; See also ―The Charter of the Rights of the family‖
where it says: ―The spouses, in the natural complementarity which exists between man and woman,
enjoy the same dignity and equal rights regarding the marriage.” Holy See, ―Charter of the Rights of the
Family,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 811, no. 48 (1983), 3:
125
Gerard M. Lukken, ―Relevance of Semiotic Analysis to the Liturgical Sciences Illustrated in the Light
of the Rite of Marriage,‖ in Per Visibilia Ad Invisibilia: Anthropological, Theological, and Semiotic
Studies on the Liturgy and the Sacraments, ed. Louis van Tongeren and Charles Caspers (Kampen: Kok
Pharos Publishing House, 1994), 303.
126
Lukken, ―Relevance of Semiotic Analysis to the Liturgical Sciences,‖ 303; Antonio, An Inculturation
Model, 24; Pope Paul VI, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the Dimension of Sign,‖ L‟Osservatore
Romano 767, no. 3 (1983), 9.
127
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 24. John Paul II, ―Man Called to Overcome Concupiscence,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 771, no. 7 (14 February 1983), 11; Pope John Paul II, ―Cooperate Consciously in
the Work of Creation in Christ‘s Love,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 806, no. 43 (24 October 1983), 3; Pope
John Paul II, ―Pope Reaffirms Church‘s Position on Transmission of Life,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 849,
no. 34 (1984), 7. In all these references, the Pope asserts that the ―spouses are the real ministers of the
sacrament of marriage.‖ Archbishop Edouard Gagnon reiterated these thoughts of the Pope. Edouard
Gagnon, ―Themes and Guidelines Which Characterize the Six Years of John Paul II‘s Pontificate,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 858, no. 44 (1984), 1.
128
Lukken, ―Relevance of Semiotic Analysis to the Liturgical Sciences,‖ 303.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 43
Apart from the liturgical procession at the beginning of the ceremony, the entrance
collects of the rite of marriage incorporate some essential features of the understanding
of marriage envisaged in Catholic teachings and developed during the conciliar and post-
conciliar periods. The following section will discuss them in detail.
1.3.1.2. The Versions for the Opening Exhortation
The priest makes the ―Sign of the Cross‖ at the beginning of the celebration and greets
the assembly preparing them for the celebration of marriage (ROCM, no.21). ROCM
offers two versions for the opening exhortation, followed by the reception and greeting
of the couple.
a. The First Version (ROCM, no. 52)
The first formula (ROCM, no. 52) is addressed to the whole ecclesial assembly gathered
for the liturgical celebration. Inviting the ecclesial community to support the couple with
―affection,‖ ―friendship‖ and ―prayers,‖ it announces that the sacrament of marriage is a
―moment of unique importance‖ for the couple as ―they intend to form a home of their
own.‖ Further, invoking the presence of the Holy Church amidst the worshiping
community, it encourages the participants to pray to ―God the Father, through Christ our
Lord for this couple‖ so that ―he lovingly accept them, bless them and make them always
one‖ (ROCM, no. 52). Going deeper into the theological implications of the formula, it
points out that the presence of the ecclesial community in the celebration of the
sacrament of marriage is highly recommended to stand in joy to witness the sacramental
celebration of forming a new home by the new spouses. It echoes one of the basic
teachings of Lumen Gentium on marriage, namely, that ―[f]rom the wedlock of
Christians there comes the family, in which new citizens of human society are born, who
by the grace of the Holy Spirit received in baptism are made children of God, thus
perpetuating the people of God through the centuries. The family is, so to speak, the
domestic church.‖
129
This conciliar teaching denotes some of the basic dimensions of the
rite of marriage. First of all, it expresses that the rite of marriage is the unique moment
for the couple, when their new family comes into existence. At the same time, it specifies
that the family is the place where children are born and brought up as the children of
God, making the family the domestic church. The priest, recognizing the importance of
the rite of marriage in the life of the couple, speaks in the name of the Church to invite
the ecclesial community to support the spouses with their affection and friendship.
The formula also invites the participants to listen to the Word of God which is
proclaimed during the Liturgy of the Word. The expanded Introduction of the ROCM
129
Second Vatican Council, ―Lumen Gentium,‖ § 11.
44 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
discloses that one of the main elements of the wedding ceremony is ―the Liturgy of the
Word, in which are expressed the importance of Christian Marriage in the history of
salvation and the responsibilities and duties of Marriage to be attended to for the
sanctification of the spouses and of their children‖ (ROCM, no. 35). It focuses on the
fact that it is through the Word of God that the vision of marriage is revealed during the
rite of marriage and demands that the couple accept it in faith. Familiaris Consortio
affirms that ―the Word of God […] ‗reveals‘ and ‗fulfills‘ the wise and loving plan of
God for the married couple, giving them a mysterious and real share in the very love
with which God Himself loves humanity.‖
130
So, the introductory prayer foresees the
significance of the Word of God in the life of the married couple and instructs the whole
assembly, including the couple, to listen to the Word of God carefully and attentively so
that they may be able to receive it in faith and live it.
Apart from this, the formula exhorts that the community present here, ―with holy
Church‖ pray to God for the couple through Jesus Christ, so that he may ―lovingly
accept,‖ ―bless‖ and make the couple ―always one.‖ This formula signals the fact that it
is God‘s blessing which actualizes the wish of the couple to make ―a home of their own‖
and continues to keep them ―always one‖ (ROCM, no. 52). It reiterates that the conjugal
communion that exists between the man and woman is ―the fruit and the sign of a
profoundly human need,‖ and ―in the Lord Christ God takes up this human need,
confirms it, purifies it and elevates it, leading it to perfection through the sacrament of
matrimony.‖
131
This further emphasizes the idea that Christian marriage, being marriage
―in the Lord,‖ is different from other marriages. The Introduction of the ROCM makes it
clear that ―[t]hose who marry in Christ are able, with faith in the Word of God, to
celebrate fruitfully the mystery of the union of Christ and the Church, to live it rightly,
and to bear witness to it publicly before all‖ (ROCM, no. 11). It gives the impression that
the first formula for addressing the ecclesial community for the celebration of marriage
does not remain a collage of many ideas but rather presents itself as a set of
systematically integrated themes which are theologically significant in relation to the rite
of marriage.
b. The Second Version (ROCM, no. 53)
When the first formula addresses the ecclesial community, the second formula directly
address the couple and, on behalf of the Church, the priest states that the Church shares
130
Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World,
Familiaris Consortio, trans. Vatican Polyglot Press (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1981), § 51.
131
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 19; The same idea is made explicit in: ―‗Married in the
Lord,‘ spouses henceforth cannot be united except in the name of Christ to whom they belong and for
whom they must work as His active members.‖ Pope Paul VI, ―The Family, a School of Holiness,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 111, no. 20 (1970), 9.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 45
in their joy and welcomes them to the celebration as they are going to establish ―a
partnership of the whole of life‖ in the ―presence of God‖ (ROCM, no. 53). Again, he
refers to the day of their marriage as one of joy and gladness and conveys the
community‘s hope that God would call upon help from heaven to protect them by
hearing the desires and prayers of all those who are gathered in the Church. Within the
snapshot of this formula some of the basic constituent elements of Christian marriage are
underscored. One among them is that the bride and bridegroom have come together with
the community with an intention to begin their marital life ―in the presence of God.‖ This
presupposes that faith in God is a prerequisite to marry in the presence of God and in the
ecclesial community and makes the celebration of marriage ―the basic moment of the
faith of the couple.‖
132
Going one step further, it reminds the couple that ―[o]nly in faith
[can they]discover and admire with joyful gratitude the dignity to which God has
designed to raise marriage and the family, making them a sign and meeting place of the
loving covenant between God and man, between Jesus Christ and His bride, the
Church.‖
133
Being married in the presence of God, thus, becomes a moment of
anamnesis of the covenant that God made with human beings. It shows the transition of
celebrating marriage from the family atmosphere, then to the door of the Church and
now before the altar, symbolizing in a unique way the presence of God amidst the people
of God.
The invitation of the priest further reminds the couple of another very characteristic
aspect of Christian marriage: the view that marriage is a permanent partnership. The
Code of Canon Law makes it clear that marriage is a covenant ―by which a man and a
woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life.‖
134
Familiaris
Consortio explores the long lasting, committed life of the couples, saying: ―By virtue of
the sacramentality of their marriage, spouses are bound to one another in the most
profoundly indissoluble manner.‖
135
As mentioned previously, the rite of marriage
affirms that marriage is a long lasting covenant made at the presence of God which is
well articulated in the Introduction of the ROCM. For instance, the first article of the
Introduction states that marriage is a ―matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a
woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole life‖ (ROCM, no. 1).
The second article asserts that ―marriage is established by the conjugal covenant, that is,
the irrevocable consent of both spouses, by which they freely give themselves to each
132
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 51.
133
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 51.
134
Code of Canon Law (Latin English Edition), (Washington: Canon Law Society of America, 1999), can.
1055.
135
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 24; See also, ―Commentary on the Pastoral Constitution on
the Church in the Modern World,‖ in The Sixteen Documents of Vatican II and the Instruction on the
Liturgy with Commentaries by the Council Fathers, ed. J. L. Gonzalez (Boston: St. Paul‘s, 1965), 758.
46 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
other and accept each other‖ (ROCM, no. 2). Thus, there is continuity between the
Introduction of the Ordo and the prayers of the rite of marriage explaining the
covenantal dimension of marriage and the indissolubility of marriage.
Moving on to the last part of the formula, the Trinitarian nature of marriage is integrated
into the prayer. It suggests that the prayers are constructed with a view that the couples
have come into the presence of God the Father, so that the Lord may hear and send them
help from heaven, indirectly mentioning the power of the Holy Spirit to protect them in
their shared journey as married persons. This gives the impression that, by their
creaturely nature, the couple is in fact not able to live marital life as a lifelong
commitment in an indissoluble manner. Rather, they require constant help from God
throughout their marriage life. The comment of Antonio López becomes significant here:
―[T]hey [the spouses] realize ever more deeply that in this sacramental
exchange of vows their love acquires a [T]rinitarian form: it is old,
since it begins with the Father; young, since in Christ it abides in the
Father‘s love; and one as fruitful communion, since in the Holy Spirit
their love participates in the inexhaustible profundity of God‘s love and
Christ‘s mission.‖
136
Here, López identifies that the couple, through the sacramental celebration of marriage,
realizes the Trinitarian dimension in their marriage and their married life. The blessing
and continuing presence of the Trinity gives them the capacity and strength to live out
their lifelong commitment.
In short, the introductory rites specific to the new Ordo consist of the liturgical
procession and versions for the opening collects. They are significant moments in the
celebration of marriage because of the symbolic meaning of the liturgical actions and the
liturgical theology drawn from these rites and prayers: the equality of bride and the
bridegroom in marriage, affirmation of the couple as the minister of marriage, the
emphasis on marriage as the lifelong covenant, the role of the Trinity in marriage and the
role of the ecclesial community to support the married couple at the beginning of their
marriage and throughout their life. Hence, the introductory rites inform the spouses and
the ecclesial community of the importance of the sacrament of marriage in a succinct
manner through actions and prayers and more closely prepares them to receive the
sacrament in a worthy manner.
1.3.2. The Word of God and its Proclamation
There has been a gradual development with regard to the readings of the Bible during the
celebration of marriage. The rite of marriage contained in the Roman Missal of 1570
offers only two readings: For the epistle, Ephesians 5:22-33 and for the Gospel, Mathew
136
Antonio López, ―Marriage‘s Indissolubility: An Untenable Promise?,‖ Communio: International
Catholic Review 41, no. 2 (2014), 299.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 47
19:1-6.
137
Even over a long period of time following this, no significant additions were
made to the readings and this was still the case until the time of the Second Vatican
Council. This is evident from the fact that the 1964 English Ritual does not make any
reference to the specific reading, but rather includes just the statement that ―after the
Gospel, a homily is preached‖ and the rite of marriage begins after the homily.
138
The
OCM is an exception to this and its lectionary offers thirty-five biblical readings with the
headings mentioning their content: eight from the Old Testament (nos. 67-74), ten from
the epistles (nos. 75-84), and ten from the Gospel (nos. 96-105). Apart from these, the
OCM provides seven responsorial Psalms (nos. 85-91) and four Alleluia verses (nos. 92-
95). Together with Antonio we can assert that ―[t]he 1969 order of marriage ameliorated
the scriptural poverty of the 1570 Roman Missal.‖
139
With this long list of readings, the
1969 edition gave specific attention to the Word of God in the life of the couple. The
ROCM is further updated with more readings and the directions for the selection of the
readings.
1.3.2.1. The Manner of Celebrating the Liturgy of the Word
The ROCM specifies the methodology for the Bible reading during the celebration of the
sacrament of marriage within the Mass. It affirms that the Liturgy of the Word in the
celebration of marriage is celebrated in the ―usual manner‖ (ROCM, no. 55). It suggests
that three readings may be proclaimed with particular note that one should be from the
Old Testament though it can be from the Book of Revelation during the Easter Season
(ROCM, nos. 179-222). Adding the Old Testament reading to the celebration of marriage
was a choice against the then prevalent tradition of having only ―the epistle and the
Gospel‖ for the nuptial Mass. Paul Turner suggests that ROCM‘s ―attention to the Old
Testament seemed a little quaint, but the issue surfaced because the Second Vatican
Council declared that a wedding outside Mass used ‗the epistle and the gospel‘ from the
nuptial Mass.‖
140
Including the Old Testament reading into the liturgy of marriage had
been a matter of continuous discussion during the preparatory period of the Ordo. It is
evident from the following words:
―Let permission also be given to have three readings, one of them from
the Old Testament. The group, as is evident, is not proposing a
requirement for three readings, nor even a general recommendation.
But we judge that there are certain cases in which a permission of this
sort would be good. It hurts no one and is in favor of flexibility.‖
141
137
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 179; Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 43.
138
National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States, The 1964 English Ritual, Collectio
Rituum, 366.
139
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 43.
140
Turner, The Inseparable Love, 74; Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78.
141
Schemata, 157, p.6 as cited in Turner, The Inseparable Love, 74.
48 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
The later drafts repeated the affirmation for the inclusion of the Old Testament reading in
the wedding liturgy.
142
Further, the rubrics remind that while choosing the readings, at
least one among them should clearly express the dignity and meaning of marriage. The
words of Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio become relevant as he affirms that
the sacrament of marriage, ―in essence, is the proclamation in the Church of the Good
News concerning married love.‖
143
He further adds that ―[i]nasmuch as it is a sign, the
liturgical celebration should be conducted in such a way as to constitute, also in its
external reality, a proclamation of the Word of God and a profession of faith on the part
of the community of believers.‖
144
Comparing the words of the Pope with the ROCM,
there is clear evidence that the ROCM has taken up this affirmation in a positive way and
shows significant concern for the proclamation of the Word of God during the
celebration of the sacrament of marriage. Indicating the readings which clearly
emphasize the importance of marriage, the ROCM places an asterisk before the texts.
Thirteen readings among the forty-four have been marked with an asterisk. From the Old
Testament are: Gen 1: 26-28, 31a; Genesis 2:18-24; Genesis 24:48-51, 58-67; Tobit 7: 6-
14; Tobit 8: 4b-8; Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Sirach 26:1-4, 16-21. From the New
Testament are: Ephesians 5:2a, 21-33 (long form) or 5: 2a, 25-32 (short form); 1 Peter
3:1-9; 1 Peter 3:1-9; 1 Peter 3:1-9; Mark 10: 6-9; John 2: 1-11. For the details see
ROCM, nos.179-184, 186, 194, 198, 206, 216, 218, and 219 respectively.
145
1.3.2.2. Biblical Readings
ROCM preserves all the texts suggested by the OCM but supplements them with six
more readings. While Proverbs 31:10-13 (no. 149) that endorse that the woman who
fears the Lord is to be praised is added to the Old Testament readings, Romans 15:1-b-
3a, 5-7, 13; I Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Ephesians 4:1-6; Philippians 4:4-9; Hebrews
13:1-4a, 5-6b (nos.155, 156, 158, 160, 162 respectively) are added to the New Testament
readings. According to the Ordo, ―Readings that particularly express the importance and
dignity of Marriage in the mystery of salvation are provided‖ along with the rites of
marriage. A reading from the Book of Genesis is incorporated into the rite of marriage
for the Old Testament reading. Ephesians 5:2a, 25-32 is inserted for the Epistle reading.
Mathew 19: 3-6 which explains the teaching of Jesus on indissolubility of marriage that
―what God has united, man must not separate‖ is also included to the text (ROCM, no.
56).
142
Schemata 204, p.4 as cited in Turner, The Inseparable Love, 74.
143
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 51.
144
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 67.
145
Antonio also refers to this list in order to emphasize the additions in the ROCM. Antonio, An
Inculturation Model, 44.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 49
Since the Missal of 1570, Ephesians 5:22-33 was used as one of the proper readings for
the rite of marriage. This reading is maintained in the ROCM but with some notable
additions and editions from its earlier use in the 1570 Missal. The ROCM has two
versions of this reading: a short form (ROCM, nos. 56, 159) and a long form (ROCM,
no. 159). The short form consists of verses: Eph. 5:2a, 25-32 and the long form consists
of 5:2a, 21-33. In addition what is common to these two forms of reading, different from
its earlier version, is the verse 5:2a that exhorts: ―brothers and sisters, live in love, as
Christ loved us and handed himself over for us.‖ This verse is a general invitation to the
Ephesian community at the opening of the chapter, ―to conduct themselves and
continually live, within this dynamic realm of being ‗in love‘ (έѵ αγάπη) (5:2a).‖
146
When these two forms are compared, the shorter form omits five verses that are in the
longer version, namely, vv. 21-24, and v.33. The verses omitted, especially vv. 21-24,
are texts in the epistles that are criticized for their so-called misogynic character, which
appear to endorse a kind of subjugation of women to men in the context of marriage.
147
However this perspective is not unanimous. Some commentators would argue that in
these passages Paul is detailing the cultural traditions of his day.
148
According to certain
commentators, verses 25-32, which are common to both forms, ―redefine the traditional
expectations‖ that existed in society by emphasizing that the ‗authority‘ of the husband
consists in fundamentally ensuring the good of the wife to the extent of ―laying down his
life for her‖ as Christ did for the Church.
149
In addition, by comparing the love of Christ
for the Church with the love of the husband for his wife, Paul exhorts husbands to
nourish and cherish their wives, considering the Christ-Church relationship as a model
for conjugal love.
150
Further, with the quotation of Gen 2:24, ―For this reason a man
shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh,‖ Paul situates the marital union within the divine creation and links it to the
146
John Paul Heil, Ephesians: Empowerment to Walk in Love for the Unity of All in Christ (Atlanta:
Society of Biblical Literature, 2007), 206-207.
147
―But again all this was ignored in favour of texts that seemed to sanction women‘s inferiority and
subordination. […] These misogynist texts emphasize that women must submit to male authority and
that they should be excluded from the public sphere, especially the Church.‖ Cissie, Women in Early
Modern Europe, 1500-1700, 11. ―Does the author of Eph. 5 attempt to stem the rising tide of women‘s
emancipation and the ongoing re-interpretation of marriage as a partnership of equals?‖ Markus Barth,
Ephesians: Translation and Commentary on Chapters 4-6, Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York:
Doubleday, 1974), 659; Frank Thielman, Ephesians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010), 392.
148
Thielman, Ephesians: Baker Exegetical Commentary, 392; Charles H. Talbert, Ephesians and
Colossians, ed. Mikeal C. Parsons and Charles H. Talbert, Paideia, Commentaries on the New
Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007), 15.
149
Thielman, Ephesians: Baker Exegetical Commentary, 392. The Anchor Bible affirms this idea, stating
that ―[n]either a natural nor a fictional superiority of one part of mankind over the other, but rather the
authority of Christ, is the Leitmotiv of all that Paul will unfold in the Haustafel.‖ Barth, Ephesians:
Translation and Commentary on Chapters 4-6, 668
150
Heil, Empowerment to Walk in Love, 250. See also Talbert, Ephesians, 141; Barth, Ephesians:
Translation and Commentary on Chapters 4-6, 712.
50 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
great mystery in relation to Christ and the Church.
151
These insights emphasize that the
husband should hold the good of his wife before his own interests. Such an
understanding interprets ‗authority‘ as a responsibility in love, and not an authority that
is domineering in character. In short, Ephesians 5 focuses more on the equal partnership
and responsibility of man and woman to love each other as Christ loved his Church.
Against those misogynic apprehensions with regard to the vv. 21-24, the shorter form
allows an option to choose a more gender sensitive reading. From the perspective of the
shorter form, one can therefore argue that it is much more attentive to the sensitivities of
our times and also emphasizes the equal partnership and responsibility of man and
woman. But the fact that the longer version, which is retained as one of the texts to be
used during the liturgy, contains those verses which can be read as unfriendly to women
do not allow us to affirm that the ROCM in itself endorses the adoption of the shortened
version of the same text.
In relation to the content of the biblical readings of ROCM, Antonio makes reference to
Giovanni Boggio who divides the readings into five groups corresponding to five
important themes of marriage: ―marriage as a sign of love between Christ and the
Church, mutual help and mission in the Church, conjugal pact and mutual fidelity,
undivided love and charity, and children as the crowning of conjugal life.‖
152
This gives
the impression that the Word of God proclaimed during the celebration of marriage
makes the couple aware of the uniqueness and dignity of marriage together with their
responsibilities within their family and in the Church.
Expounding on the significance of the mystery of marriage, after the Gospel reading the
priest preaches the homily. ROCM clearly explains that while presenting the ―dignity of
conjugal love, the grace of the Sacrament, and the responsibilities of married people‖ the
priest has to take into account the differing contexts of the couples and the ecclesial
community (ROCM, no. 57). Realizing the importance of the homily, the Second
Vatican Council underscored its necessity and relevance.
153
It forms an inevitable part of
the liturgical celebration by which an exposition of the scriptural passages is given.
Furthermore, as suggested by Denis-Boulet, ―it will take account of the mystery being
celebrated and of the Congregation‘s special needs.‖
154
During the celebration of the
marriage, the homily expounds the meaning of the Word of God specifically related to
mystery of marriage and thus ―helps the assembly to understand the mystery of marriage
151
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, ―Pauline Theology,‖ in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E.
Brown and Joseph A. Fitzmyer (London: Prentice-Hall International, 1990), 1415.
152
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 44; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 2.
153
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 24 and 52.
154
Noële Maurice Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ in The Church at
Prayer: The Eucharist, ed. Aimé-Georges Martimort et al. (Shannon: Irish University Press, 1973), 107.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 51
better and prepares the couple for their commitment.‖
155
Amoris Laetitia also takes into
account the catechetical purpose of the homily during the celebration of marriage.
―Frequently, the celebrant speaks to a congregation that includes people who seldom
participate in the life of the Church, or who are members of other Christian
denominations or religious communities. The occasion thus provides a valuable
opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.‖
156
Hence, the celebration of marriage
provides the platform for a mystagogical catechesis on the sacrament of marriage. In the
rite of marriage the biblical readings unveil the divine foundation of marriage, the
significance and the importance of marriage.
1.3.3. The Rite Proper of the Sacrament of Marriage
Followed by the Liturgy of the Word, the rites that are unique for the sacrament of
marriage take place. These rites ―constitute the sacrament of marriage‖
157
and are
considered the ―solemn part of the rite.‖
158
The rites that are proper to the sacrament of
marriage begin with all who are gathered for the celebration, including the bride and
bridegroom, standing. This liturgical posture can be considered a symbolic action,
identifying the congregation as not mere spectators of the liturgical action but, active
witnesses of the union of the couple. With the whole assembly standing, the priest
addresses them with the text given in the Ordo, or spontaneously with similar words. It is
appropriate to reproduce the words of the priest‘s address in full form to analyse the text
and understand the enriched understanding of marriage brought out by the ROCM.
―Dearly beloved, you have come to enter into the house of the Church,
so that in the presence of the Church‘s minister and the community
your intention to enter into marriage may be strengthened by the Lord
with a sacred seal. Christ abundantly blesses the love that binds you.
Through a special sacrament, he enriches and strengthens those he has
already consecrated by Holy Baptism that they may be faithful to each
other for ever and assume all the responsibilities of married life (No.
59).‖
159
Firstly, these words specify the intention of the couple: that they have come together to
the Church ―to enter into marriage,‖ for which the Church‘s minister and the assembly
155
Jean Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ in Sacraments and Sacramentals, ed. A. G. Martimort et al. (Collegeville:
The Liturgical Press, 1987), 203. Vincent Ryan suggests that the exposition of the homily will provide
―the mystery of Christian marriage, the diginity of conjugal love, the grace of the sacrament and the
duties of the spouses.‖ Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 2.
156
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation (Vatican: Vatican
Press, 2016), § 216, Synod of Bishops, ―The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in
the Contemporary World: The Final Report of the Synod of Bishops‖, Vatican
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20151026_relazione-finale-xiv-
assemblea_en.html (accessed 1 February 2017). § 59.
157
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 24.
158
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 221; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 2.
159
Italics added to focus on the explicit amendments to the ROCM in comparison with the OCM.
52 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
are the witnesses. In the ROCM, ―enter into marriage‖ is a translation of the Latin words
―Matrimonium contrahendi” of the original Latin text. This phrase signifies the
matrimonial contract. The ―language of contract,‖ it has been pointed out, which was
―omitted in the rite of 1969, is reintroduced in the 1991 formula.‖
160
Yet, the words of
the priest affirm that the matrimonial contract of the bride and bridegroom ―may be
strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal.‖
161
Secondly, the reference to love in the
OCM was often criticized for being ―too vague‖, and many felt a need to affirm ―the
conjugal and contractual aspects of this love.‖
162
Taking into account this criticism, the
ROCM reiterates that it is the ―love that binds‖ the couple in their matrimonial contract,
and Christ blesses their love in the celebration of marriage. Thirdly, it declares that
marriage is ―a special sacrament‖
163
and adds the sacrament of Baptism as one of the
prerequisites for reception of this special sacrament.
Reflecting more on this text enables one to trace a reconceptualization of what is already
taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, namely, that the ―marriage between
baptized persons is a true sacrament of the New Covenant.‖
164
This same idea is echoed
160
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 26. In this context, it is significant to make a distinction between the
terms covenant and contract: The term ‗covenant‘ is derived from the Latin verb convenire, which
means ―to agree,‖ ―a promise made to oneself,‖ ―a solemn personal resolve,‖ or ―vow.‖ In other words,
it also implies ―the matter agreed upon between two parties, or undertaken or promised by either, hence,
covenanted duty, service…etc.‖ The Oxford Dictionary, s.v. ―Covenant.‖ 1068-1069. Paul Palmer
argues that [a] covenant itself is a solemn agreement between nations, peoples, or individuals, effecting a
relationship that is binding and inviolable.‖ Paul F. Palmer, ―Christian Marriage: Contract or
Covenant?,‖ Theological Studies 33, no. 4 (1972), 618. The term contract stems from the Latin word
contrahere which means ―the action of drawing together,‖ ―to enter into agreement,‖ ―to agree upon.‖ In
other words, contract means ―[a] mutual agreement between two or more parties that something shall be
done or forborne by one or both.‖ The Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. ―Contract.‖ 834-835. The general
understanding is that, as Paul Palmer emphasizes, ―[c]ontract is used of things, of property or of personal
belongings. When persons are involved, it is not the person who is hired or contracted for, but his
services.‖ Palmer, ―Christian Marriage: Contract or Covenant?‖ 618.
161
The ROCM makes a reference to the Roman Missal where the Latin Spiritus sigillo signatos is
translated as ―signed with the seal of the Spirit‖ emphasizing that ―the sacred seal‖ used in the ROCM
refers to the ―seal of the Spirit.‖ The International Commission on English in the Liturgy, ―The Order of
Celebrating Marriage‖ (accessed 18 October 2014), 73.
162
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 26.
163
Explaining various reasons the Second Vatican Council specifies the sacrament of marriage as a
―special sacrament‖. In the words of the Council, ―[a]uthentic married love is caught up into divine love
and is governed and enriched by Christ‘s redeeming power and the saving activity of the Church, so that
this love may lead the spouses to God with powerful effect and may aid and strengthen them in sublime
office of being a father or a mother. For this reason Christian spouses have a special sacrament by which
they are fortified and receive a kind of consecration in the duties and dignity of their state.‖ Second
Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48.
164
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1617. It is praiseworthy to note that there is a significant transition
in the Codes of Canon Law of 1917 and 1983. The Code of 1917 defines marriage in the following
words: ―Marriage is a lawful and exclusive contract by which a man and a woman mutually give and
accept a right over their bodies for the purpose of acts which are in themselves suitable for the
generation of children.‖ T. Lincoln Bouscaren and Adam C. Ellis, Canon Law: A Text and Commentary
(Milwaukee: Bruce Publishing Company, 1951), 455. Here, the Code affirms that marriage is a contract
between man and woman thereby an agreement is drawn up between them for the purpose of doing
definitive actions in their married life. But the new Code of Canon Law of 1983 specifies that marriage
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 53
in the Introduction, where it is stated that ―for the Christian faithful [marriage] is also
raised up to a higher dignity, since it is numbered among the Sacraments of the new
covenant‖ (ROCM, no. 1). Marriage is here presented as a covenant between a man and
a woman which, in turn, symbolizes the covenant that existed between God and Israel, as
well as between Christ and the Church. Further, it has become a frame of reference for
one of the basic teachings of Code of Canon Law that the marriage covenant takes place
―between the baptized,‖ and such a marriage is raised to ―the dignity of a sacrament‖ by
Christ the Lord (ROCM, no. 7).
165
Taking into account these implications it is affirmed
that marriage is a special and dignified sacrament of the covenant.
Fourthly, through the sacrament of marriage, the baptized couple is enriched and
strengthened by the Lord, so that they will be ―faithful to each other forever‖ and be able
to fulfil their marital responsibilities. This indicates, once again, the indissolubility of
Christian marriage and anticipates the marital responsibilities even at the moment of the
beginning of their married lives. Thus, the brief but enriched Introduction to the rite of
marriage proper, ―reminds the couple of the meaning of what they are about to do‖ in
their life together as a married couple.
166
The introduction to the rites proper to marriage concludes with an invitation: ―And so, in
the presence of the Church I ask you to state your intentions‖ (ROCM, no. 59). The
reference to the presence of the Church, as Ronald Paul Herzog points out, not only
symbolizes those who are actually assembled at the time of the celebration of marriage,
but also, in an indirect way, reminds those assembled that ―the saving actions of the Lord
Jesus in the sacraments also have a universal dimension. He, as head of the body of
believers, is always joined to all the members.‖
167
Thus, the couple will state their
intentions not only in the presence of the community gathered to participate in the rite of
marriage, but also in the presence of the universal Church and of Jesus Christ, the head
of the Church.
is a partnership for the whole life and emphasizes the significance of marriage: ―The matrimonial
covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life
and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of
offspring, has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized.‖ Code
of Canon Law (Latin English Edition), (Washington: Canon Law Society of America, 1999), can. 1055 §
1.
165
Code of Canon Law (Latin English Edition), §1055; The Order of Celebrating Marriage, §7; Pope John
Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, art. 13, p 23; Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Carlo
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament Towards a New Theological Conceptualization,‖ INTAMS review
2, no. 1 (1996), 9.
166
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 702; See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model of the Catholic
Marriage Ritual, 25.
167
Ronald P. Herzog, ―Celebrating the Rite of Marriage‖, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catechesis/catechetical-
sunday/marriage/upload/teaching-aids-herzog.pdf (accessed 12 March 2020). §1.
54 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
It is no exaggeration to say that this invitation is very emphatic and categorical, for it
challenges the couple, demanding their full knowledge of some of the essential
requirements for Christian marriage. It presents that the sacrament of baptism is a
prerequisite for the sacrament of marriage. Further, it affirms that the marriage covenant
is blessed and strengthened with ―the sacred seal‖ by the Lord in the presence of the
ecclesial community. It asserts that the conjugal love is the binding element of the
marriage covenant and further underscores that it is Christ who blesses this conjugal
love. In addition, it repeats that entering into marriage is the intention of the couple and,
thus, it presupposes the consent of the bride and bridegroom to enter into the covenant of
marriage and their readiness to be faithful to their lifelong commitment as a married
couple and fulfil their marital responsibilities perfectly.
1.3.3.1. The Scrutiny before the Consent
Derived from popular customs among the Germanic tribes in the eleventh century, the
part of the rite of marriage known as the scrutiny before the consent seems to have found
a place in the Roman rite. It is recorded that, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the
―formal request of consent‖ occurred in French rituals, and in fourteenth century this
began to take place in Germany. Later, by the fifteenth century, it became a regular
practice in the Roman rite of marriage.
168
The rite of marriage which prevailed before the
Second Vatican Council had only one formal question to bridegroom and bride
respectively to express their consent: ―N., do you take N., here present, for your lawful
wife [/husband] according to the rite of our holy mother, the Church?‖ to which they
responded: ―I do.‖
169
During the reformulation of the OCM, this formal questioning concerning the couple‘s
consent met with ―some opposition in the Consilium.‖ Some saw it as a kind of
―formalism‖ because, they argued, it simply reproduces what the couple has already
expressed during their preparation for marriage. But, for the study group assigned to
consider the matter, it was seen not as a matter of reproducing what the couple had
already done, or a chance to ―reiterate obligations‖ they already accepted during the
preparation period. Instead, the scrutiny offered a significant opportunity for the couple
to make a ―solemn profession‖ of their consent to enter into marriage and accept the
marital responsibilities in the presence of the ecclesial community. In addition, they
argued, it ―strengthens and intensifies the commitment the couple is taking on in the
sight of God.‖
170
Hence, the scrutiny before the consent became a prominent aspect of
168
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 183; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of
Marriage,‖ 3.
169
National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States, The 1964 English Ritual, Collectio
Rituum, 366.
170
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 702; Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 25; The idea proposed by
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 55
the rite of marriage in the Roman Rite. The scrutiny, in the OCM, illuminates the various
dimensions of marital life, such as ―freedom of choice, faithfulness to each other, and the
acceptance and upbringing of children.‖
171
The ROCM (no. 60) bases itself on the OCM,
with regard to these basic areas which the scrutiny deals with, yet some significant
changes are evident in the structure and formulation of the questions.
The first question is, ―N. and N., have you come here to enter into marriage without
coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?‖
172
The couples respond with ―I have‖ (ROCM, no.
60). Basically, the question inquires about their consent for marriage. However, the
modification that they are entering into marriage wholeheartedly and without any
coercion is a basic requirement specially mentioned in the Code of Canon Law and in
Gaudium et Spes, on the sacrament of marriage. Canon law states that―[a] marriage is
brought into being by the lawfully manifested consent of persons who are legally
capable‖ (CIC, can. 1057 § 1). Additionally, it states that a ―marriage is invalid which
was entered into by reason of force or of grave fear‖ (CIC can. 1103).
173
These canons
explicitly teach that consent is essential to marriage and that there should be no force
compelling them to enter into marriage. Gaudium et Spes and Familiaris Consortio also
teach that the marriage between the spouses can only be effected when there is freedom
of choice and readiness to give to each other freely.
174
These teachings of the Catholic Church are recapitulated in the Introduction of the
ROCM, that ―marriage is established by the conjugal covenant, that is, the irrevocable
consent of both spouses, by which they freely give themselves to each other and accept
each other‖ (ROCM, no. 2). These citations reiterate what the rite of marriage
emphasizes in the celebration of marriage: namely, that consent is essential to marriage
and that any attempt to establish a marriage without proper consent can only be invalid.
Therefore, free consent is an indispensable element of Christian marriage to constitute it
as a sacrament, and the Church has a responsibility to confirm that the couple is entering
into marriage in full freedom and without any forceful imposition.
Pope John Paul II becomes relevant here: ―marriage consent has especially the character of a reciprocal
profession of the newlyweds made before God.‖ Pope John Paul II, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the
Dimension of Sign,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 767, no. 3 (1983), 9.
171
International Commission on English in the Liturgy, The Rites of the Catholic Church (New York:
Pueblo, 1991), 726.
172
Italics added to denote the difference from the OCM.
173
The same idea is echoed in the words of Pope John Paul II when he states, ―the words of matrimonial
consent constitute this sign [marriage].‖ Pope John Paul II, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the
Dimension of Sign,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 767, no. 3 (1983), 9. See also, the Charter of the Rights of
the Family, where it states: ―Marriage cannot be contracted except by the free and full consent of the
spouses duly expressed.‖ Holy See, ―Charter of the Rights of the Family,‖ § 3.
174
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 67, 68.
56 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
The second question is this: ―[a]re you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to
love and honour each other for as long as you both shall live‖ (ROCM, no. 60).
175
The
couple refers to their decision to ―love and honour‖ each other till the end of their lives
and each responds: ―I am.‖ This underlines that love is the basis of the marital life and
that this relationship is indissoluble, as stated in Canon 1056: ―The essential properties of
marriage are unity and indissolubility.‖
176
Here, the ROCM differs from the OCM in that
it refers to the condition that the couple is prepared to explore the significance of what
they are going to do in the sacrament of marriage as indicated in Canon Law. This article
refers to the couple‘s ―[p]ersonal preparation to enter marriage, which disposes the
spouses to the holiness and duties of their new state‖ (CIC, 1063, §2).
The third question includes an option to be omitted for couples advanced in age, and
reads as follows: ―Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring
them up and according to the law of Christ and his Church?‖ and to this, each of the
spouses responds: ―I am‖ (ROCM, no. 60). This question specifically scrutinizes the
willingness of the spouses to accept children as a gift from God for their conjugal
relationship and to recognize their responsibility to ―bring them up.‖ This refers to
Gaudium et Spes: ―The institution of Marriage itself and conjugal love are, by their very
nature, ordered to the procreation and formation of children and find in them, as it were,
their ultimate crown.‖
177
The same idea is echoed in most Catholic teachings on
marriage.
178
A comparative study of these three questions shows a remarkable shift in one of the
traditional teachings concerning the goods of marriage. According to Augustine, there
are three goods of marriage: in the case of individual ―men‖, the goods of marriage
include ―the cause of generation and in the fidelity of chastity‖, and ―in the case of the
people of God […] the good is also in the sanctity of the sacrament.‖
179
The Code of
Canon Law of 1917 teaches a hierarchical gradation in the ―ends or purposes of
marriage.‖ It states: ―The primary end of marriage is the procreation and education of
children; its secondary end is mutual help and the allaying of concupiscence.‖
180
Departing considerably from this view, the Second Vatican Council affirmed that
175
Italics added to show that this term is an addition to the new revised version.
176
The same idea is proposed by Pope John Paul II when he states that ―Christian spouses, who before the
altar contracted an irrevocable covenant of love, confirmed by God with sacramental grace, must not
and cannot separate it.‖ Pope John Paul II, ―Marriage is Reciprocal Love, the Path to Human and
Christian Maturity,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 777, no. 13 (1983), 9.
177
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48.
178
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 26 §14; ROCM, no. 3; J. L. Gonzalez, ed. The Sixteen
Documents of Vatican II and the Instruction on the Liturgy with Commentaries by the Council Fathers,
Commentary on Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Boston: St. Paul‘s, 1965),
752-3.
179
Augustine, ―The Good of Marriage,‖ 48.
180
Bouscaren and Ellis, Canon Law of 1917, §1013.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 57
―[conjugal] love […] involves the good of the whole person, and therefore can enrich the
expressions of body and mind with a unique dignity‖ in a way that ―far excels mere
erotic inclination.‖
181
The 1983 Code of Canon Law takes up the teachings of the
Council and deconstructs the hierarchical approach developed in the 1917 Code: ―The
matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a
partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the
spouses and the procreation and education of offspring‖ (CIC, can. 1055 § 1).
182
Coming to the rite of marriage and the scrutiny before the declaration of consent, there is
a resurfacing of this deconstructed theology of the goods of marriage in the rite of
marriage. Firstly, the Church confirms whether the spouses are ready to embrace a
partnership of love and fidelity for the whole of life. Secondly, it scrutinizes whether they
are ready to accept children as the fruit of this conjugal life. Thus, the deconstruction of
the hierarchy of the goods of marriage is underscored in the celebration of marriage
which treats these two ends as complementary goods of marriage. The question
regarding the acceptance of children as the fruits of marriage is eliminated when the
marriage is conducted among elderly couples. This, also, suggests that procreation is not
the sole or primary end of marriage.
In short, these three questions disclose some essential elements of the Church‘s teaching
on the sacrament of marriage: ―the freedom of the couple,‖ the ―indissolubility of
marriage‖, and the ―procreation and education of children.‖
183
Through the scrutiny
before the consent the church verifies before the witness of the assembly that the couple
is celebrating the sacrament of marriage in full knowledge of what the Church teaches
about marriage and provides an opportunity for them to pronounce this publicly. It is also
interesting to note that through some of the additions and changes to the structure of the
questions posed in the scrutiny, the ROCM incorporates the essential teachings on
marriage set down in the recent documents of the Catholic Church.
1.3.3.2. The Declaration of the Consent
After the scrutiny, the priest invites the couple to join their right hands and ―declare their
consent‖ before God and the ecclesial community. The custom of joining the hands of
the couple existed already in ―pagan antiquity‖ and came to be used occasionally in
181
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 49.
182
The Catechism of the Catholic Church also takes up this canon and teaches that ―[t]he matrimonial
covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life,
is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.‖
Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1601.
183
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 25. In the Visigothic Sacramentary provided by Isidore of Seville, a
cord is used to bind the couple‘s hands together, signifying that ―marriage is indissoluble, and also that
they are to remain continent.‖ Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 10.
58 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
Christian marriage rites in the Patristic period. However, the joining of hands of the
bridal pair was not a common custom in relation to marriage. In general, the joining of
hands signifies the ―love and commitment‖ demanded of the couples.
184
The invitation in the ROCM is as follows: ―Since it is your intention to enter the
covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands and declare your consent before God
and his Church‖ (ROCM, no. 61).
185
In the OCM, the priest invites the couple to
announce their ―intention to enter into marriage,‖ but the ROCM specifies that they are
entering into the ―covenant of Holy Matrimony.‖ This reformulation of the text helps the
couple and the ecclesial community to meditate on the covenantal dimension of
marriage, which conciliar and post-conciliar teachings have elaborated more profoundly.
The invitation makes it clear that the couple is going to declare their consent before God
in the presence of his Church. Here, we can observe a parallel between two invitations by
the priest: one in the beginning of the rite of marriage proper, and the other before the
declaration of the consent. The couple‘s declaration before God and the Church reasserts
the public character and the ecclesial dimension of the rite of marriage. It underscores
that the public profession of the consent is an indispensable element of the Christian rite
of marriage; not an optional addition, but mandatory.
The declaration of consent by the bride and bridegroom takes place immediately after the
scrutiny. During the reform, the study group assigned to the matter of the Church‘s rite
of marriage was challenged by the question of whether or not to follow the traditional
way of responding with ―I do/yes‖ to the priest‘s question or rather to follow a formula
expressing the couple‘s ―active‖ consent. Though there were differences of opinion, it
was decided that it would be ―better to assign a more complete formula that ha[d] been
used since the Middle Ages in the English-speaking world.‖
186
Consequently, in the
OCM, as the first textual option, we find a response to the invitation of the priest. The
bridegroom and then the bride declare their consent. Thus, the OCM gives preference to
the ―declarative mode‖ of expressing consent, though it also indirectly authorizes the
celebrant to use the alternative form in exceptional conditions.
187
The ROCM continues
184
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 2.
185
Italics added to specify that it is an addition in the ROCM.
186
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 703. Further, he writes: ―The formula originally also had ‗in
poverty and in riches‘ (in paupertate et opulentia), but the phrase was eliminated at the request of the
Pope (letter of the SCDF, December 3).‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 703. Stevenson makes a
reference to the person who initiated making an active form for the declaration of the consent: ―Gy was
keen to include a proper ‗active‘ form of consent, as in Sarum, and the Anglican Tradition, in order to
express in the fullest way possible that the couple marry each other.‖ Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A
Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 184. Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 166.
187
Bugnini notes that this option was inserted at the request of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith
in the Catholic Church and the Pope and, as quoted by Bugnini, they remarked that ―the formulas now
traditional should be retained, and there should always be the option of using, ad libitum et pro
opportunitate, the simple formula with the answer ‗I do.‘ Where this simple formula is used, there
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 59
in line with the understanding of OCM and provides two alternatives. The first is that the
bride and bridegroom, whilst joining the hands, express their consent one after the other
as follows:
―I, N., take you, N., to be my wife/husband. I promise to be faithful to
you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you
and to honour you all the days of my life‖ (OCM, no.25; and ROCM,
no. 62).
The second option is the traditional way of obtaining the consent of the spouses, where
the priest may ask the following questions of the couples:
―N., do you take N., to be your wife/husband? Do you promise to be
faithful to her/him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health,
to love her/him and to honour her/him all the days of your life?‖
(ROCM, no. 63)
To this question they reply ―I do.‖ These two forms are primarily based on ―old Anglo-
Norman models,‖
188
and Stevenson points out that ―the first is the active vow, appearing
for the very first time in an official Roman formulary of this type, and the second, which
may seem preferable for pastoral reasons, is the traditional passive form.‖
189
This solemn
promise of the couple focuses on the essential elements of the Christian understanding of
marriage: faithfulness to the covenant of marriage and the indissolubility of the marriage
as expressed in the formula, ―to be faithful to you … all the days of my life,‖ regardless
of the different facets of life. As in the case of the entrance procession, the declarative
form of the consent ―fits well with the theological view that considers the bride and
bridegroom as the real ministers of the sacrament.‖
190
It gives them an opportunity to
express their consent in a solemn manner in the presence of the ecclesial community.
1.3.3.3. The Reception of the Consent
The declaration of consent follows its reception. Both the OCM and ROCM follow the
traditional practice of calling for the priest to receive the consent of the spouses. Yet
should also be the option of complementing it with the more complex formula of the new ritual but the
exchange of consents by means of the simple formula is always enough for validity. But the norm for the
sacraments should not be what suffices for validity.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 703;
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 139, 184.
188
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage,139. See also, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy
which distinguishes the transition ―from the old Spanish custom of the priest ‗handing over‘ the woman
to the man, to the later (originally Norman) practice of the priest ‗joining‘ them together.‖ Searle and
Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 3; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3.
189
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 139.
190
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 27. Rocchetta presents that the understanding that spouses are the real
ministers of the sacrament of marriage is to be understood clearly. According to him, ―[t]he spouses do
not ‗administer to each other‘, nor do they even merely ‗receive‘ the sacrament of marriage as if it were
a ‗thing‘, but they celebrate an act which – by virtue of their baptism – makes them participants in the
mystery of the covenant which takes place for them and in them.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a
Sacrament,‖ 12.
60 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
certain modifications were made in the formulae in the ROCM. Whereas the OCM offers
just one formula for the reception of the couple‘s consent, the ROCM offers two. The
first of these is the same as the one offered in the OCM, which is regarded as a
reformulation of the 1614 Tridentine formula. It continued throughout the centuries with
minimum modifications up till the formulation of the 1969 Ordo.
191
It remains the same
in the new Ordo and in the ROCM. It reads: ―May the Lord in his kindness strengthen
the consent you have declared before the Church, and graciously bring to fulfilment his
blessings within you. ‗What God joins together, let no one put asunder‘‖ (ROCM, no.
64). This formula refers to the fact that it is God who blesses and strengthens the consent
that the couple has expressed in the presence of the ecclesial community. Thus, even
though reference is made to the role of the priest and to the Church as the witness of their
declaration of the consent, the central focus is not on those aspects. Rather, the focus is
on the unique role of the spouses, and it is affirmed that it is God who strengthens their
consent and blesses them abundantly.
192
Making it more explicit, Antonio points out that
―[t]o manifest more clearly the role of the spouses as the main protagonists and the
secondary role of the priest, the active ‗Ego coniungo‘ (‗I join you‘) has been substituted
by a formula which indicated that it is not the priest but the Lord who joins them in
marriage, in virtue of their own mutual consent.‖
193
Differing from the Tridentine
formula, the formula in the OCM is enriched with the Gospel verse ―What God joins
together, let no one put asunder‖ (Mt 19:6). It insists that no human intervention can
possibly break the marital bond between the bride and bridegroom, whom God himself
has united in the celebration of the marriage, and this further deepens the Catholic idea
of marriage‘s indissolubility.
194
The second alternative formula inserted in the ROCM is: ―May the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who joined the first couple together in paradise,
confirm and bless in Christ, this consent which you have manifested before the Church.
May no one separate what God has conjoined‖ (ROCM, no. 64). Here, we can see the
biblically enriched tradition of naming God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In
this way, it relates the rite of marriage to salvation history, wherein God the creator
191
Michael M. Sheehan, James K. Farge, and Joel T. Rosenthal, Marriage, Family, and Law in Medieval
Europe: Collected Studies (Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, 1996), 115. Refer also for further
details, Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704; Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage
Liturgy, 14. They state that the new formula replaces the traditional formula of ―I join you in marriage.‖
Originally, this had been used in the Ritual of Rouen since the sixteenth century, and the Council of
Trent brought this formula into the Roman rite of marriage. Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of
Marriage,‖ 756. The Consilium, during the reformation of the rite of marriage, found that, in particular
rituals this traditional ―I join you‖ was ―altered or replaced.‖ Hence, they prefer that opting for a
―different formula‖ is adequate for the reception of the consent.
192
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704.
193
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 28; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3.
194
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 14.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 61
makes a covenant with his chosen people, Israel.
195
Additionally, it looks back to the
creation itself, where God creates the human being as man and woman and joins them in
paradise, and here it is Christ who blesses the marriage in this sacramental celebration of
marriage. In this context, this formula seems to restate what is already said in the
Introduction, that marriage ―derives its force and strength from creation, but for
Christian faithful it is also raised up to a higher dignity, since it is numbered among the
Sacraments of the new covenant‖ (ROCM, no. 1). As the first formula, second one ends
with the biblical quotation which emphasizes the indissolubility of marriage: ―May no
one separate what God has conjoined‖ (Mt 19:6).
After the exchange of consent, ROCM for the first time stipulates a short eulogy. The
priest invites the community to praise God with the words ―Let us bless the Lord,‖ and
they respond by saying, ―Thanks be to God‖ (ROCM, no. 65). The rite also allows for an
alternative to the acclamation, which can be ―said or sung.‖
196
This could be viewed as a
creative response to the criticism that is risen against the OCM that it did not ensure the
active participation of the gathered assembly. The acclamation signals the active
participation by the assembly in the liturgical celebration. The community acknowledges
God‘s authority over marriage and thus affirms that ―marriage is primarily the work of
God, that this marriage has been in God‘s plan, and that the marriage relationship will
never succeed apart from God‘s grace and help.‖
197
The community is not a passive
witness of the consent the spouses declared in the Church. Instead, together with the
spouses, the community actively praises the Lord and recognizes the consent they have
declared in the church. This acclamation, though presented succinctly, appears as a way
of expressing their joy and gladness at the very beginning of their new family. In all
these ways the couple is welcomed into the ecclesial community with their specific role
as a married couple. It also indirectly conveys the responsibility of the community to
support the spouses as they strive to live out their consent in an indissoluble manner in
their marital life and carry out their marital responsibilities.
1.3.3.4. The Blessing and Exchange of the Rings
In the Tridentine rite of marriage, the exchange of rings followed immediately after the
Introduction by the priest. It provided an option for the conferral of just one ring, to be
195
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 28.
196
One of the criticisms of the OCM was its lack of allowance for active ecclesial participation. Stevenson,
To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 203. In relation to it, the liturgical reform pointed out the need
for a more active participation of the ecclesial community. It suggested that each one has to take an
―active and conscious part‖ in the liturgical celebration, and this active participation may be expressed
through prayers, gestures and even through silence in the sacraments. This active participation may lead
―the Christian forward towards unity with God and his brothers and sisters.‖ Pope John Paul II, ―Liturgy:
All must be involved,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 1135, no. 15 (1990), 3. Second Vatican Council,
―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 26.
197
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 28.
62 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
given by the groom to the bride, or two rings, in a mutual exchange. Depending on the
number of rings, there existed different blessings over the rings.
198
Both the OCM and
ROCM take this symbolic action into the rite of marriage, but both simplify the 1614
Roman Ritual. Consequently, the rite of rings has made into a ―simple ceremony,
consisting of the blessing, the giving, and the interpreting words said by each partner.‖
199
According to both typical editions, immediately after the reception of the consent, the
blessing and the exchange of rings take place.
200
Hence, we could argue that this
liturgical action as a symbol of ―the confirmation and visible sign of the consent‖
continues to be of great significance in the rite of marriage, not only in ancient times but
also in the present rite of marriage.
201
In addition to this, Antonio states that the exchange
of rings is ―an explanatory rite,‖ its purpose being to reinforce and intensify ―the central
rite which is the exchange of consent.‖
202
The prayer over the rings is as follows: the priest says, ―May the Lord bless + these
rings, which you will give to each other as a sign of love and fidelity‖ and the assembled
community responds with ―amen‖ (ROCM, no. 66). This prayer over the rings is a
―simple prayer‖
203
meant only to bless them, and it is based on a twelfth-century rite
from Rennes and Normandy.
204
Though concise in its form, the prayer indicates the
symbolic meaning of the ring as the ―sign of love and fidelity‖ (ROCM, no. 66). It also
affirms that the commitment of the spouses to love and to be faithful to each other is
fulfilled by the blessing of the Lord: ―God blesses the union signified, and the hand of
God is present in the continuance of love and fidelity between the spouses.‖
205
Here, we
can see that the Tridentine option for the blessing over a single ring is avoided, and a
mutual exchange of rings is preferred. This is of great significance as it symbolically
represents the equality between the bride and groom. The conciliar teaching that
marriage is a ―human act whereby spouses mutually bestow and accept each other, a
198
There was an option in the process of giving the rings: It can be singular, the bridegroom giving the
ring to the bride or it can be plural, and in that sense they mutually exchange the rings. Ryan, ―The
Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3-4.
199
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 222; Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the
Marriage Liturgy, 186-7; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3.
200
During the reform of the Ordo there was ―extensive discussion and various suggestions‖ with regard to
the placement of the exchange of rings. The Consilium retraces some of the traditions, for example the
marriage rite of Germany, where the blessing of the rings was conducted before the consent, while the
old roman Ritual placed it after the consent. Though discussions occurred, finally the reformers decided
that ―the New Ordo should follow the Roman usage.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704.
201
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704.
202
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 29.
203
The term ―simple prayer‖ is used very purposely and it is evident from the comment that ―the text has
deliberately been kept very simple in order to shorten the time between the consent and the giving of the
rings.‖ Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704.
204
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140; See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 29;
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 187.
205
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 29.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 63
relationship arises which by divine will and in the eyes of society too is a lasting one‖
206
is nobly expressed in this symbolic liturgical action. Two more options are given for the
prayer over the rings in the typical edition of the ROCM.
207
Following the prayer over the rings, the priest sprinkles holy water over the rings and
gives them to the couple. They are first given to the bridegroom who places it on the ring
finger of the bride saying: ―N., receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit‖ (no. 67A). Then, the bride
places the ring on the finger of the bridegroom with the same words. According to
Stevenson this formula is ―based on the earliest texts,‖ that is, the text on the ―marriage
of Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald, to Edilwulf, King of East Anglia in 856 C.E.‖
208
The formula echoes what the exchange of rings symbolically represents, namely, the ring
as the sign of love and fidelity. Hence, the exchange of rings presupposes the mutual
love and fidelity that the couple will exchange during their marital life. In addition to it,
when we compare the new rite with the Tridentine version, we find a transition of roles
in pronouncing the formula when bride and bridegroom exchange their rings. In the 1614
Ordo, while the bridegroom places the ring on the finger of the bride, it is the priest who
pronounces: ―In the name of the Father +, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,‖ and he
continues to pray for the spouses.
209
In such a context, the role of the priest was very
dominant, but in the OCM (no. 28) and the ROCM (no. 67A), the bride and bridegroom
pronounce this formula themselves while placing the ring on the finger of their partner.
This change is remarkable, as it reiterates the concept which the rite expressed earlier,
during the procession, that the couples are the real ministers of the sacrament of marriage
and that marriage is a reciprocal act in which the bride and the groom are mutually
responsible.
210
However, the role of priest, comparatively less than in the Tridentine
version, is also recognized in the new rite. Furthermore, the couple now exchanges the
rings in the name of the Trinity, recalling the Trinity‘s role in the sacrament of marriage
and the divine assistance needed to honor their lifelong commitment. According to the
revised version of the text, after the exchange of rings, an option for the blessing and
exchange of arras (coins) is added. A prayer is recited where the priest ask the Lord to
bless the arras that the spouses exchange between them and to ―pour over [the couples]
206
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48.
207
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 187.
208
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140; See also Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 30;
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 45.
209
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 4.
210
Rocchetta makes it explicit when he states: ―As baptized believers, they perform an act which is,
properly speaking, an act of Christ and of the Church and which, as such, signifies and operates an
effective introduction of the two spouses, man and woman, into the mystery of the Christ-Church
covenant.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 12.
64 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
the abundance of [God‘s] good gifts‖ which is repeated by bridegroom and bride while
they exchange the coins (ROCM, no. 67B).
Even though the liturgical reformers kept the text for the blessing and exchange of rings
―very simple,‖ and sought to ―shorten the time‖ it occupied in the rite, they have in fact
contributed to enriching the theological meaning of this liturgical action more profoundly
and authentically. Some of the essential elements of marriage, such as love, fidelity and
equality between the spouses, and the active role of the couples in the celebration of the
marriage, etc., are made explicit in this liturgical action. Hence, we can rightly affirm
that blessing of the rings and their exchange as presented in the new versions are not
only a ―confirmation of the consent‖ or ―an explanatory rite.‖ They also play a
significant and quite particular role in the rite of marriage.
1.3.3.5. The Hymn of Praise and the Universal Prayer
Another addition to the ROCM is its stipulation that ―a hymn or a canticle of praise‖ be
sung prior to the exchange of rings (nos. 68, 102, 136,168). According to Antonio, the
ecclesial community present in the church is a ―codestinator‖ and ―co-verifier‖ of the
sacrament of marriage. When they witness the declaration of the consent and the
exchange of rings, the core of the celebration of marriage, it is only legitimate that they
should express their joy and happiness and also their readiness to support the couples as
they have made an ―important existential decision.‖
211
Consequently, the hymn of praise
provides an occasion to the ecclesial community to express their active presence,
happiness and support. The hymn of praise is followed by the prayer of the faithful.
Distinct from the OCM, the ROCM provides some examples (ROCM, nos. 216-217) for
the intercessory prayers which are appropriate to the celebration of Holy Matrimony.
Stevenson observes that the prayer of the faithful is a ―timely restoration to the Western
rite‖ and resurfaces a ―genre of prayer‖ related to ―the series of pre-mass blessings‖ that
English rites so treasured in the Middle Ages.
212
The universal prayer is constructed in
such a way that the themes expressed in it reiterate the essential elements of the rite of
marriage. For example, it refers to marriage as a ―special gift of grace and charity,‖ a
―covenant,‖ ―perfect and fruitful love,‖ and to the married couple as ―faithful witness to
the name of Christian‖ etc.
213
Here, the community is very active and responds to the
intercessory prayers with a conviction that the Lord will hear their prayer and grant grace
not only to the newly wedded spouses, but also to all those who are present there, all the
families, and even the world and Church at large.
211
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 31.
212
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 187.
213
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, Inter Oecumenici (Glasgow: Collins, 1979), §
70.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 65
1.3.4. The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Different from the OCM, the ROCM provides an opportunity for the couples to ―bring
the bread and wine to the altar‖ (ROCM, no. 70), and so offer themselves symbolically at
the altar.
214
During the discussion of the formulation of the OCM in the Consilium, there
were frequent requests for a special Eucharistic Prayer for the celebration of marriage.
According to some, varieties of suggestions for such prayers can be found in the Bible.
Some prayers were indeed formulated and even used, but they were finally deemed
unsatisfactory. However, as Bugnini suggests, the study group realized that the
Eucharistic prayers are important because they mark ―the connection of Christian
marriage with the history of salvation and Eucharistic sacrifice.‖
215
Even after the
promulgation of the OCM, it is noted that ―[t]he wish still exists, inspired by a desire to
highlight the place of the mystery of Christian marriage in the history of salvation, which
is a history of loving communion between God and his people.‖
216
While giving
guidelines for the reform of the liturgy during the 25thanniversary of Sacrosanctum
Concilium, Pope John Paul II stated that―[i]t has likewise been considered good to
increase the number of Prefaces and Eucharistic Prayers, so as to enrich the Church‘s
treasury of prayer and an understanding of the mystery of Christ.‖
217
Taking into account
these concerns and guidelines, Eucharistic Prayers for married couples are inserted in the
celebration of marriage (nos. 202-204). Apart from this, the ROCM reformulated three
prefaces under the headings, ―[t]he dignity of the marriage covenant,‖ ―[t]he great
Sacrament of Matrimony,‖ and ―[m]atrimony as a sign of divine love‖ (no. 199-201), by
which the theology of marriage is arranged in a constructive way. The first one is almost
the same as the traditional prayer but includes some modifications. It reads as follows:
―It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and
everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and
eternal God. For you have forged the covenant of Marriage as a sweet
yoke of harmony and an unbreakable bond of peace, so that the chaste
and fruitful love of holy Matrimony may serve to increase the children
you adopt as your own. By your providence and grace, O Lord, you
accomplish the wonder of this twofold design: that, while the birth of
children brings beauty to the world, their rebirth in Baptism gives
increase to the Church, through Christ our Lord. Through him, with the
Angels and all the Saints, we sing the hymn of your praise, as without
end we acclaim‖ ((ROCM, no. 199).
214
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704; Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage
Rites, 187; Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140.
215
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704.
216
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 4.
217
Pope John Paul II, ―Apostolic Letter on the 25th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Conciliar
Constitution ‗Sacrosanctum Concilium‘ on the Sacred Liturgy, Vicesimus Quintus Annus,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 1090, no. 21 (1989), § 10.
66 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
This preface describes marriage as a covenant made by God. It also states that marriage
is indissoluble because of its covenantal nature. It sets marriage within the ecclesial
framework. It asserts the couple‘s duty to procreate and bring children into the Christian
faith as well. Once again the sacrament of baptism as a prerequisite for entering into the
Church is reflected in the prayers.
218
The other two prefaces are newly formulated
prayers and, as Stevenson suggests, themes reflected in those prayers mainly focus on
―creation and future life together.‖
219
It is interesting to note that the ROCM takes special care to incorporate essential
elements of the rite of marriage, its significance in the life of the married couples, its
relation to salvation history, etc., into all of the prayers offered during the celebration of
marriage. We can rightly assert that Eucharistic prayers and prefaces are not exceptions
to this theological constructive structure of the liturgy of the rite of marriage.
1.3.5. The Nuptial Blessing
Following the ―Our Father,‖ the nuptial blessing, an ―essential ingredient in the rite,‖
220
is carried out in a solemn manner. In the tradition of Christian marriage there was the
common understanding that in and through marriage a girl became a ―fully legal person‖
with her own rights and privileges. This understanding was predominant over the
centuries, and this transition marks great significance in her family and social life.
221
From this perspective, the celebration of marriage assumed a specific role in the life of
the woman, and its various customs were made to signify the moment of the transition in
her life. It is in this context that the practice of blessing only the bride evolved in relation
to the wedding ceremony. This continued down through the centuries, was still
customary even during the time of Vatican II, and remained so till the formulation of the
rite of marriage in 1969. The practice of blessing only the bride ―raises problems when
one tries to square the biblical tradition, with its teaching about mutuality and fidelity,
with the modern emphasis on equality of the sexes.‖
222
Throwing light on the revision of
the sacrament of marriage, Vatican II emphasizes that ―the blessing of the bride should
be replaced by the blessing of the spouses.‖
223
Taking into account the conciliar
218
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 56; Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 5.
219
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 185.
220
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 222.
221
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 5; see also Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human
Reality and Saving Mystery, 304, where the author clearly emphasizes the significance of the bridal
blessing and its impact in the life of the bride. He also mentions the causes for the shift from the
marriage blessing to the blessing only on the bride which we have already discussed in detail. Also refer
to, Belmont, ―The Symbolic Function of the Wedding Procession,‖ 2.
222
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 6.
223
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78; See also, Crichton, The Church‟s Worship,
177.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 67
directive, the OCM reformulated the traditional Gregorian text for the nuptial blessing,
which was in use in the rite of marriage from the time of the Missale Romanum (1570)
224
till the formulation of the new version of the rite of marriage in 1969, with some
modifications and changes. As an alternative to the traditional nuptial blessing, the OCM
included two further formulas for the nuptial blessing.
In the OCM, the nuptial blessing begins with an invitation to prayer (OCM, no. 73)
followed by a short period of silence where individual prayers over couples are offered
by the people. Then the priest offers the nuptial blessing over the spouses (OCM, no. 74).
The liturgical setting of the nuptial blessing between the invitation and the short silence
also acquired a liturgical significance, for it identifies the nuptial blessing as, effectively,
―a special feature of this mass.‖
225
In addition, the silence invites the ecclesial
community to pray for the couple that the Lord may grant his blessings over them as they
have ―married in Christ.‖
226
The reformulation of the traditional text followed mainly the
directives proposed in SC. The main focus was to shift from a bridal blessing to the
blessing of both spouses.
227
Beginning with the omission of ―the stereotyped invitations
to prayer,‖ the edited version of the first nuptial blessing text made explicit changes
when compared with the traditional text. This prayer begins with a reference to the
creation of woman to reflect the ―equal status for male and female before God.‖ Then,
the virtuous women of the Old Testament are mentioned. Instead of listing the virtues of
the bride, a prayer for her activity in the Church is inserted. The prayer to be blessed with
children can be omitted if the couple are advanced in age.
228
Though this revised version was generally well received, there were further points of
disagreement on the text. Firstly, the opening paragraphs seem a ―little repetitious‖ and
need to be reduced ―to one only.‖ Secondly, as the Consilium remarked, the
224
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 47, 182. Stevenson, To Join Together: The
Rite of Marriage, 140-1; Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 187;
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 270.
225
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140-1.
226
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140-1.
227
Bugnini mentions the process of the formulation of the nuptial blessing and their emphasis in detail:
―The adaptation of the traditional text was made in accordance with the guidelines set down in the
liturgical Constitution and with the explanation given by Archbishop Hallinan, relator at the Council for
the chapter of the liturgical Constitution that deals with the sacraments: ‗As for adaptation: while
avoiding radical changes, at least the part of the ancient blessing which speaks to the wife alone of
conjugal fidelity is to be made to refer to both spouses.‘‖ However, according to Bugnini, there were
debates over the revised text in the study group. Further, there was a request for the improvement of the
Latin style, which was considered as ―dry, untranslatable, common, and uncharismatic.‖ Bugnini, The
Reform of the Liturgy, 705. Despite all these arguments and demands the Consilium decided to take into
account only ―indispensable corrections‖ for the formulation of the nuptial blessing.
228
Michael Joncas, ―Solemnizing the Mystery of Wedded Love: Nuptial Blessing in the Ordo Celebrandi
Matrimonium 1991,‖ Worship 70, no. 3 (1996), 218; see also, Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of
Christian Marriage Rites, 183.
68 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
disappearance of ―Rebecca and Companions‖
229
was not welcomed favourably. Thirdly,
dissatisfaction remained over the compromise between ―two mutually exclusive views of
the solemn prayer,‖ that is, the question of whether it refers only to the bride or is
inclusive of both partners remained perplexing.
230
It points to the fact that even though
the text recognizes the mutuality and equal dignity of the spouses, the focus was mainly
on the bride. Thus, it reveals that the reformulated nuptial blessing could not completely
succeed in executing the conciliar directive that the ―prayer for the bride [was to be] duly
amended to remind both spouses of their equal obligations to remain faithful.‖
231
In
addition to all these, there was a major criticism that the OCM neglected the role of the
Holy Spirit: ―[W]hile the texts distinctly connect marriage to the activity of God the
Father (by appropriation) in creation and Christ as Bridegroom in relation to the Church,
the activity of the Holy Spirit is not explicitly acknowledged.‖
232
Responding to these
criticisms, the nuptial prayer was revised in the ROCM in a way that took these
dissatisfactions into account. Three nuptial prayers are presented in the ROCM, and here
we will focus on analysing just the first nuptial blessing. One among the alternative
prayers concentrates on the Ephesians analogy between marriage and the relationship
between Christ and Church, and the other (ROCM, nos. 205-209).
233
When we analyse the first text for the nuptial blessing (ROCM, no. 74) we observe that
the bride-centred prayer was refocussed and made more spouse-centered. The invitation
begins with a request that the assembly pray for both spouses rather than for the bride
alone: ―[L]et us humbly pray to the Lord that on these his servants, now married in
Christ‖ (ROCM, no. 73). The priestly prayer is reconstructed along the same lines,
focussing on ―man and woman in [God‘s] own image‖ rather than man alone as the
image of God (ROCM, no. 74).
234
Further, the ROCM grants a space for the inclusion of
an epiclesis or invocation of the Holy Spirit during the time of the nuptial blessing in the
celebration of marriage: ―Send down on them the grace of the Holy Spirit and pour your
love into their hearts, that they may remain faithful in the Marriage covenant‖ (ROCM,
no. 74). Basically, this is a sign of the influence of the developed teachings on the role of
the Holy Spirit in the sacraments in general, especially in the sacrament of marriage. In
229
The rite of marriage as prescribed in the Missale Romanum of 1570, followed the Gregorian
Sacramentary for the nuptial blessing where during the blessing over the bride there was a prayer for the
bride: ―May she remain an imitator of holy women: amiable to her husband, like Rachel; wise, like
Rebecca; long-lived and faithful, like Sarah.‖ Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy,
48, 184. This part is totally avoided in the OCM and indeed it was criticized.
230
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140-1; see also Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A
Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 184.
231
Second Vatican Council, ―Sacrosanctum Concilium,‖ § 78.
232
Joncas, ―Solemnizing the Mystery of Wedded Love,‖ 218.
233
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 187; see also, Schmidt, ―Rituals and
Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 270-1.
234
Italics added for emphasis and to show the difference between the Ordos.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 69
Familiaris Consortio Pope John Paul II teaches that ―[t]he Holy Spirit, who is poured
forth in the celebration of the sacraments, is the living source and inexhaustible
sustenance of the supernatural communion that gathers believers and links them with
Christ and with each other in the unity of the Church of God.‖
235
The role of the Holy
Spirit is specifically mentioned by the Pope while exploring the relationship between the
Holy Spirit and the sacraments. The Pope stated that the sacrament of marriage is the
―human participation in that divine love which has been ‗poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit‘ (Rom 5:5).‖
236
Also significant and noteworthy is his teaching
that it is ―precisely from the power of the Holy Spirit‖ that the union between the couples
is taking place on the ―proper level of persons (communio personarum).‖
237
Hence, with
regard to the sacrament of marriage, the criticism over the negligence of the role of the
Holy Spirit in the OCM was addressed in the ROCM by the inclusion of the prayer to the
Holy Spirit in the nuptial blessing.
Thus, the analysis of the nuptial blessing shows that the reconstruction of the prayer for
the nuptial blessing was mainly concerned with shifting from a bride-centeredness to a
new focus on both of the spouses and the inclusion of the role of the Holy Spirit in the
celebration of marriage. Consequently, the nuptial blessing is made ―a needful part of the
inner meaning of marriage.‖
238
With its enrichment once again it provides an opportunity
to reflect on the unique dimensions of the rite of marriage, the significance of the grace
of God in establishing the sacrament of marriage and enabling the couple to fulfil their
marital responsibilities in a responsible manner. The nuptial blessing also affirms that
marriage is a great mystery by which the covenantal relationship of the bride and
bridegroom symbolizes the sacramental relationship between Christ and the Church.
235
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 41. Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖16; Rocchetta
presents the role of the Holy Spirit in an explicit manner. He states: ―It is in the Holy Spirit that man and
woman meet and build one another in love. It is in the Holy Spirit that they present themselves to the
Church and celebrate their marriage. It is in the Holy Spirit that their mutual consent is made actual in
the ‗yes‘ of Christ and the Church and makes them partners in the new covenant. It is in the Holy Spirit
that the spouses exercise their baptismal priesthood and realize their conjugal community as a
community of love and of grace. There is no step on the conjugal path that is not under the sign of the
Holy Spirit.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 16.
236
Pope John Paul II, ―Spirit: Source of Sacramental Life,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano, no. 5 (1991), 11.
237
Pope John Paul II, ―Christian Spirituality of Marriage Possible Only by Living According to the Spirit,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 861, no. 47 (1984), 1.
238
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 223; see also, Julie McCarty, ―Nuptial Pentecost:
Theological Reflections on the Presence and Action of the Holy spirit in Christian Marriage,‖ New
Theology Review: February (2003), 59.
70 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
1.3.6. The Concluding Rites
1.3.6.1. The Exchange of Peace
During the time of the Tridentine mass, the exchange of peace was not customary. In
1969, however, the reformulation of the liturgy recognized the importance of the
exchange of peace. Discussing on the greeting of peace, ―a characteristic of the rite of
marriage‖, Bugnini comments that one of the twelfth-century rubrics ―expressedly says‖
that the wedding day was ―the only day‖ where the husband would ―kiss his wife in
Church.‖ However, he continues, that nowadays ―the greeting of peace has fortunately
become a regular and characteristic part of the Eucharistic celebration and no longer
causes surprise or astonishment.‖ Consequently, it is ―appropriate to recall a tradition
that makes the gesture especially meaningful on the day of marriage.‖
239
Due to the
realization of its significance, the exchange of peace was inserted into the rite of
marriage in 1969, and it is kept intact in the ROCM (no. 75), where immediately after the
nuptial blessing the prayer for peace occurs and couples and all the participants greet one
another with ―a sign which expresses peace and charity‖ (no. 75).
The exchange of peace pertains not only to the couple, but also, as instructed by Pope
John Paul II, to the Church: ―the Church,‖ he writes, ―asks for peace and unity for herself
and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial
communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.‖
240
In addition
to it, it is also an occasion for ―expressing congratulations‖ or ―best wishes‖ among those
who are present for the wedding ceremony.
241
In the ROCM they are given permission to
exchange peace with a sign that will probably be able to express peace and charity.
1.3.6.2. The Rite of Communion
In the OCM, there is a mention of receiving communion, however, this is not elaborated
or fully specified. By contrast, the ROCM (no. 78) clearly states that ―the bride and
bridegroom, their parents, witnesses, and relatives may receive Communion under both
kinds.‖ It points to two facts: first, it permits the couples to receive communion under
two species, and second, the ecclesial community is called to join with the couple and
show its communion with the newlyweds. The instruction on Eucharistic Worship,
Eucharisticum Mysterium, set out the norms concerning communion, and especially
communion under both species in particular situations. It suggests that ―[i]t is very fitting
that, whenever the faithful are setting out on a new state of life or a new way of working
239
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704-705; Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 140;
Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 7.
240
Pope Paul VI, Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, Inter Oecumenici, § 82.
241
Sacred Congregation of Rites, ―Instruction on Eucharistic Worship: Eucharisticum Mysterium‖, Vatican
http://www.adoremus.org/eucharisticummysterium.html (accessed 21 December 2014). § 6.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 71
in the vineyard of the Lord, they should take part in the Sacrifice through sacramental
Communion in order to dedicate themselves again to God and to renew their covenant
with him‖ and ―this can be done […] by the bride and bridegroom, when they are united
through the rite of marriage.‖
242
Additionally, ―communion from the chalice‖ is
permitted to the bride and bridegroom during the celebration of their wedding mass.
243
The integration of communion under both species seems very appropriate to the spouses,
as ―the Eucharistic communion is the soul of the community of all the faithful and in a
special way of the spouses: as in the Eucharistic celebration they have one table, they eat
and drink the same bread and wine and they are two in one flesh.‖
244
But, nowadays,
communion in both species is always possible in many countries.
1.3.6.3. The Final Blessing
The particular blessing is typically performed in all the ritual masses, for example,
masses in relation to baptism, confirmation, and marriage. The celebration of marriage‘s
final blessing is not an exception to this normal condition of the ritual mass. The OCM
and ROCM follow the same pattern for the final blessing of the couple. At the end of the
Eucharistic celebration for the wedding, ―with hands extended over the bride and the
bridegroom‖ (OCM, no. 25 and ROCM, no. 77) the priest blesses the couple in a solemn
manner with a short prayer.
245
This prayer follows both ―the old Visigothic form, in short
paragraphs, each end[ing] with an Amen.‖
246
Both the OCM and ROCM include three
prayers for the final blessing (OCM, nos.125-127 and ROCM, nos. 77, 214-215). The
first one is a revised form of the final blessing found in the Liber Ordinum,
247
and the
other two prayers are new to the rite of marriage. They deal with the request to bless the
couples to live in love, to abide in peace, to bless the children, to become witness of God
through their works of charity, and to enter into heaven at the end of their life. Then the
priest continues by blessing the ecclesial community using the Trinitarian formula.
242
Sacred Congregation of Rites, ―Instruction on Eucharistic Worship: Eucharisticum Mysterium‖. § 36.
243
Sacred Congregation of Rites, ―Instruction on Eucharistic Worship: Eucharisticum Mysterium‖. 36. See
also, Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704; Documents on the Liturgy also refers to Eucharisticum
Mysterium and its stipulation on ―communion under both kinds‖ and ―communion of the bride and
groom‖ during the celebration of their marriage. International commission on English in the Liturgy,
Documents on the Liturgy,1963-1979: Conciliar, Papal, and Curial Texts (Collegeville, Minnesota:
Liturgical Press, 1982), 921. ―Communion from the chalice is still with us a privilege reserved for
special and solemn occasions.‖ Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 4.
244
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 275; Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of
Marriage, 141.
245
Bugnini, The Reform of the Liturgy, 704-705.
246
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 185; Searle and Stevenson,
Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 131.
247
Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites, 185; Searle and Stevenson,
Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 131.
72 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
1.4. The Order of Celebrating Matrimony without Mass
The second chapter of the ROCM (nos. 79-117) deals with the order of marriage ―when
mass is not celebrated, either by necessity or because of circumstances‖, and it can be
even celebrated by a deacon (ROCM, no. 79). The introductory rites of the Order of
Marriage without Eucharist are almost similar to the introductory rites of the Order of
Marriage within Mass. Nevertheless, it adds a prayer by the priest with hands extended
after the invitation of the couple and the faithful to the celebration. It reads as follows:
―Be attentive to our prayers, O Lord, and in your kindness pour out
your grace on these servants (N. and N.), that, coming together before
your altar, they may be confirmed in love for one another. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen‖ (ROCM, no. 89).
Paul Turner comments that ―[t]echnically, this is not called a ‗collect‘ because this is not
a Mass.‖
248
However, it is one of the collects presented in the ROCM but with a longer
ending (ROCM, no 190). Any one of the alternative collects given in the texts from the
Ritual Mass could be used (ROCM, nos. 188, 189, 191, 192, 193). Differing from the
order of marriage within the Mass, the Gloria is not recited in the ceremony. The Liturgy
of the Word (90-91) is followed after the prayer; same as the Order of Marriage within
Mass. A particular instruction is given in no. 56, which emphasizes that when the Ritual
Mass is not celebrated, the lectionary for that particular Mass is to be consulted, and one
of the readings may be taken from them unless it is not one of the days listed in nos. 1-4
on the Table of Liturgical Days.
249
The celebration of marriage without Mass includes the questions before the consent, the
declaration of the consent, and reception of the consent, the blessing and giving of rings,
arras (coins) and placing of the veil (ROCM, nos. 92-103 B). They are similar to the
order of marriage within the Mass (ROCM, nos. 58-35).
250
When the nuptial blessing in
the Ritual Mass is celebrated after the Our Father in Heaven, in the Order without Mass,
the nuptial blessing takes place immediately after the celebration of marriage. Though
the bride and bridegroom are requested to approach the altar for the nuptial blessing in
the Ritual Mass, the instruction is given that the bride and the bridegroom have to remain
kneeled at their own place in the celebration when it is celebrated without Mass (ROCM,
no. 104). The first part is the invitation by the minister to pray for the couple, that they
may be showered with God‘s blessings. The reference ―by the Sacrament of Christ‘s
248
Turner, The Inseparable Love, 174.
249
The numbers one to four of the Table of Liturgical Days includes: 1. Easter triduum of the Lord‘s
passion and resurrection. 2. Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension, and Pentecost, Sundays of Advent, Lent,
and the Easter season, Ash Wednesday, Weekdays of Holy Week from Monday to Thursday inclusive,
Days within the octave of Easter. 3. Solemnities of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and saints listed
in the General Calendar, All Souls. 4. Proper Solemnities.
250
For detailed analysis, see section 1.3.3.3 to 1.3.3.5.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 73
Body and Blood‖ (ROCM, no. 73) is omitted. The prayer for the nuptial blessing is
exactly the same as the Ritual Mass (ROCM, no. 105 and ROCM, no. 74).
Further, two options are provided: the first option suggests that the ceremony may end
with a blessing of the assembly with a Sign of the Cross, and the second option suggests
that Holy Communion may be distributed (ROCM, nos. 108-115). If Communion is
distributed, it follows the order of the Mass with Our Father in Heaven, the Sign of Peace
and the distribution of Communion. Usually the consecrated wine is not reserved in the
tabernacle, so only under the form of bread the communion is distributed.
251
Differing
from the Ritual Mass, it is suggested that during Communion a suitable chant may be
sung. Likewise, after the Communion sacred silence may be observed or a psalm or
canticle of praise may be sung. Afterwards a prayer is said by the minister:
―Having been made partakers at your table, we pray, O Lord, that those
who are united by the Sacrament of Marriage may always hold fast to
you and proclaim your name to the world. Though Christ our Lord.
Amen‖ (ROCM, no. 115).
The rite is concluded with a blessing with one of the formulas as seen in nos. 213-215 or
with a single form of blessing. When the celebration is concluded, the witnesses and the
minister sign the marriage record. The signing may take place either in the vesting room
or in the presence of the people. However, the signing of the document is not to be done
on the altar (ROCM, no. 117). This instruction is similar to the Ritual Mass.
In short, the second form of the rite, the Order of celebrating marriage without Mass,
closely resembles the first rite of marriage within the Mass. The entrance rite, the Liturgy
of the Word, and the marriage rite follow the same structure. One of the notable
differences between these two orders is that the order without Mass could be celebrated
even by a deacon. He is the ordinary minister of the sacrament of marriage. Some of the
other exceptions or differences are that an additional prayer is recited by the priest before
the Liturgy of the Word with the hands extended, the Liturgy of the Eucharist is not
celebrated, and the prayer for the Nuptial Blessing omits reference to the Eucharist.
Further, a specific reference is made that a suitable chant may be sung after the
communion and a moment of silence may be observed after the communion.
Additionally, a prayer is said by the minister after the communion.
1.5. The Order of Celebrating Matrimony between a Catholic and a Catechumen or
a Non-Christian
The order of marriage between a Catholic and a catechumen or a non-Christian is almost
similar to the order of marriage celebrated without mass. Consequently, this section will
just provide an overall view of the order, and special attention will be given to the
251
Turner, The Inseparable Love, 190.
74 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
different rites compared to the above section. Differing from the other rites, when
marriage is celebrated between a Catholic and non-Catholic, it may take place either in a
Church or in another suitable place according to the prescribed rite. Similarly, it can be
celebrated by a priest or a deacon who has received the delegation from the local
Ordinary or the pastor to assist at the celebration and to bless the couple in the name of
the Church (ROCM, no. 118). The rite of reception can be celebrated as in the Order
within Mass or the Order without Mass. However, only one prayer that addresses the
couple is mentioned, and an option to omit the Rite of Reception is also provided if
circumstances so suggest (ROCM, nos. 120-121).
252
During the Liturgy of the Word, two
or even one reading may be proclaimed on the condition that the one reading explicitly
speaks of marriage. Though optional, it is advisable to give a homily ―which should be
adapted to the responsibilities and situation of the couples and other circumstances‖
(ROCM, no. 123).
The celebration of marriage is solemnized with the questions before the consent, the
declaration of the consent by the bride and bridegroom and the reception of the consent
by the minister. The blessing and giving of rings and the blessing and giving of the
Arrhas are not mandatory, though there is a provision to take place those rites when the
occasion suggests (ROCM, nos. 124-133). A hymn or a canticle of praise may be sung
by the community (ROCM, no. 134). After the hymn, the Universal Prayer takes place
and the examples are provided in nos. 216 and 217. The universal prayer is not optional.
The presider then announces the Lord‘s Prayer. The rubric given before the Lord‘s
Prayer specifies that the Lord‘s Prayer is recited only by the Christians who are present
for the ceremony (ROCM, no. 136). It is followed by the blessing and placing of the
Lazo or the veil. ―As the rule, the Nuptial Blessing is said over the bride and bridegroom.
Nevertheless, if circumstances suggest this, it may be omitted‖ (ROCM, no. 138).
253
When the Nuptial Blessing is omitted, the following prayer is recited over the bride and
bridegroom:
―Be attentive to our prayers, O Lord, and in your kindness uphold what
you have established for the increase of the human race, so that the
union you have created may be kept safe by your assistance. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen‖ (ROCM, no. 140).
The ceremony is concluded with the blessing asking God to bless all those who are
gathered with a cross in the name of the Trinity (ROCM, no. 141). Ending the ceremony
with a chant is appreciated (ROCM, no. 142). As in the other order of marriage, signing
the marriage record takes place immediately after the celebration of marriage by the
witnesses and the one who presides over the ceremony (ROCM, no. 143).
252
Annibale Bugnini, ―The Rite of Marriage‖, (accessed 20 April 2020).
253
Michael Joncas, ―Solemnizing the Mystery of Wedded Love,‖ 228-229.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 75
In short, in comparison to the other Orders, the order of marriage between a Catholic and
a catechumen or a non-Christian has some differences. It gives an option to omit the Rite
of Reception. ROCM, nos. 57 and 91 state that a homily should include a presentation on
the dignity of Christian marriage, conjugal love, and the grace of the sacrament, but these
points are not mentioned in the description of a homily given by the presider when the
marriage between a Catholic and non-Christian takes place. It gives the impression that
―the purposes of this homily have been simplified.‖
254
Further, compared to the Order of
Marriage within and without Mass, the prayer before the Lord‘s Prayer is an addition that
invites the participants to call on God the Father. The Nuptial Blessing can be omitted in
the liturgy, replacing it with a prayer over the couple by the presider. As Joseph E. Weiss
observes, ―[i]n structure it is the same as the second rite, with the important exception
that the nuptial blessing may be omitted if circumstances so require.‖
255
1.6. The Order of Celebrating Marriage before an Assisting Layperson
The second edition of the ROCM in Latin includes a chapter for detailing how a
layperson presides in the absence of a priest or a deacon with due regard to the canon
1112: ―A conference of bishops must petition the Holy See for this permission, and the
Holy See must grant it before this may be used.‖ This chapter has been completely
removed from the English edition employed in the United States. However, The Order of
Celebrating Marriage published by the Conference of Bishops of India, 2018 retains the
order of celebrating marriage before an assisting layperson.
256
The title itself suggests the
role of the layperson through the word ―assisting‖, indicating the presiding role of the lay
person without using the terms ―minister‖ or ―presider‖ in place for a priest or a deacon.
―Even before the revision of the Code of Canon Law in 1983, then, the law
acknowledged circumstances that permitted a valid marriage before lay witnesses. Only
with the second edition of the OCM, however, did the Church develop a separate ritual
for a lay person to lead.‖
257
The layperson needs to be qualified to give instruction to the
couple and to prepare them for the wedding spiritually. He also has the responsibility of
arranging the celebration in a proper manner so that the ceremony may be celebrated
―correctly, thoughtfully, and fruitfully.‖ Further, the person who is assisting the
celebration, on the one hand ―has the function of receiving the consent of the contracting
254
Turner, The Inseparable Love, 214.
255
Weiss, ―Marriage Rites,‖ 2; Bugnini comments about the Nuptial Blessing and states that ―[t]here is
also a special solemn blessing of the spouses which may be replaced by a prayer by the officiating
priest.‖ Annibale Bugnini, ―The Rite of Marriage‖, (accessed 20 April 2020).
256
The Order of Celebrating Marriage: English Translation according to the Second Typical Edition.
Bangalore: Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, 2018. In order to differentiate it from the ROCM,
hereafter we will abbreviate it as OCMI (Order of Celebrating Marriage in India).
257
Turner, The Inseparable Love, 197.
76 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
parties‖ but on the other ―also directs the whole celebration of Marriage‖ (OCMI, no.
119).
When the people have gathered, the assisting layperson and the servers receive the
couple and greet them warmly.
258
While the Ritual Mass begins with the Sign of the
Cross, the celebration assisting by the layperson starts with hands joined saying,
―Blessed be God, the Father of all consolation, who has shown us his mercy.‖ All
answer, ―Amen‖ or ―Blessed be God forever‖ or some other suitable response (OCMI,
122). The gesture ―with hands joined‖ could be seen as an important indication that
he/she is neither a priest nor a deacon. Two introductory prayers are provided which are
copied from ROCM, nos. 52 and 53 (OCMI, nos. 123, 124). During the Liturgy of the
Word, a reader or the assisting layperson proclaims the readings selected from the
lectionary. One or two readings may be read, of which one must speak of marriage. The
layperson introduces the gospel reading, saying ―Listen, brothers and sisters, to the
words of the holy Gospel according to N.‖ (OCMI, no. 125). This greeting is different
from the greeting assigned at Mass to a priest or deacon. Taking into consideration any
suggestion by the Bishop or the pastor, the assisting layperson may read a homily
prepared by them or give an exhortation by himself. The celebration of marriage begins
while all stand.
259
The assisting layperson addresses the couple and the assembly with a
text resembling the ones found at ROCM, nos. 59 and 93, but there are significant
changes in the text. It begins with information about who the layperson is: ―Dearly
beloved (or N. and N.), you have come together here before me, the delegate of our
Bishop to assist at this celebration, and in the presence of the community of the Church,
so that your intention to enter into marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a
sacred seal‖ (OCMI, no. 127).
Before questioning the consent, a new prayer is appeared which reads: ―N. and N., the
word of God has revealed to us the mystery of marriage and the dignity of married love.
So now, in the presence of the Church, make clear your intentions in this regard‖
(OCMI, no. 128). The words and rubrics for the declaration and the reception of the
consent are similar to the ROCM, nos. 60-64, which follows an invitation to the liturgical
assembly to praise God.
The blessing of the rings is followed with hands of the assisting person joined and
without making the sign of the cross over the rings. ―Only a priest or a deacon may
258
A liturgical procession is not described, nor any greeting at the door. These are not excluded by the
rubrics. However, the emphasis is given to the fact that when everyone gathered, a warm greeting takes
place.
259
The conditions for celebrating more than one marriage at the same time are repeated, as seen in ROCM,
nos. 58 and 92.
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 77
extend his hands for a blessing and make the sign of the cross with his hand.‖
260
The
prayer is similar to the Order for marriage with Mass. The couple each places a ring on
the other‘s finger declaring, if the circumstances suggest, a text similar to ROCM, no. 67.
Followed by the exchange of rings, all may sing a hymn of praise. The blessing and
giving of arras (coins) is not mentioned in the Order. The universal prayer follows.
Similar to the instruction given at the ROCM, two options are given: if communion is to
be distributed, the nuptial blessing comes next followed by the Lord‘s Prayer. If not, then
the assisting layperson recites a prayer new to the Order: ―God the Father will that his
children be of one heart in charity; let us call upon him in the prayer of God‘s family,
which out Lord Jesus Christ has taught us‖ (OCMI, no. 138). The Lord‘s Prayer follows,
and the Nuptial Blessing takes place. With hands joined, the assisting layperson asks all
to join in prayer, and all pray in silence. The couple kneels while the assisting layperson
recites a prayer of blessing with hands joined. Antonio distinguishes the significance of
the gesture ―hands joined‖ of the assisting layperson in relation to the ―hands extended‖
by the priest in the following words:
―While giving the blessing, ordained presiders extend their hands over
the spouses. Lay presiders keep their hands joined as they chant or
recite the ascriptions of praise and collect. The extension of hands,
without a doubt, highlights the epicletic character of the prayer. One
can easily call to mind some parallels, such as the use of the gesture at
the recitation of the Last Supper narrative in the Eucharist or in
conjunction with the solemn prayer of blessing during priestly and
episcopal ordinations. It signifies quite palpably the coming down of
the Holy Spirit and the Sprit‘s gifts. Some, however, have voiced their
dissatisfaction over the attempt to clearly distinguish the ordained from
the lay presider in the instruction that the latter is to pronounce the
nuptial blessing over the spouses with joined hands.‖
261
In the prayer for the Nuptial Blessing, there are three sections for the blessing, each of
which blesses the Father, Son, and Spirit. The people responds with the prayer ―Blessed
be God forever,‖ to each section of the Nuptial Blessing. Then the assisting layperson
concludes with an oration to which all respond, ―Amen‖ (OCMI, no. 140).
The Communion is distributed when it is suggested.
262
A suitable chant may be sung
during the Communion, and a sacred silence may be observed for a while or a
psalm/canticle may be sung after the Communion. The assisting layperson concludes the
rite by signing himself or herself with the cross while saying a concluding Trinitarian
formula: ―May God fill us with joy and hope in believing. May the peace of Christ reign
260
Paul Turner, The Inseparable Love, 200.
261
Antonio, An Inculturation Model of the Catholic Marriage Ritual, 67.
262
―Communion should probably not be included if one of the partners is not Catholic and if many of the
people in attendance would not be receiving communion. If this is a part of the world where priests are
few and the celebration of the Eucharist is scarce, however, then it may be a good opportunity for
faithful Catholics to receive.‖ Turner, The Inseparable Love, 203.
78 Analysis of the Roman Marriage Rite
in our hearts. May the Holy Spirit pour out his gifts upon us‖ (OCMI, no. 150). All
answer ―Amen‖. The celebration may end with a suitable chant. The marriage document
is to be signed, but not on the altar (OCMI, no. 151).
In analyzing the different forms of marriage rites of the Roman Church, it is certainly no
exaggeration to affirm that a great similarity exists among them in structure and text.
Each of the rites places the celebration of marriage within the Liturgy of the Word,
providing opportunities for Scripture readings. Each rite consists of the four main
elements: the consent, the exchange of vows, an exchange of rings and the blessing of
the couple. Hence, the central and essential elements of marriage rites have given greater
significance in every rite of marriage. Each rite differs in a way that it gives a different
form of a text or structure of the liturgy. Further, each also emphasizes or focuses on the
role of the community and the role of the minister of the ceremony. Again, they differ in
the significance and placement of the Nuptial Blessing in the liturgy of marriage, as seen
in the liturgy of marriage between Catholic and a catechumen or a non-Christian.
Concluding Remarks
The purpose of this chapter was to provide an overall view of the history of the Roman
Rite of marriage and to analyse its structure and text in order to unveil the liturgical
theology of marriage envisioned in the Roman Church. Thus, the first part provided a
brief evaluation of the history of the rite of marriage and explored that through the
history of the past twenty centuries. Marked by certain moments of transition, the
Christian rite of marriage attained a uniquely Christian character after each phase of its
evolution. As of today, this long evolution has culminated in the 1991 Ordo Celebrandi
Matrimonium, with a definitively Christian structure and content. Looking from the
perspective of the structure of the ROCM, it is in continuity with the long evolution of
the rite of marriage, even though the novelty in the ROCM stems from the specificity,
clarity and emphasis that the revision has given to certain aspects of the rite of the
celebration of marriage. In general, the ROCM begins with the liturgical procession and
continues through the Liturgy of the Word with a homily, invitation, declaration and
reception of the consent, and exchange of rings. These are followed by the liturgy of the
Eucharist, which is characterized by the nuptial blessing after the Our Father and the
solemn blessing at the end of the celebration. The noticeable changes and the significant
additions are the integration of two alternative forms for the entrance procession, which
has become essential for all marriages, and the inclusion of two eulogies by the
congregation. The first of these eulogies comes after the declaration of the consent, and
the second after the exchange of rings. This inclusion of two eulogies is significant in
that they ensure the active participation of the congregation. Further, the ROCM strongly
recommends the exchange of peace with a proper sign and, again differing from the
Analysis of the Roman Rite of Marriage 79
provisional tone of the OCM, the ROCM strongly recommends that communion be given
in both species to the couple.
From the perspective of the textual analysis, the text of the ROCM is remarkably
enriched by the integration of insights from the most recent magisterial teachings
relevant to marriage. The ROCM clearly articulated in its prayers and blessings at once
the covenantal character of marriage, its indissolubility, and the responsibilities of
partners, such as mutual love and fidelity and the procreation and education of children.
All these legitimately assert and clearly express a spouse-centred character of the
sacrament of marriage. Thus, this chapter offered a detailed discussion of how the
sacrament of marriage is being celebrated and practiced today in the Roman Rite and
how the dignity and value of marriage, of the spouses, and of family protected, sustained,
and nurtured through the rite of marriage proper to this particular rite of the Catholic
Church.
In analyzing the different forms of marriage rites of the Roman Church, it is certainly no
exaggeration to affirm that a great similarity exists among them in structure and text.
Each of the rites places the celebration of marriage within the Liturgy of the Word
providing opportunities for Scripture readings. Each rite consists of the four main
elements: the consent, the exchange of vows, an exchange of rings and the blessing of
the couple. Hence, the central and essential elements of marriage rites have given greater
significance in every rite of marriage. Each rite differs in a way that it gives a different
form of a text or the way how the liturgy is structured. Further, it also emphasizes or
focuses on the role of the community and the role of the minister of the ceremony.
Again, they differ in the significance and placement of the Nuptial Blessing in the liturgy
of marriage as seen in the liturgy of marriage between Catholic and a Catechumen or a
Non-Christian.
Having discussed the profoundly symbolic richness and meaning of the textual prayers
as well as the rituals and actions of ROCM, it is proved that the in-depth study of the
ROCM is very important for the overall goal of our research, namely, to identify the
uniqueness of the Roman Rite of marriage and to make a synthesis of liturgical theology
of marriage that could be drawn out from the wedding liturgies of West and East. It will
further contribute to the general research area of our project: a comparison of different
liturgies of marriage. Having completed the discussion of the Roman Rite, the next
chapter will discuss our second primary source, the Rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar
Church.
CHAPTER 2
THE SYRO-MALABAR RITE OF MARRIAGE:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction
Having completed the discussion of the Roman Rite of marriage, the present chapter is
an attempt to discuss the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage representing the East Syrian
liturgical tradition.
1
In a similar manner to the first chapter, this chapter will deal with
some specific questions: How is the sacrament of marriage being celebrated and
practiced today in the Syro-Malabar Church? How are the dignity and value of marriage,
of the spouses, and of the family protected, sustained, and nurtured through the rite of
marriage proper to this particular rite of the Catholic Church? By discovering the
profound symbolic richness and meaning of the textual prayers as well as the rituals and
actions of SMB, how can a liturgical theology of marriage be drawn out from the
wedding liturgy?
The goal of this chapter is to contribute to the general research area of our project:
developing a theology of marriage by a comparative study of the different liturgies of
marriage representing the Eastern and Western liturgical traditions of the Catholic
Church. The chapter is divided into three parts. The evolution of the SMB is a long
process marking significant editions in the liturgy of marriage. Thus, the first will discuss
very briefly the origin and development of the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage. The rite of
marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church has two parts for its celebration: betrothal and
marriage. Consequently, the second section will discuss very briefly how the celebration
of the rite of betrothal takes place in the Church. Focusing more on the text and the
structure of SMB, the third part will explore the structure and the textual elements of the
rite of marriage in a detailed manner.
2.1. A Brief History of the Rite of Marriage
There are three significant phases in the development of the rite of marriage of the Syro-
Malabar Church.
2
The Church in India, especially the Malabar Coast, the southwestern
part of India, had been ―a single community with a single form of worship‖ and ―[its]
own cultural and ecclesiastical traditions.‖
3
Till the end of the 16th century the rite of
1
As already mentioned, the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage is abbreviated as SMB.
2
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 263. For a detailed
understanding of the historical development of the liturgical ceremonies, see Thaliath, The Synod of
Diamper, 15.
3
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 261. There are a number of references that shows the direct
82 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
marriage of the St. Thomas Christians had been based mainly on the East-Syrian
liturgical tradition though symbols and customs from the Indian culture had been
incorporated into the rite of marriage of the East-Syrian tradition.
4
The Second Council
of Goa in 1585 declared that the Latin liturgy of marriage should be translated into
Syriac resulting in a Syriac Version of the Latin text for the marriage celebration of the
St. Thomas Christians.
5
The Portuguese era in India significantly marked the intervention
of their missionaries ―with the ecclesiastical life and discipline‖ of the St. Thomas
Christians to the extent that ―the Thomas Christians of Malabar were deprived of their
hierarchy and put under Latin Prelates from 1599 to 1896.‖
6
Thus, although the Thomas
Christians in India used to follow the same liturgical celebration of the East-Syrian rite,
with the influence of the missionaries from the Latin Church, the Latin liturgical
tradition intruded into the liturgical ceremonies of the St. Thomas Christians. At the end
of the Synod of Diamper, all the liturgical texts of the St. Thomas Christians were burned
to ashes. Hence, one of the challenging issues for the liturgical scholars and researcher is
that ―no text of the Malabar liturgy prior to the synod of Diamper has so far been found,
and therefore we have no means of knowing the exact form of the rite then in use.‖
7
After the Diamper Synod the texts of the liturgy were printed in Rome in 1774 and 1844
in a Latin translation. Referring to the texts for the Eucharist, Brightman states they
―contain the ordo communis, the lections (Apostles and gospels),
8
and the anaphora of
the Apostles, have been purged of real or supposed nestorianisms, and considerably
dislocated by de Menezes and the Synod of Diamper 1599.‖
9
relation between the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala.
Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 3.
4
Pauly Maniyattu, one of the liturgical scholars of the Syro-Malabar Church, suggests that there is a lack
of evidence to prove ―that St. Thomas Christians ever had a liturgy of marriage entirely identical to the
East Syrian ritual. Though their marriage liturgy had an essentially East Syrian structure, the St. Thomas
Christians differed from the East Syrians in a number of elements of the marriage celebration.‖ Pauly
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage by the St. Thomas Christians in India,‖
in Studies on the Liturgies of the Christian East: Selected Papers of the Third International Congress of
the Society of Oriental Liturgy, Volos, May 26-30, 2010, ed. Steven Hawkes-Teeples, Bert Groen, and
Stefanos Alexopoulos (Leuven: Peeters, 2010), 173.
5
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 141.
6
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 261.
7
Webb, ―The Versions of the Malabar Liturgy and the Mass,‖ 43.
8
In the East Syrian tradition the second or third bible reading is taken only from the letters of St. Paul and,
thus, the Epistle reading is also called the Apostle which is peculiar to this tradition when compared to
the other liturgical traditions. Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean
Church,‖ 205; Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖
268. In order to distinguish it specifically hereafter the term the Apostle will put in italics to show it
means the Epistle reading.
9
F. E. Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, Being the Texts Original or Translated of the Principal
Liturgies of the Church (London: Oxford University Press, 1895), lxxviii. It is also cited in H. W.
Codrington, ―Studies of the Syrian Liturgies,‖ (London: Coldwell, 1952), 86.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 83
The liturgical text for the celebration of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony of the Syro-
Malabar Church currently in use, The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, was
promulgated and published on 1 December 2004.
10
According to the rubrics, the rite of
marriage takes place along with the Qurbana, the Eucharist.
11
The celebration of
marriage together with Eucharist in the Syro-Malabar Church is an amendment that came
into effect after the Second Vatican Council. As already discussed in the first chapter,
one of the striking innovations of Sacrosanctum Concilium with regard to the renewal of
the rite of marriage is its proposal to place the celebration of marriage within the
Eucharist. This suggestion is stated explicitly in that ―Marriage should normally be
celebrated during the mass‖ (SC 78). As in the ROCM, this stipulation also had an
impact on the Syro-Malabar Church and resulted in celebrating the sacrament of
marriage within the Eucharistic celebration. An option for the celebration of the
sacrament of Matrimony without Eucharist is also provided.
Summarizing the history of the development of the liturgy of marriage in the Syro-
Malabar Church, there are three phases. The first phase was considered as a period where
a close relation to the East Syrian liturgical tradition was traceable. The second phase
recognizes the influence of the Latin liturgical tradition in the East Syrian liturgy which
was then followed by the Thomas Christians. The third phase points to the period of
liturgical revision after the Second Vatican Council resulting in the formation of the new
text in 2004.
10
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church (Kakkanad: Commission
for Liturgy, 2007). It consists of Sacraments of Infant Baptism and Chrismation, Sacraments of Adult
Baptism and Chrismation, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and Sacrament
of Anointing of the Sick. Thomas Mannooramparambil, The History of the Formation of the New Text of
the Sacraments in the Syro-Malabar Church (Kottayam: OIRSI India, 2011), 66; Pauly Maniyattu,
―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage by the St. Thomas Christians in India,‖ in Studies
on the Liturgies of the Christian East: Selected Papers of the Third International Congress of the Society
of Oriental Liturgy, Volos, May 26-30, 2010, ed. Steven Hawkes-Teeples, Bert Groen, and Stefanos
Alexopoulos (Leuven: Peeters, 2010), 173; Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude
Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 143. For a detailed understanding see Jonas Thaliath, The
Synod of Diamper (Rome: Pontificium Institutum Orientalium Studiorum, 1958); James Hough, ed., The
History of Christianity in India from the Commencement of the Christian Era (London: Seeley and
Burnside, 1860); Eugène Tisserant, Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-Malabar Church
from the Earliest Time to the Present Day, trans. Edouard R Hambye (London: Longmans, 1957);
Charles Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ in La Celebrazione Cristiana del Matrimonio, Simboli
e Testi, ed. P. Giustino Farnedi (Roma: Pontificio Ateneo S. Anselmo, 1986); Thomas
Mannooramparambil, The History of the Formation of the New Text of the Sacraments in the Syro-
Malabar Church (Kottayam: OIRSI India, 2011), 60.
11
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church (Kakkanad: Commission for Liturgy, 2007), 126.
According to the East Syrian Tradition, the liturgy of marriage was celebrated separately. George Percy
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals (London: Darf, 1987), 244-281; Jose Kochuparampil,
―Theology of Raze: Mysteries of the Church in the East Syriac Tradition,‖ in East Syriac Theology: An
Introduction, ed. Pauly Maniyattu (Satna (M.P), India: Ephrem‘s Publication, 2007), 264; Payngot, ―The
Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 263; 268.
84 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
2.2. The Rite of Betrothal in the Syro-Malabar Church
Betrothal, also known as engagement, is a promise that is made between a man and a
woman before the celebration of the marriage. According to the custom of the Syro-
Malabar Church the liturgical celebration of engagement and the wedding are separated
by a period of time.
12
According to the particular law of the Syro-Malabar Church the
betrothal has to be solemnized ―sufficiently in advance in order to give time for the
publication of marriage banns.‖
13
According to the present liturgical text for the betrothal, the bridegroom and the bride
come to the Church with two witnesses and their relatives. The liturgical service of the
betrothal begins with the Lord‘s Prayer followed by the doxology. The opening prayer is
recited by the priest. It beseeches God to bless those who have come to publicly proclaim
their consent to accept God‘s invitation to enter into marriage and to live a life of unity
of heart and indivisible love. It also prays to grant them the grace to prepare for an
exemplary married life. After the prayer, lāku mārā
14
and the trisagion are sung
followed by the recitation of Psalm 116. Afterwards, the word of God is proclaimed: a
reading from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians, chapter 13: 1-7 and the Gospel of
St. John, chapter 15: 9-12. Intercessions for the engaged persons follows after the liturgy
of the Word. The most important part of the betrothal is the marriage promise exchanged
between the couples. Thus, the priest announces the significance of the betrothal by
unveiling the basic sacramental nature of marriage, that human marriage is based on the
mystical marriage between Christ and the Church: loving the Church as His bride, Christ
laid down his life for her and, responding to His love, the Church has shown her fidelity
to Him. Thus, the priest informs the persons to proclaim their consent publicly after
understanding the sacramental nature of marriage and deciding to enter into marriage
with full knowledge and consent. After the instruction, the priest calling their names
respectively asks the bridegroom and then the bride: ―Do you promise to accept (Name)
as your wife/husband according to the law of Christ and according to the custom of the
12
Koikara, The Sacredness of Marriage & Family, 83. ―Except in the Chaldean rite where they are
completely merged into one, all Eastern rites distinguish clearly between an office or Betrothal, or ‗of
the ring‘, and an office of marriage, or ‗of the crowning‘; but to avoid the inconvenience arising from
civil legislation which made Betrothal an indissoluble contract, the two offices have for centuries
normally been joined as a single rite.‖ Dalmais, The Eastern Liturgies, 121-124. We will discuss the
individual rites of Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara when we deal with them in the forthcoming
chapters.
13
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 164. Banns are
published on three Sundays or days of obligation during the Eucharistic service in the parish churches of
the engaged persons. Publication of the banns can be dispensed: ―The parish priest is competent to
dispense from one of the banns and the Protopresbyter from two. Dispensation from all the three banns
is to be granted only by the local hierarch.‖ Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the
Syro-Malabar Church, can. 174.
14
This is a thanksgiving hymn peculiar to Eastern Churches and a detailed analysis and discussion of this
prayer is given in the following section, 2.3.1.8.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 85
holy Church?‖
15
As a response to the question, they express their consent for the
marriage. The priest further confirms it by asking the witnesses to state that they have
witnessed the declarations of the engaged. He further blesses the couple with the prayer
that God may bless them to fulfill their promise of marriage, and he then showers holy
water on the engaged couple. The priest next blesses the rings with a prayer that the
couple will wear them as a symbol of their marriage promise. Thereafter, the engaged
couple exchange the blessed rings.
The betrothal ceremony concludes with the final blessing by which the priest blesses the
engaged couple asking that Christ who blessed the couple at Cana with His presence will
also bless this couple to experience His presence in their life, trust in His love and with a
prayerful heart prepare earnestly for marriage. The priest also prays that God may bless
the engaged couple to uphold their promise to marriage and enter into the sacrament of
marriage in love and hope with a prepared mind and heart. He also prays that they may
be blessed with inner beauty and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Finally, he blesses the
parents of the engaged couple and all the ecclesial community. The blessing prayer is
concluded with the sign of the cross. The celebration of betrothal has to be documented
in the register and be signed by the engaged persons, witnesses and the presided priest or
deacon.
16
As already mentioned, banns are proclaimed in the Church three times after the
engagement. Discussing on the significance of betrothal in the Eastern Churches the
Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches stipulates that ―[t]he specific meaning of the rite of Engagement is
to express the consent of the future spouses, while that of the crowns has more directly
the scope of introducing them into the fullness of matrimonial life. The rite of
Engagement does not consist of simple promises but rather of a definitive pledge.‖
17
Thus, the period after the engagement provides an opportunity to prepare for the
marriage and to announce to the community that he/she intends to marry soon with an
another person. The couple will also know the support of the family and the society in
15
The Order for the Betrothal (Vivaha Vagdanathinnulla Kramam_ Malayalam) (Kochi: Mar Louis
Publications, 2008), 11.
16
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 167.
17
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1996
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/instruction-for-applying-the-liturgical-prescriptions-of-the-
code-of--canons-of-the-eastern-churches-2257 (accessed 23 April 2020), § 85; See also The Order for the
Betrothal (Vivaha Vagdanathinnulla Kramam_ Malayalam), 11; Koikara, The Sacredness of Marriage &
Family, 83.
86 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
their preparation for marriage.
18
―For the Orientals, the betrothal, thus, does not mean
merely a promise of future marriage, but is considered as the beginning of marriage,
‗Matrimonium Initiatum‘ which implies the marriage bond.‖
19
Thus, engagement
between a man and a woman is a promise to marriage. Consequently, it has a binding
character and the engagement ring symbolizing a seal on their promise to marry takes on
a significant role in the betrothal. However, celebration of betrothal does not provide the
right for the cohabitation and consummation by the spouses until after the celebration of
marriage. Thus, being the initiation for the indissoluble unity of love and life, betrothal
occupies a central role in the celebration of marriage in the Syro-Malabar church.
Therefore, as insisted by the Church, ―it is not appropriate for the Engagements to be
celebrated superficially or at the beginning of plans of matrimony.‖
20
The aforementioned discussions provide a general framework for the liturgy of marriage
by discussing a brief history of the rite of marriage and the celebration of the betrothal in
the Syro-Malabar Church. With this general background finished, the next section will
explore the rite of marriage of SMB in detail.
2.3. The Rites of Marriage
When the rite of marriage is celebrated with the Eucharist, the general structure of the
rite of marriage is as follows:
2.3.1. Introductory Rites
The introductory section of the liturgy of marriage starts with the solemn beginning
along with the liturgical procession and concludes with the prayer after the lāku mārā.
The purpose of this section is to find out the meaning and significance of the initial
prayers and rituals disposing the bride and the bridegroom together with the liturgical
assembly to celebrate the sacrament of marriage.
2.3.1.1. The Liturgical Procession
The celebration of marriage begins with the liturgical procession, and the text for the
sacrament of marriage gives a detailed instruction on the manner of the procession.
18
Harcus, ―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 49.
19
Koikara, The Sacredness of Marriage & Family, 84. The East Syrian authors give prominence to the
betrothal and Edakalathur mentions that Timothy I emphasizes the solemn nature of betrothal and for
Timothy I ―betrothal, a solemn covenant unto death, is established through the mediation of the priest,
deacon (or the bishop) and at least three Christian faithful. For the validity of the sacrament the presence
of a priest and the cross is essential. […] Separation after the betrothal is permitted only for serious
reasons.‖ As cited by Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 80.
20
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 85.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 87
―The bride and the bridegroom, accompanied by the relatives and
friends, enter the Church through the main door and proceed to the
Bēmā. With the proper liturgical vestments on and flanked by the
servers, the celebrant proceeds to the Bēmā from the sacristy.
Meanwhile, the choir sings the opening hymn. When the procession
reaches the Bēmā, the deacon receives the Thali, Manthrakodi
21
(rings,
rosaries, garlands, etc.) and places them on the table. Keeping the right
and the left respectively, the bride and the groom, flanked by two
witnesses, stand in front of the Bēmā‖ (SMB, 125-126).
This instruction on the liturgical procession gives the idea that the liturgy of marriage
begins with two parallel processions. On the one hand, the bride and the bridegroom
together with their relatives and friends enter the Church through the main door
22
and
proceed to the Bēmā,
23
the celebrant of the sacrament with the liturgical vestments
flanked by the ministers proceeds to the Bēmā from the sacristy, on the other. The
entrance hymn is sung by the choir during these processions.
A comparison with the liturgical procession for the Eucharist may provide the
significance of the liturgical procession during the marriage celebration. Gabriel Qatraya
gives a record of the procession from sanctuary to bēmā in the East Syriac Qurbana.
24
He
21
Thali and Manthrakodi are the two unique symbols of the Syro-Malabar marriage and a detailed
discussion of these symbols is given in the following sections: (section no 2.3.3.4 and 2.3.3.5). In the
liturgical text itself, the term manthrakodi is spelled differently. For the consistency throughout the text,
it is used as manthrakodi.
22
Edakalathur makes it clear and specific that ―the spouses enter the Church through the western doors.‖
Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 157; Thomas Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar
Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam (Malayalam), 2 vols., vol. 1 (Kottayam: OIRSI Publications, 2004),
50-60.
23
Bēmā has a unique role in the liturgical understanding of the space in the East Syrian liturgical tradition.
It is considered as ―[t]he sanctuary, in the middle of which is located the square tone altar, an
arrangement that has been in general use at Constantinople since the 6th century.‖ Peter Day, ed. The
Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (Tunbridge Wells: Burns and Oates, 1993), 35. In other
words, bēmā in the East Syriac tradition ―is a raised platform in the middle of the haykalā [Church]. In
the Eucharistic celebration, for liturgy of the Word and for some other rites the celebrant and other
ministers remain on the bēmā. An altar for the Gospel and Cross is placed in the middle of the bēmā and
the Episcopal throne and seats for priests and other ministers are arranged on the bēmā.‖ Jean Mathew,
Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana According to Gabiel Qatraya: A Liturgical and
Theological Analysis of Gabriel Qatraya‟s Commentary on the Office of the Mysteries (Kottayam:
OIRSI, India, 2012), 53. Pauly Maniyattu, Heaven on Earth: The Theology of Liturgical Spacetime in
the East Syrian Qurbana (Rome: Mar Thoma Yogam, 1995), 164. Codrington, ―Studies of the Syrian
Liturgies,‖ 66; Pauly Maniyattu, ―Theology of Syro-Malabar Qurbana,‖ in Mar Thoma Maragam: The
Ecclesial Heritage of the St Thomas Christians, ed. Andrews George Mekkattukunnel (Kottayam: OIRSI
Publications, 2012), 257.
24
Gabriel Qatraya Bar Lipah is one of the earliest liturgical commentators of the East Syrian Church and
dates back to the seventh century. His commentary on the liturgy of the Eucharist is considered one of
the official interpretations of the East Syrian Eucharistic liturgy. English translations of the commentary
on the Eucharist are provided by Fr. Placid J. Podipara and Sebastian Brock. The translation given by
Sebastian Brock will be used in this dissertation. There is an inconsistency in the spelling of this author‘s
name. While Sebastian P. Brock writes as Gabriel of Qatar, most of other authors write it as Gabriel of
Qatraya. In order to keep the consistency in this work, we will follow it as Qatraya, if it is not a direct
quotation or heading of the work. Sebastian P. Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖
Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 6, no. 2 (2009), 197-248; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East
Syriac Qurbana, 53.
88 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
explains that ―the going out of the Cross from the sanctuary‖ and ―the ascent of the Cross
to the bēmā in the company of deacons and priests‖ signifies ―the procession with the
Cross and its enthronement on bēmā.‖
25
In this procession, more importance is given to
the Cross than to the priests and other ministers, because, according to Gabriel of
Qatraya, the Cross symbolizes Christ. Offering details on the liturgical procession,
another commentary on the Eucharist presents how the liturgical procession at the
beginning of the Eucharist takes place. The celebrant and the ministers are positioned for
the procession according to their ranks. The two deacons go forth first empty-handed,
after that come the subdeacons who carry lanterns, and after them come the deacons
carrying candles and censer. They are followed by the deacons carrying the Cross, and
the Gospel, and finally the bishop with the archdeacon on his left. During the procession
from the sanctuary to bēmā, onithā d-qanke is sung by the choir.
26
The same manner is
observed in today‘s Syro-Malabar Eucharistic procession at the beginning of the liturgy
with the Cross, the Gospel and the candles.
27
Comparing the Eucharistic procession with the liturgical procession at the sacrament of
marriage points out that, during the liturgy of marriage, it is not the Cross that is carried
in a solemn manner during the procession. Instead, the thali, and the mantrakodi, (rings,
rosaries, garlands, etc.) are carried by the relatives of the bride and bridegroom. They are
received by the deacon who places them on the middle of the table at the bēmā. Thus, in
the sacrament of marriage, significant emphasis is given to the unique position of the
marriage symbols, unveiling their significance not only in the liturgy of marriage but
also in the married couple. The instruction at the beginning of the celebration also
emphasizes the position of bride and groom for the celebration of the sacrament by
stating that ―[k]eeping the right and the left respectively, the bride and the groom, […]
stand in front of the Bēmā‖ (SMB, 126). The bride standing to the right of the
bridegroom is one of the specific characteristics of the East Syrian Tradition.
28
While
discussing the complementarity of the sexes, Isho‘dad of Merv gives an explanation of
the significance of the right side of man in relation to marriage.
―She [Eve] was formed neither the front side of Adam, so that one
should not think that God gave her an equal power; nor the back side,
so that one should not think that God made her in a state of subjection.
She did not come from the head of Adam, so that woman may not
25
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 207.
26
Bishop of Mosul and Arbel Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, ed. Robert Matheus,
trans., R. H. Connolly (Kottayam: OIRSI, 2000), 33-34; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude
Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 50.
27
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 54.
28
Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, where the author emphasizes the position of the
bride ―at the right of the groom before the altar.‖ He also refers to the Jewish and Hindu custom of
placing the bride on the right of the husband when the marriage rites are performed. Edakalathur,
Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 157.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 89
dominate man. God took a rib from the right side to show that woman
is equal to man in nature and she is half a creature, for every creature is
limited by two sides. The right side that covers the ribs indicates the
protection for her from man; because it was ordained for man to love
his wife as his own body (Eph 5:28).‖
29
From these two images which refer to the significance of the right side, one could infer
the importance of the bride being on the right side of the bridegroom for the liturgical
ceremony of marriage.
As the sacrament begins through this hymn, the ecclesial community together with the
symphony of the cherubim prays for the couple that they may be one in love and fidelity.
Additionally, it recalls some of the most important moments in salvation history. First,
the blessing of the first couple, Adam and Eve, by the heavenly Father at the Home of
Eden, qualified as the paradise of Peace. Second, it mentions the Sinai Covenant by
which Israel has become the bride of God. Third, it signals the covenant between Christ
and the Church. Reminding everyone of old and new covenants, the hymn invites the
bride and the bridegroom to grow in the grace of God and become a new family in the
Church through the sacrament of love. The introductory hymn makes the procession
more meaningful with its deepest theological implications and biblical references.
Summarizing the liturgical procession, we could affirm that the instruction on the
procession at the beginning of the ceremony of marriage is meticulous and informatory.
It is meticulous since, step by step, it clearly provides an overall picture of the manner
this liturgical procession should take place. It is informatory since it introduces the
symbols and liturgical elements that are going to be used for the liturgy of marriage and
anticipates their significant role in the celebration of marriage. Additionally, the
liturgical procession unveils the theological and biblical images in a coherent manner.
Having discussed the structure and the theological implications of the liturgical
procession the next section will take up the beginning prayers of the rite.
2.3.1.2. The Angelic Hymn: Gloria in Excelsis
The liturgical service of the sacrament of marriage begins with the angelic hymn, ―Glory
to God in the highest, and peace to people on earth.‖ This is a solemn form of the
beginning of the Eucharistic celebration and most of the other liturgical services in the
Oriental Churches.
30
It is typical for the East Syrian liturgical tradition.
31
The oldest
29
It is the translation given by Edakalatur for the original text of Isho‘dad of Merv. Edakalathur, Marriage
in the East Syrian Tradition, 63. See also, Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of
Marriage,‖ 172.
30
For the celebration of sacraments, except the sacrament of Reconciliation, the liturgical services begin
with the angelic hymn. The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, p.13 for Infant Baptism and
Chrismation; p.80 for Adult Baptism and Chrismation; p.127 for the Sacrament of Marriage; p.152 for
the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. See also, Patros Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the
90 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
manuscripts testify that from the 15th century this angelic hymn was recited at the
beginning of the East Syrian Eucharistic celebration.
32
However, it is not of recent origin
in the liturgical celebrations as it had already been present in some of the ancient
Oriental liturgical services.
33
This exordium at the beginning of the liturgical ceremony reminds the whole liturgical
assembly the event of salvation realized in Jesus Christ which is proclaimed through the
hymn of the angels. According to one of the recent biblical commentaries, the literal
meaning of the first part of the hymn of the angels is ―Glory in (the) highest to God.‖
34
Thus, through the angelic hymn God is praised in the liturgy. Praising God as proclaimed
by the angel at the divine dispensation as seen in the Gospel of Luke 2: 14, ―sums up the
joy of the Good News united to God‘s glorification: two fundamental themes of any
religious service, but especially of Mass which represents as we saw the divine
dispensation in Jesus Christ.‖
35
When the celebrant begins the celebration with the
Gloria in excelsis, the whole congregation responds with a solemn Amen.
36
According to
Theodore of Mopsuestia, the term Amen ―signifies agreement with and confirmation of
the prayer of the priest,‖ and he asserts that the liturgical assembly ―must make use of
Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ in The Eucharistic Liturgy in the Christian East, ed. John Madey
(Kottayam: Prakasam Publications, 1982), 197; Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian
Liturgy; Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 18; Codrington, ―Studies of the
Syrian Liturgies,‖ 66.
31
Nikolaus Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, trans., David Heimann
(Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1962), 266.
32
The exact time for the usage of this section in the beginning of the Eucharist is a matter of discussion.
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 19; ―Not mentioned by the Commentators
but found in MS from 15th c., and probably not universally used in the mass at that period, since it is
absent from other MS.‖ Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean
Church,‖ 197; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 71-72.
33
Yousif clearly points to different references to support this view: ―Anyhow, such a small part may be
used for a long time before being written, especially when we think that it is used in many other services
and in other Rites (esp. Maronite) which suggests to Fr. J. Mateos that it is very ancient, and Fr. P. E.
Gemayel argues that the nucleus of the somewhat longer Maronite formula is found in the Chaldean one
which sounds: ―Glory to God in the highest (repeat three times) and on earth peace and good hope to
men at all times for ever. Amen.‖ Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-
Chaldean Church,‖ 197.
34
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke (I-Ix) (New York (NY): Doubleday & Company,
1981), 410. According to Fitzmyer, ―[t]his hymnic formula is not found as such in the OT, but is based
on phrases about ‗giving glory‘ (doxan didonai) to God, i.e. honoring him, in such passages as Bar 2:17-
18; I Esdr 9:8; 46 Macc 1:12.Cf.Rom 11:36; Heb 13:21. The glory referred to here differs from the doxa
kyriou, ‗the glory of the Lord‘ (2:9), which expresses the perceptible manifestation of God‘s presence.
The formula used here is, rather, close to that in Ps. Sol. 18:10, ‗Great is our God and glorious
(endoxos), dwelling in the highest‘ (abodes, i.e. the heights of heaven).‖ Fitzmyer, The Gospel
According to Luke, 410.
35
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 197.
36
The term Amen ―originates from the root ―MN‖ and the verb form aman means confirm, support and the
derivative meanings are: a) faithfulness, b) confirmed and made firm; c) verified; d) reliable, faithful,
trusty (trustworthy); e) trust. Believe, stand firm etc.‖ Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian
Liturgy, 20.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 91
this word to signify their agreement with the prayers and the thanksgiving of the
priest.‖
37
Consequently, through this exordium the ecclesial community together with the
celebrant praises God and, thereby, becomes the replica of the heavenly Church which
unceasingly praises and glorifies God through the hymn of the angels. In other words,
the heavenly Church is pre-figured in the earthly Church during the liturgical celebration
through the unending praise.
38
The second part of the angelic hymn is followed by the
priest proclaiming ―[p]eace and hope to people on earth, always and forever‖ (SMB,
127). Commentators on the liturgy argue that ―the terms peace and good hope in the
context of liturgical assembly may be then understood as referring to the realized
salvation and eschatological salvation respectively.‖
39
As Nikolaus Liesel comments
―[t]he Chaldeans are very fond of repetition‖
40
and the Gloria in Excelsis is repeated
three times. The introductory prayer, hence, provides an opportunity to praise and
worship God raising the liturgical assembly to be the replica of the heavenly Church.
2.3.1.3. The Lord‟s Prayer with Qanona
After the Gloria in excelsis, the Lord‘s prayer begins with a qanona. Qanona is a unique
liturgical form of the East-Syrian tradition before Our Father in Heaven.
41
Through
Qanona the liturgical community repeatedly praises God who is Holy. The Qanona
before the Lord‘s Prayer during the wedding ceremony reads as follows:
Holy be Your name, Your kingdom come. Holy, holy, holy are You.
Our Father in Heaven, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Our
Father in heaven, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Angels and
people sing out Your Glory; Holy, holy, holy are you‖ (SMB, 127).
42
The Qanona before the Lord‘s prayer is present at the commencement of all liturgical
celebrations in the East Syrian tradition and is a combination of the biblical references
taken from Isaiah (6:3), Matthew (6:9-13), Luke (11:2-4), and Revelation (4:8). The
37
Theodore of Mopsuestia, ―Commentary of Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Lord‘s Prayer and on the
Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist,‖ ed. Alphonse Mingana (Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons Ltd,
1933), 89.
38
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 19.
39
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 24; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar
Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 80-82.
40
Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 244.
41
Qanona before the Lord‘s Prayer is very peculiar to the East Syrian Liturgy. Mannooramparampil, Syro-
Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 94. The liturgical dictionary describes the qanona as
―[a]n audible conclusion to an otherwise silent prayer, which roughly corresponds to a Byzantine
ekphonesis, or audible conclusion. The qanona is sometimes accompanied by the clash of cymbals.‖
Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 247. The term ekphonesis literally means
―‗lifting of the voice.‘ The last words of the prayer, which are said or sung aloud when the preceding
part has been said silently.‖ Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 80.
42
According to the Chaldean liturgy, the Lord‘s prayer is recited while ―paraphrasing its various petitions
with exclamations of praise. Alternating verses, priest and server continue with three short psalms, (14,
150, 116), each introduced and concluded by an antiphon.‖ Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the
Eastern Churches, 244.
92 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
formal introduction of the qanona before the Lord‘s Prayer is ascribed to Timothy I,
although it might have been already in use.
43
The song of the seraphim which Isaiah
heard in the Temple--Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory-
-occupies a significant place in both the Jewish and Christian Liturgy. There are many
references to it in the early Christian writings, but neither Jewish nor Christian sources
tell us definitely when Isaiah 6:3 was first used liturgically. Gabriel Qatraya comments
that the qanona “is a symbol of the sanctification (of Christ) by the angels who
accompanied him during his entire dispensation‖ as written in the Gospel of Matthew
that ―angels approached and were ministering to him‖ (Matt: 4.11).
44
One of the oldest
liturgical commentaries suggests that the qanona was introduced into the Lord‘s prayer
at the beginning and the end of the Eucharist by Patriarch Timothy I, and the manner it
was presented in the liturgy was done by Abdisho I.
45
The qanona insists on the
glorification of God that has begun with the angelic hymn by repeating God is holy and
the heaven and earth are filled with the Glory of God. Tertullian explains the significance
of the thrice holy hymn when he comments on Hallowed be thy name in the Lord‘s
Prayer. He says that human beings learn on earth to join the angelic hymn ―Holy, Holy,
Holy‖ through prayers which is their duty to bless God at all times and in all places.
46
The theme of the holy hymn could be considered as the uniting of the worship of the
Church on earth with the continuous praise of the celestial beings in heaven.
47
2.3.1.4. Opening Prayer (Slosa
48
)
After the Our Father the deacon invites the assembly with an invocation, ―Let us pray.
Peace be with us‖ (SMB, 129). This is a repeated invitation one can see throughout all
the liturgical ceremonies of the East Syrian Liturgy.
49
The deacon is considered as ―the
herald, the factor of the unity, and the guide of the Congregation for a good participation
in the services.‖
50
Calling the liturgical assembly for their active participation in the
liturgy, the deacon also wishes that the peace given by the risen Christ may abide with
43
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 27. There is a mention of its use even in the
Didache 8:2.
44
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 207; Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to
the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 203. In the East Syrian Eucharistic Liturgy the thrice-holy
hymn is recited five times: at the beginning and the end of the Lord‘s Prayer and at three other times: at
the introductory rites of the liturgy, at the Sanctus, and at the pre-communion acclamation.
45
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 37.
46
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 37.
47
Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of East Syrian Liturgy, 37.
48
The official prayer which is said by the priest for the liturgical assembly and for him is known as slosa
in Syriac. Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 125.
49
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 253; In the Chaldean liturgy the wish to abide in peace is
recited almost twelve times by the deacon. Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches,
244; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 86.
50
Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 124.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 93
the liturgical assembly.
51
After the invocation of the deacon a prayer by the priest begins
as follows:
―Lord God, You have called these servants to be united in holy
matrimony and to live in union of hearts. Graciously enrich this bride
and the groom with Your heavenly gifts. And help them form an ideal
family that observes Your commandments. Enable us, O Lord, to
administer this sacrament worthily for Your glory and for the good of
the whole human race. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Lord of
all, forever‖ (SMB, 129).
According to Yousif, this prayer by the priest must be considered as ―the formula
originally unique for the beginning of the celebration‖ and he suggests that ―it could be
recited secretly asking God‘s help for those who perform the celebration.‖
52
In the
Liturgy of Mar Addai and Mar Mari this prayer is read as follows:
―Strengthen, O Lord our God, our weakness in thy compassion that we
may administer the holy mysteries which were given for the renewal
and salvation of our nature by the mercy of thy beloved Son, Lord of
all, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, forever.‖
53
A comparison between these two prayers gives the understanding that the prayer for the
minister of the sacrament in the beginning of the ceremony is unique in the East Syrian
Tradition. In view of the sacrament of marriage, it also informs the participants that the
priest is the celebrant of the sacrament of marriage.
54
The prayer during the cerebration
of marriage specifies the importance of the day by relating it to the sacrament of
marriage. Three themes are unveiled in the prayer: first of all, the priest gives thanks to
the Lord for calling the new couple to be united in holy matrimony and to live in the
union of hearts. Following this, he prays to God to enrich the couple with heavenly gifts
so that they may be able to form ―an ideal family that observes God‘s commandments.‖
Again, as the minister of the sacrament of marriage, he asks the Lord to bless him so that
he may administer the sacrament worthily for the glory of God and the good of
humanity. Thus, this prayer serves as a pointer to the significance of the ceremony and as
an introduction to the union of the spouses that will take place through the sacrament of
marriage.
51
―The meaning of ‗peace‘ could include a variety of dimensions, deriving as it does from both the
Hebrew concept of shalom and the Greek notion of eirēnē. In some contexts, peace could simply mean
the absence of war, but in other settings it had to do with material and physical health and accord among
human beings. In Rabbinic tradition it often connoted notions of well-being and salvation.‖ Alicia J.
Batten, ―Peace Be with You,‖ Canadian Mennonite 18, no. 8 (Apr 14, 2014), 6.
52
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 202.
53
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 253.
54
There is a specific distinction between East and West in who ministers the sacrament, and we will
elaborate on this when we discuss the rites proper to the sacrament of marriage. See footnote 174 for
detailed reference.
94 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
2.3.1.5. Psalms 45 and 128
The opening prayer is followed by a set of two Psalms, Psalm 45, which is written in
relation to the celebration of the King, and Psalm 128, which contains God‘s blessing. In
the East Syrian Liturgy the section of two or three Psalms at the beginning of the
liturgical ceremonies is known as marmitha. The literal meaning for this Syriac term is
elevation.
55
Gabriel Qatraya presented the marmitha as the initial element of Mass.
56
In
the Eucharistic celebration and Vespers, the theme of marmitha varies according to the
liturgical seasons, and it is absent in some great solemnities.
57
It is recited while the veil
is shut and the sanctuary veil is drawn during the incensing ceremony after the marmitha.
In the celebration of marriage, the theme of marmitha is based on the Psalms 45 and 128.
Psalm 45 interprets the love relation between God and Israel. In the Old Testament, the
image of marriage is used to denote the relationship between God and the people of God
(Hos 1, 2, 3; Jer 2:2; 3:20, 22:20, 22; Is 16:1-8, 23; Is 54: 4; 62:4).
58
Psalm 128 clearly
depicts the ideal family. It details the role of the wife, husband and the children, the
principal components of family life. Each person in the family has his/her role for the
well-being of the family, and the psalm exhorts members of the family to realize their
duties and responsibilities and live accordingly in relation to the Church and the society.
In this way their family life will be a blessing.
59
At the beginning and end of the Psalm
two verses are repeated: ―[R]ejoice, O Church, the spouse of our Saviour. God the
Eternal has chosen you as His spouse by love‖ (SMB, 129-130). It is just like a refrain
and could be seen at the beginning and the end of marmitha.
60
Moving on to the end, the
hymn ends with the doxology, ―Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit.‖ Qatraya gives a meaningful commentary on this ending by making reference to
the Trinity. It follows:
―The fact that after these things we glorify Father, Son and Holy Spirit
is a demonstration of the revealing of the Trinity of holy Persons
(qnome) who were made known rational beings at the baptism of our
Lord; for when our Lord was baptized the Spirit in the bodily form of a
dove tabernacle (aggen) over his head, and the Father called our from
55
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 198. The liturgical
dictionary defines it as a ―section of the Psalter appointed to be read on a particular day; it approximates
the Western introit.‖ Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 181.
56
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 206; Arangassery, Ecclesial Dimensions of
East Syrian Liturgy, 78.
57
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 198.
58
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 144.
59
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 155.
60
The recitation of the Psalms ―each introduced and concluded by an antiphon‖ is a peculiar characteristic
of the Chaldean liturgy. Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 244; See also in the
Syro-Malabar Eucharistic liturgies, 266.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 95
on high: ‗This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased‘ (Matt
3:17 and par.).‖
61
Ending every hymn or prayer with the doxology is customary in the Syrian rites and
marks the significance given to the Trinity and their glorification in the Syrian liturgical
tradition. It also constantly reminds the liturgical assembly of the role of the Trinity in
their life.
2.3.1.6. The Blessing of the Incense and the Ritual of Incensing
After the psalms, the blessing of the incense in the name of the Trinity, the prayer before
incensing, and the act of incensing are carried out as instructed in the text for the liturgy
(SMB, 131). Incensing is one of the important elements of the East Syrian liturgy as in
most of the Oriental churches. According to Qatraya, ―[t]he fragrant (d-besme) incense is
a symbol of the delight (bussama) that is to come, which our Lord promised to those who
believe in him and keep his commandments.‖
62
A blessing prayer is recited while the
priest puts frankincense into the thurible. He continues to recite a prayer before the
liturgical action of incensing by the server. There are two options for the prayer before
the incensing: one on Sundays and Feast days, and another for days of Commemorations
and Ordinary days. The significance of the incense is pointed out in the blessing prayer
and the prayer before the incensing. The prayer during the blessing reminds the liturgical
assembly that the incensing is pleasing to God and helps to obtain the forgiveness of sins
for them, His flock. These prayers are similar to the prayers recited at the Eucharistic
celebration. The prayer designed to be prayed on Sundays and Feast days reads as
follows:
―Lord God, when the sweet fragrance of Your love wafts over us and
when our souls are enlightened with the knowledge of Your truth may
we be found worthy to receive Your beloved Son as He appears from
heaven. May we also glorify You and praise You unceasingly in Your
Church, crowned like a spouse, with every goodness and grace‖ (SMB,
131).
It has a deeper meaning: the love of the Lord and the enlightenment of the truth prepare
one to receive the beloved Son of God in his manifestation from heaven. It is also a
prayer of thanksgiving and glorification for graces in the Church ―crowned like a spouse,
with every goodness and grace.‖ The second option reminds the faithful that it is an
offering of ―never-ending praise and glory in the Church‖ and Yousif, in the context of
the Eucharist, suggests that these ―two prayers may have been but one, with
eschatological meaning realized in the Church, in which Mass, heavenly service, is
61
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 206.
62
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the
Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 201; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana,
24.
96 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
performed.‖
63
Following this prayer the sanctuary veil is drawn and the server enters the
sanctuary and incenses. There is a logical order to the incensing as suggested in the text:
―proceeding from the left of the altar to the right. In the middle, he incenses the
congregation‖ (SMB, 132).
2.3.1.7. The Lighting of the Lamp and the Prayer
The celebrant lights the lamp or candle saying: ―May Christ who said: ‗I am the light of
the World; He who follows me will not walk in the darkness,‘ be our beacon all the way‖
(SMB, 132). It is a quotation from the Gospel of John 8:12 and the lighting of the lamp
symbolizes that the eternal light, Jesus Christ, will become the light of this newly formed
family and guide them in all the moments of their life.
64
At baptism, one receives the
lighted candle with the prayer, ―may Christ, the light of the world, be your beacon all the
way‖ (SMB, 47). During adult baptism and confirmation, when the liturgical procession
reaches the Bema, the priest lights the candle with a prayer ―[m]ay Jesus, the light of the
world, be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path‖ (SMB, 63, Psalms 119). Taking
into account these references, it is assumed that the lighting of the lamp during the
celebration of the sacraments is a regular custom in the Syro-Malabar Church.
65
In the
sacrament of marriage, through the lighting of the lamp, the spouses are reminded that
the Light of Christ that they have received at their Baptism will continue to enlighten
them in their married life. From a general point of view, it may also symbolize the
promise that the couple makes during the celebration that they will continue to be
warmth and light to each other for life. Thus, the lighting of the candle reminds the
couple, on the one hand, that Christ is the light of their married life and, on the other, that
they are called to be a light to each other.
2.3.1.8. Lāku Mārā Hymn and the Collect
The lighting of the lamp takes place while a hymn which is known as lāku mārā is sung
by the choir. Lāku mārā is a Syriac term means ―thanks giving hymn.‖
66
The hymn at the
liturgical celebration proclaims Christ as the source of our resurrection. ―Lord of all, we
63
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 201.
64
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 144.
65
Leslie Brown points out the significance of the light during the different phases of marriage of the St.
Thomas Christians in India. The calling of banns used to take place before marriage in front of the lamp
hanging before the altar, ―signifying the presence of Christ.‖ Later, during the betrothal ceremony,
which had been taking place in the family atmosphere, the bride‘s mother with lighted lamp would stand
throughout the betrothal proceedings with the understanding that ―the fire, would be a permanent witness
of what they were doing.‖ During the marriage, the minnu was handed over by the gold-smith to the
oldest male member of the family when a lighted lamp was placed among them as a ―witness of the
transaction.‖ Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 188-189. Hence, it can be argued that the
lighted lamp had been a significant role in the marriage ceremony of the St. Thomas Christians.
66
Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 266.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 97
praise You. Jesus Christ, we glorify You. For You are the one who raises our bodies,
And saves our souls.‖
67
It is repeated with the psalm: ―[I]t is proper to thank You and
praise Your name,‖ and then a third time with Gloria and A saeculo (SMB, 132-133).
68
The history and the significance of the lāku mārā hymn in the liturgies of the East Syrian
liturgy are expressed in the words of S. Jammo, which are translated and explained by
Yousif with his own additional information. It reads as follows:
―Lāku mārā is one of the most archaic elements of the Chaldean
Liturgy. Its simplicity, its concision, and theological deepness put it
among the euchological masterpieces of the Universal Church. It is
received from the time of G. Qatraya as an essential and undebatable
element established from time immemorial.‖
69
According to the interpretation of Qatraya, the first part of the Mass representing the
public life of Jesus is ―a symbol of the confession of the Apostles concerning him, spoken
by Simon, representing them all, ‗You are the Christ, the Son of God‘ (Matt.16:17).‖
70
Jean Mathew who did a study on the structure and the theology of East Syrian Eucharist
suggests that though lāku mārā was considered as a processional hymn by some of the
commentators, introduced into the Eucharistic celebration between the third and fourth
centuries, it was not a processional anthem originally rather it was a greeting song.
71
All
these references point to the use of lāku mārā in the Syrian liturgies as very ancient, and
this hymn is peculiar to the East-Syrian liturgical family to the extent that this hymn is
sung in almost all the liturgical celebrations of the East Syrian liturgical tradition.
72
After
the lāku mārā , a prayer is said which repeats the meaning of the hymn in a prose form
67
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 47; Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern
Churches, 244.
68
The Chaldean Eucharistic liturgy makes it more specific: ―[The priest] repeats this hymn after the first
verse of Psalm 25, and a third time after the ‗Glory be to the Father‘ both psalm and doxology being
sung by the priest.‖ Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 244.
69
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 201. To
substantiate the argument of Yousif, see the translation of the order of the Eucharist by Mar Addai and
Mar Mari, the blessed apostles, where one could see a more ancient but similar prayer. It reads as
follows: ―Thee, Lord of all, we confess: thee, Jesus Christ, we glorify: for thou art the [quickner] of our
bodies and thou art the savior of our souls.‖ Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 252. According
to S. H. Jammo, lāku mārā was the processional hymn with incense and candles. Later ‗onitā d-qanke
came to enhance the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration and this also became the processional
anthem before the lāku mārā. Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, ―Presentation of the Reformed Chaldean
Missal‖, Chaldean Patriarchal Liturgical Committee http://kaldu.org/2015/07/presentation-of-the-
reformed-chaldean-mass/ (accessed March 11, 2020), 6.
70
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 206; Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to
the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 201; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac
Qurbana, 24.
71
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 55. Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo,
―Presentation of the Reformed Chaldean Missal‖, (accessed March 11, 2020), 4.
72
Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 244.
98 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
that Christ is the One ―who raises our bodies‖ and ―savior of our souls and the preserver
of our lives‖ (SMB, 133).
73
Concluding the section on the Introductory rites of marriage, it could be asserted that this
section prepares the liturgical assembly for the worthy celebration of the sacrament
through the liturgical procession to the Bema, the reciting of the psalms, the sacerdotal
prayers for Clergy and couple, and the beautiful hymn of lāku mārā. It introduces the
liturgical assembly to the divine presence of God by inviting them to have a good
attitude in the celebration: thanksgiving for Christ‘s salvation and hope of future
blessings. The incensing and the lighting of the lamp create an atmosphere for worship
by the smell of divine fragrance and the light of eternity, and by the end of the
introductory section, a good disposition and a heavenly milieu have been created.
74
Additionally, the analysis signals the fact that the introductory section of the sacrament
of marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church resembles the introductory section of the
liturgical celebrations of the East Syrian liturgy: Eucharistic celebration,
75
and Liturgy of
the Hours
76
very specifically Vespers. According to Mark J. Boda, this standardization of
ritual structures was made probably in the ninth century.
77
A table comparing the
introductory rites of Eucharist and Vespers, with the sacrament of marriage will show
what was discussed in relation to the common elements in the introductory rites.
73
In the ancient Eucharistic liturgies, this prayer is positioned before the Trisagion. However, some of the
manuscripts present it as prayer after lāku mārā. Since, it reproduces the meaning of the lāku mārā hymn
almost literally. Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖
202; Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 255.
74
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 202
75
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Order of the Syro-Malabar Qurbana. Kakkanad: Commission for
Liturgy, 2005.
76
Syro-Malabar Synodal Commission for Liturgy, Syro-Malabar Liturgy (New Delhi: Synodal Committee
of Bishops for the English Version of the Liturgy of Hours of the Syro-Malabar Church, 2012), 4-8;
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 198, 201.
77
Boda, Mark J., Daniel K. Falk and Rodney Alan Werline, eds, Seeking the Favor of God:Volume I, The
Origins of Penitential Prayer in Second Temple Judaism. (Atlanta: Society of Biblical literature, 2006-
2008), 213; Podipara comments that the order of the rites of sacraments ―are similar to those of the
Qurbana and Divine Office in form and structure. Thus , harmony is kept up in all these according to the
physiognomy of the liturgy.‖ Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 65.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 99
Liturgy
Sacrament of Marriage
Vespers
Liturgical procession
Gloria in excelsis
The Lord‘s prayer with
qanona
Opening prayer (slosa)
Psalms for the seasons
Blessing of the incense
and the ritual of
incensing
Lāku mārā hymn and
the collect
Liturgical procession
Gloria in excelsis
The Lord‘s prayer with
qanona
Opening prayer (slosa)
Psalms for the seasons
Blessing of the incense
and the ritual of incensing
The lighting of the lamp
and prayers
Lāku mārā hymn and the
collect
Liturgical procession
Gloria in excelsis
The Lord‘s prayer with
qanona
Opening prayer (slosa)
Psalms for the seasons
Blessing of the incense
and the ritual of
incensing
Lāku mārā hymn and
the collect
From this table the general structure of the introductory rites is more easily recognizable.
To sum up, these rites have a common introductory section: liturgical procession, angelic
hymn, prayer with the psalm, prayer with the responsorial hymn, and prayer with qanona
(refrain). These are preceded by the Lord‘s Prayer.
78
There is one exception in this
uniform structure that is the lighting of the lamp and the prayer. During the sacrament of
marriage the lighting of the lamp takes a unique position, but in the Eucharist and
Vespers there is no specific ritual called lighting of the lamp, though the lightening of the
78
Boda, Mark J., Daniel K. Falk and Rodney Alan Werline, eds, Seeking the Favor of God:Volume I, The
Origins of Penitential Prayer in Second Temple Judaism. (Atlanta: Society of biblical literature, 2006-
2008), 213.
100 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
lamp had a place in the liturgy of the hours in its history. The lighted candles carried by
the deacons in the beginning of the Eucharist and Vespers, however, play a significant
role throughout the liturgical ceremonies, signaling the significance of the light in the
East Syrian liturgy.
Having completed the analysis of the introductory rites, the next section will discuss the
Liturgy of the Word during the sacrament of marriage.
2.3.2. The Liturgy of the Word
The Liturgy of the Word comes after the entrance rituals of the marriage ceremony of the
Syro-Malabar Church. As in the case of the entrance rituals, the structural elements of
this section are similar to the Eucharistic celebration of the Syro-Malabar Church, but,
with certain differences and modifications specific to the marriage rite. Some of the
peculiarities of the Liturgy of the Word of the Syro-Malabar Eucharistic celebration, as
in the Chaldean Eucharistic celebration, are ―a scheme of archaic lessons: Law and
Prophets, Psalm, the Apostle (Paul), halleluiah with psalmic verses, and Gospel.
Furthermore, it includes the prayer of the Faithful (the litanies) and the blessing of the
Clergy.‖
79
Trisagion and the sacerdotal prayers are later additions to this scheme.
80
The
scheme is taken up in the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church as well. Hence,
the essential elements of the Liturgy of the Word are: the Trisagion, scriptural readings
with suraya and zummara, interpretation of the scriptural passages and intercessory
prayers. The following section will discuss them briefly.
2.3.2.1. The Trisagion
As an introduction to the trisagion, the deacon invites the whole liturgical assembly with
the words: ―Brothers and sisters, raise your voices and, glorify the living God‖ (SMB,
133).
81
One of the commentaries on the Eucharistic liturgies of the Syro-Malabar Church
specifies the manner how does the deacon instructs the assembly: ―[The deacon] folds
his hands and introduces the trisagion (thrice-holy): ‗Raise your voices and glorify the
79
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 202. The antiquity
of this section is attested in much of the literature on the Liturgy of the Word.
80
It is mentioned that by the middle of 6th century, the trisagion and sacerdotal prayers before the lessons
were introduced and the interlectionary psalms were reduced to a few verses. Later, by the end of the 6th
century a series of prayers were fused together and the blessings and dismissal, and the gospel reading
received prominence with the procession with the Bible, incense and later, kissing the Bible by all the
present. Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 202.
81
See also, Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 255; Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the
Eastern Churches, 246. Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Order of the Syro-Malabar Qurbana
(Kakkanad: Commission for Liturgy, 2005), 27.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 101
living God!‘‖
82
The purpose of this invitation is to call the assembly to praise the living
God through the trisagion.
The term trisagion literally means the ―three (times) holy.‖
83
It also denotes the ―thrice-
holy hymn.‖
84
It chants as follows: ―Holy God, holy mighty One, holy immortal One,
have mercy on us‖ (SMB, 133). The second time, the holy hymn is repeated after the
―glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit‖ (SMB, 133). The third one
is followed by a Saeculo, ―[f]rom all eternity and forever‖ SMB, 133-134).
85
The
purpose of the trisagion is the immediate preparation of the liturgical assembly to hear
God, who is holy, mighty and immortal as revealed in the salvation history of Israel.
86
In
the words of Yousif, ―[t]he trisagion, an addition in the beginning of the Liturgy of the
Word, is an introduction to invite people to have good dispositions in front of God holy
and strong and immortal who will soon speak through the readings which recall the
action of He who is the living God.‖
87
Qatraya calls the trisagion a qanona, which means
―an appointed chant,‖ and emphasizes its Christological dimension by affirming that
trisagion is a hymn sung by the angels for the glorification of Christ.
88
Vellian and
Pathikulangara suggest that the trisagion is ―a hymn to the most Holy Trinity.‖
89
Hence,
82
Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 246; This rubric, however, is seen neither in
the ancient commentaries on the Chaldean liturgies nor in the Eucharistic ceremonies and the present
text on the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church. Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western,
255.
83
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 255; There are two views among the liturgical
commentators in relation to the placement of this hymn within the liturgy. Some argue that the trisagion
is the concluding hymn for the introductory rites. For example, one of the ancient Syriac commentators
on the liturgy comments that ―the Canon „Holy‟ is the final prayer of the introductory rites of the liturgy.
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 36. On the contrary, Yousif and others comment
that the trisagion is the introduction to the Liturgy of the Word. Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According
to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 203; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude
Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 233. Taking into account the understanding of the majority of the
commentators and their analysis, this section is considered as a hymn to begin the Liturgy of the Word.
Cf. Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 59; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar
Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 222.
84
Jacob Vellian and Varghese Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ in
The Eucharistic Liturgy in the Christian East, ed. John Madey (Kottayam: Prakasam Publications,
1982), 57; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 57.
85
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 255.
86
Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 233.
87
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 203; This
understanding is supported by many of the Syro-Malabar liturgical scholars. For example, Vellian holds
that the trisagion is a ―hymn to the most Holy Trinity, which shows the readiness of the community to
hear the revealed word of God.‖ Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-
Indian Church,‖ 268.
88
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 207; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East
Syriac Qurbana, 57. According to the dictionary, the Syriac term Qanona means ―an appointed chant,
hymn especially a short metrical farcing of a psalm; an expansion of the endings of certain prayers.‖
Jessie Payne Smith, ed. A Compendious Syriac Dictionary: Founded Upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R.
Payne Smith (Oxford: Clarendon, 1903), 510.
89
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
102 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
it could be legitimate to affirm that while Qatraya focuses more on the Christological
dimension of this hymn, there are also commentators who affirm the Trinitarian nature of
the hymn because of its reference to the Trinity.
90
Furthermore, since some argue that the
hymn does not give any specific indication either for Christ or for the Trinity, it could be
seen that trisagion is addressing God.
91
With regard to the origin of the trisagion, the first reference to this hymn is found in the
vision of Isaiah 6:3. Later it intruded into the liturgical ceremonies, very specifically into
the East Syrian Liturgy, which is well explained as follows:
―During the time of the emperor Theodosius the Less, there was an
earthquake which lasted for forty days in Constantinople due to the
wickedness of the people. According to the vision and instruction of an
angel, a saintly priest with some people entered a church. At that time,
the angel was standing in front of the sanctuary and was saying in a
loud voice, ‗Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on
us.‘ Then the priest and the people recited this qanona three times with
the angel and the earthquake stopped. This qanona was inserted into
the liturgy in A. D. 436 at the time of emperor Theodosius. It was
Patriarch Proclus of Constantinople who gave permission to add this
qanona in the liturgy. It is said that the Fathers in the Council of
Chaldeon (A. D. 451) sang this qanona. This qanona was present in
East Syriac liturgy at the time of Išo‘yahb I, (582/3-596). There is also
a possibility that while visiting Constantinople, Mar Aba (540-542)
received it from there and added it into East Syriac liturgy.‖
92
This detailed information points to the antiquity of the hymn trisagion in the liturgy of
the East Syrian liturgy. The trisagion concludes with the admonition by the deacon to
pray that peace be with all of us. This is followed by the oration of the priest repeating
the theme of the hymn by glorifying the mighty, immortal and holy God and asking
pardon and compassion from God. The prayer concludes ―in the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit who is the Lord of all and forever.‖ The liturgical assembly
responds with ―Amen‖ (SMB, 134).
93
The trisagion, the admonition of the deacon and the oration of the priest as the
culmination of the hymn of holy in the rite of marriage are similar to this section of the
Eucharistic celebration of the Syro-Malabar church, and the Chaldean Church. Hence, as
in the Eucharistic celebration, it functions as a catalyst to prepare the couple and the
liturgical assembly to hear the Word of God by acknowledging God as holy, mighty and
90
Commenting on the words of Qatraya in relation to the trisagion, Yousif writes: ―he [Qatraya] gives here
a Christological accommodating interpretation.‖ Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of
the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 203.
91
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 59.
92
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 57-58; See also, Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy
According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 203; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar
Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 225.
93
See also, Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 103
immortal as revealed in salvation history and making the worshippers worthy according
to God‘s nature. The Old Testament readings are followed by the trisagion and, thus, the
next section will discuss the Old Testament readings.
2.3.2.2. The Old Testament Readings: The Law and the Prophets
Two readings from the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, is one of the
significant features of the ancient structure of the Eucharistic celebration.
94
In the Acts of
the Apostles there is a clear reference to the Jewish prayer service with the readings of
the Law and Prophets: ―After the readings of the Law and Prophets [...] Paul stood up
and with a gesture began to speak‖ (Act 13: 15-16). Commenting on the influence of the
Law and Prophets in the teachings of Jesus, Qatraya avers that Jesus read the Law and
the Prophets ―for the confirmation of his teaching, taken from Moses and all the
Prophets.‖
95
Reading in line with Qatraya, one could understand that Jesus used the
scriptural passages from Torah to confirm what he taught and preached. A commentary
on the Eucharist also suggests that during the liturgy the readers ―first read the Thorah
[=Law] wherein is contained (the account of) the creation of nature and the constitution
of the world, after it the book of the prophets, which teaches the Law and carnal
commandments.‖
96
St. Justin the Martyr also witnesses to the fact that there were
readings from the book of the Prophets as explained in his first apology: ―the writing of
the Prophets [were] read for as long as time allows.‖
97
J.M. Hanssens explains that it was
Patriarch Išo‘yahb III who introduced the Old Testament readings associated with the
Jewish tradition into the East Syriac liturgical celebrations.
98
Yousif points out that ―[t]he
fact of having two lessons of the O.T. as in Judaism remained only in the Chaldean Rite
which, like the Synagogue, inserts among the lessons, Psalms and prayers.‖
99
All these
94
Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 213; Mathew, Structure and
Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 60.
95
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 207; Refer also to, Yousif, ―The Divine
Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 204.
96
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 38.
97
Justin the Martyr, The Works Now Extant of St. Justin the Martyr, trans., Members of the English
Church, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church: Anterior to the Division of the East and West
(London: F. and J. Rivington, 1862), 52. Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru
Padanam, I, 264.
98
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 60.
99
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 204; Bishop
Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, ―Presentation of the Reformed Chaldean Missal‖. 5; Vellian and Pathikulangara,
―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268; The Apostolic Constitutions gives a
detailed description of the Old Testament readings in the solemn liturgical ceremonies: ―In the middle let
the Reader stand upon some high place. Let him read the books of Moses, of Joshua the son of Nun, of
the Judges, and of the Kings, and of the Chronicles, and those written after the return from the captivity;
and besides these, the books of Job and of Solomon, and of the sixteen prophets.‖ Bishop and Citizen of
Rome (Pseudonym) Clement, ―Apostolic Constitutions‖, D. Appleton and Company
https://ldsfocuschrist2.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/apostolic-constitutions-william-whiston.pdf
(accessed 12 December 2016). ―The Chaldeans have four readings: the law, the prophets, the apostle, the
104 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
references directly point to the fact that the reading from the Law and the prophets has
become an indispensable element in the liturgical ceremonies, especially in the East
Syriac liturgical traditions. However, according to the revised texts of the Syro-Malabar
Eucharist and the rite of marriage, the second reading, the reading from the Prophet, is
optional.
100
Realizing the significance of the Old Testament readings, the next section is a discussion
of each element that comes under the section of the Old Testament readings: the
announcement of the deacon and the specific posture for the Old Testament readings, the
readings, and suraya, the responsorial Psalm.
a. The Announcement of the Deacon and the Specific Posture
While addressing all those who have gathered as brothers and sisters, the deacon invites
them to sit and listen attentively to the scriptural reading.
101
The Apostolic Constitutions
gives a detailed description of the Old Testament readings in the solemn liturgical
ceremonies, and it affirms that the gesture of sitting is considered as an opportunity to
listen to the word of God in silence.
102
Qatraya gives a rationale for the sitting of the
priests during the reading as it is ―a demonstration of what our Lord said to his Apostles,
‗You who have left everything and followed me, when the Son of Man comes in his
glory, you too shall sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel‘ (Matt.
19:28).‖
103
An ancient commentary on liturgy has a different explanation for the posture
of sitting to hear the Old Testament readings, not only of the priests but also of the
people.
―The people sit, and the priests (also), for as yet the world is concerned
with earthly things, and of dust it was composed, and unto dust it
Gospel.‖ Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 98.
100
It could be inferred from the specific rubric given after the celebrant blesses the reader. It reads:
―Repeat this if there is more than one reading from the Old Testament‖ (SMB, 135). In his commentary
on the Eucharistic celebration, Mannooramparampil criticizes the practice of excluding the second
reading from the Old Testament. According to him, in the tradition of the Syro-Malabar rite, there was
no practice of three readings, one from the Old Testament, the second from the Apostle, and the third
from the Gospel, excluding the reading from the Prophets. The decision to reduce two Old Testament
readings into one reading, either from Law or from Prophets, did not directly come from the Syro-
Malabar Church. Rather, he comments that the suggestion for the three readings had come from Rome.
Gradually reducing the number of the Old Testament readings has become a norm in relation to the
scriptural readings during the liturgy. Hence, he firmly argues that this reflects the impact of
Latinization. Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 241.
101
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 28
102
―In the middle let the Bishop‘s throne be placed; and on each side of him let the Presbytery sit down;
and let the Deacons stand near at hand, in close and small girt garments; for they are like the mariners
and managers of the ship. Through the care of these, let the laity sit in the other part, with all quietness
and good order; and let the women sit by themselves, keeping silence.‖ Clement, ―Apostolic
Constitutions‖. W. Jardine Grisbrooke, ed. The Liturgical Portions of the Apostolic Constitutions: A Text
for Students (Bramcote: Grove books, 1990), 14.
103
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 105
returns. And thus all men are equal: no son of Abraham is recognized,
nor any son of Canaan. And while he [=the reader] is enacting this
period of nature, it is as when the angel appeared to Noah and gave him
command concerning the ark. And a revelation was given to Abraham
and Isaac, and to Hagar and Jacob: Though laws and commandments
were not given to them, but only (this), that they should know Him
[God]. So also this reader comes to speak; and all men, whether they be
in Jerusalem [=bema] or the world [=nave], sit after one fashion, and
typify death.‖
104
It points to the fact that all people are equal and have to sit during the Old Testament
readings symbolizing their mortality irrespective of the fact that they are either priests or
the people. In short, all these references give the impression that sitting during the Old
Testament reading has specific connotations in the East Syrian liturgical interpretation
whereby the hearer pays attention to the word of God.
b. The Blessing and the Reading
Following the announcement to sit and listen attentively, the reader introduces the
pericope for the reading and bows for the blessing saying: ―Bless me, my Lord.‖
105
This
is a literal translation of the Syriac term barīchmār. In the Syro- Malabar Church, the
blessing is pleaded from the Lord who blesses the reader and the priest is only an
instrument of the Lord. Hence, the blessing is not asked from the priest. These different
views are explicitly presented by Brightman as he says: ―barichmar: ‗Sir, give a
blessing,‘ addressed by the deacon to the celebrant, often only as a signal for a prayer or
blessing.‖ However, it can also be ―addressed to God, and it is used by the priest:
accordingly the Syriac is rendered above ‗Bless, [O] my Lord.‘‖
106
There are two prayers
with which the priest blesses the reader of the lection. In the first one, the celebrant
blesses the reader saying, ―[m]ay God (+) bless you.‖ The second one says, ―[m]ay the
Lord, who enlightens us through His teachings, be glorified. May His grace always be
upon you + and your listeners‖ (SMB, 134-135).
107
With regard to the theme of the Old Testament readings of the Eucharistic liturgy,
Vellian and Pathikulangara mention that ‗[t]he special phase of the Mystery emphasised
in the celebration, as it is revealed in the Books of the Law and as foreseen by the
Prophets is announced through these readings.‖
108
When it comes to the marriage liturgy,
the first reading is taken from the book of Genesis and two options are given in the text.
104
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 38.
105
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 28.
106
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 597; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude
Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 251.
107
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 134-135; Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the
Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 204; Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 255.
108
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
106 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
In general, the divine vision on marriage is explained in these readings. Genesis 1: 26-28,
recalls the image of God in the human being and the purpose of begetting children.
Genesis 2:18-24, reveals the depth and the richness of the mutual love relationship
between the parties. This reading focuses on the theme of the significance of the oneness
between the bride and the bridegroom.
109
The Second reading is optional, and three alternatives are given for the Second reading:
Isaiah 61:10-11; Proverbs 31:10-31 or Sirach 26:1-4, 13-17. These readings emphasize
the image of bride and bridegroom to denote the love relationship between God and the
people of God. The prophet Isaiah compares his joy in God with the joy of the couple.
Hence, the source of the marital joy is divine and from God. The marital relationship is
the sign and the symbol of the heavenly and earthly realities. The reading from Jesus
Sirach reveals the role and the duty of the women as the wife. The reading ends with the
response from the liturgical assembly: ―Praise be to the Lord, our God‖ (SMB, 135)
thereby praising God who is revealed both in salvation history and now through the
Scriptural reading.
2.3.2.3. Suraya
Suraya literally means ―the responsorial Psalm‖
110
which comes after the Old Testament
reading. It is introduced by the deacon with the words: ―Let us stand to sing the Suraya‖
(SMB, 135).
111
In the words of Qatraya, rising up from the posture of sitting has a great
significance as it ―points to the assurance of the Apostles‘ minds at our Lord‘s words.‖
112
One of the commentators also mentions standing up after the Old Testament reading,
however, he suggests that the people stand up to ―say verses from the Old (Testament),
with a Qinta
113
of the New. […]. And thus they employ a few verses from the middle of
a psalm, or from the end, which are appropriate to the lesson that has been read, in as
much as they do not depart from the character of the oblations of the Law.‖
114
Hence,
what he suggests is that suraya is not a simply a chanting of psalms, rather a combination
of the Old Testament verses and Psalms.
109
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 145.
110
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268; According
to the dictionary, Suraya means the following: ―a few verses of the Psalms introducing an anthem or a
clause from the Psalter prefixed to a verse of an anthem.‖ Smith, ed. A Compendious Syriac Dictionary,
568.
111
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 135; Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar
Qurbana, 29
112
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208.
113
Some of the liturgical commentators suggest that the word qinta means interpolation of the Old
Testament verses with the non-scriptural verses evoking a joyful atmosphere. Pseudo Nestorian George,
A Commentary on the Mass, 39; Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 256.
114
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 39.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 107
The etymological meaning of the Syriac term suraya is ―beginning, principle.‖
115
In the
East Syrian Liturgical context the term represents a responsorial psalm which is chanted
with halleluiah. The Apostolic Constitutions give the implication that they are the
chanting of the Psalms in between the scriptural readings: ―when there have been two
lessons severally read, let some other person sing the hymns of David, and let the people
join at the conclusions of the verses.‖
116
Qatraya calls this responsorial psalm estatyona,
and for him it symbolizes ―the praises of the people.‖
117
Generally, the theme of this
hymn is based on the different liturgical periods of the year. The suraya in the liturgy of
marriage is based on Psalm 128:3-6, but it does not provide any special implication of
the theme of marriage as seen in the Psalm. Rather, as Vellian and Pathikulangara
suggest, ―it is in fact the response of the worshipping community to the call of God in the
OT.‖
118
However, the optional prayer given in the text to replace the hymn directly
points to the significance of the good family as is read in the psalm ―the happy home of
the faithful‖ (Psalm 128: 1-6). Hence, these two approaches suggest the idea that the
suraya hymn presented in the sacrament of marriage is the one which is normally used in
the Eucharistic celebration of the Syro-Malabar Church, but the optional prayer is
specifically oriented to provide an indication of a good family as expressed by the
Psalmist.
2.3.2.4. Prayer before the Epistles (Slotha)
There are two prayers before the reading from the letters of the Apostle, which in Syriac
is known as slotha: ―an oration in which the help of God is requested to understand and
assimilate the Word of God.‖
119
On Sundays and feast days it beseeches God to
―illumine our hearts and minds to hear and understand the sweet voice of Your life-
giving and divine commandments. [...] they bear [...] the fruits of love, hope, and
salvation‖(SMB, 136-137). The second prayer used on other days and on the Sundays in
Lent states, ―You (Lord) are the Source of every grace and blessing and the amazing
provider for all in Your household‖ (SMB, 137). These are the introductory prayers
before the readings and by which the priest asks the blessing of God so that everyone
who is going to hear the Word of God achieves is well disposed to assimilate the life-
giving message of the divine words. These prayers are very ancient in the East Syrian
115
Smith, ed. A Compendious Syriac Dictionary, 568. Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite
of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 205.
116
Clement, ―Apostolic Constitutions‖. 67; VIII, 5.
117
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208; Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According
to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 205; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac
Qurbana, 62. The term estatyona means ―a Station, i.e, a doctrinal hymn.‖ Smith, ed. A Compendious
Syriac Dictionary, 23
118
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
119
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
108 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
Tradition as they are presented in the Eucharistic celebration of Mar Addai and Mar
Mari.
120
The first prayer makes explicit that the readings are from the New Testament (the
Apostle and Gospel) as there is a clear indication in it of the life-giving and divine
commandments of the Lord. The second prayer does not provide any explicit suggestion
for the Apostle but refers to the divine dispensation that God is the source of every grace
and blessing as expressed in the Old Testament.
121
2.3.2.5. The Reading from the Epistles
Ending the prayer (slotha), the deacon takes the book of the Epistles of Paul, and facing
the liturgical assembly announces the title of the reading. Through the Epistle, ―the
special phase of the Mystery as experienced by the Apostle and transmitted to us, is
proclaimed.‖
122
The text for the sacrament of marriage gives two options for the reading:
Ephesians 5: 20-33 and 1Peter 3:1-7. Both of these readings refer to the significance of
marriage and family life. In the vision of Ephesians 5: 25-32, ―the man and woman on
their wedding day are eminent signs of Christ and the Church.‖
123
Considering the structure of the readings, the Eucharistic celebration of the Syro-
Malabar Church and the ancient East Syrian liturgical tradition give proof of the
existence of the request of the reader for the blessing: ―Bless, O my Lord‖ as before the
Old Testament reading and the blessing of the priest with the words: ―May the Christ
make thee wise by his holy teaching and make thee as a beautiful mirror to those who
hearken unto thee!‖
124
On the contrary, the new text for the sacrament of marriage does
not explicitly mention the request for the blessing by the reader and the corresponding
blessing of the priest. However, the parallelism between the text for the Eucharist and the
Sacrament of marriage, as well as close similarities in the introductory rites of both
sacraments, pave the way to infer that there may be these two elements in the usual
practice of the rite of marriage. The bowing of the reader during the blessing symbolizes,
that he is worshipping his Lord, Christ.
125
According to Qatraya the reader of the Apostle
is the deacon, not a priest, and the rationale behind this argument is that ―John was in the
role of a deacon/minister before our Saviour, and not in the role of a presbyter, a priest of
the New Testament.‖
126
After the reading, the assembly responds: ―Praise be to Christ
120
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 256-257.
121
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 205.
122
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
123
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 197.
124
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 257.
125
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 44.
126
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208; Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According
to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 205; Mannooramparampil, Syro-Malabar Sabhayude
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 109
our Lord‖ (SMB, 137).
127
One significant difference between the response of the
congregation after the Old Testament reading and the Epistle is that the first one
emphasizes that praise is given to the Lord, our God, while after the Apostle praise is
given to Christ, who is the Lord. The difference shows that in the Old Testament more
emphasis is given to God, while in the New Testament the primary role is given to
Christ, the Lord.
2.3.2.6. Zummara
Zummara is the ―halleluiah chant‖ and it is related to the Gospel.
128
According to the
dictionary, the term zummara means ―Psalmody: a psalm, chant, canticle, especially
between the Epistle and Gospel.‖
129
It is considered as the expression of the ―[j]oy at the
coming of Christ represented by [the] Gospel.‖
130
In other words, ―the alleluia conveyed
the glory of the coming Christ as an introduction to the gospel.‖
131
While explaining
different musical instruments, E. J. Brill‟s First Encyclopaedia of Islam gives a detailed
description of a musical instrument called Zummāra. Referring to Ibn Khurdādhbih, the
Encyclopaedia states that it was the Persians who ―invented the double deep-pipe called
diyanai,‖ and this instrument was also known as the Sammāra (vulg. Zummāra) in the
Middle Ages. The term itself means ―joined,‖ and since eighteenth century this
Qurbana Oru Padanam, I, 244. Taking inspiration from Išo‘yahb, one of the commentators on the
Syriac liturgies, affirms that three sentences or verses of the Apostle are read during the reading. It has
an allegorical meaning in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ. ―The first passage is the annunciation of
our Lord; the second the birth of John; the third the birth of our Lord.‖ Pseudo Nestorian George, A
Commentary on the Mass, However, it is not applicable in the present texts of the Eucharist or the
celebration of the Sacraments. In the present texts only a pericope is read which is suitable to each
celebration.
127
See also, Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 32.
128
In the Roman liturgy, the halleluia is sung at different times. For example, at Milan it has been sung
―during the Gospel procession,‖ whereas in Spain, ―after the reading of the Gospel.‖ However, in the
Eastern Churches ―alleluia always figures in connection with the Gospel.‖ With regard to the antiquity
of the halleluia hymn, it is noted that ―[o]nly at the end of the eighth century does the alleluia appear in
the Roman books, whereas the cycle was certainly complete in the East by the sixth century.‖ Denis-
Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 102.
129
Smith, ed. A Compendious Syriac Dictionary, 113.
130
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ Refer also to the
commentary given by Vellian and Pathikulangara. According to them, Zummāra is ―the Halleluja hymn‖
which is the ―exclamation of joy in hearing the word of God in the Gospel.‖ Vellian and Pathikulangara,
―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
131
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 102. It is of liturgical interest to see that
the chanting of the halleluia was prominent at the time of the Apostles. To be more specific, it is noted
that after the martyrdom of St. Matthew, a voice [presumably the voice of Matthew], came at dawn.
―Plato, [the then bishop of Myrna] take the Gospel and the Psalter and go the east of the palace and sing
Alleluia, and read the Gospel, and offer of the bread and the vine, pressing three clusters into the cup,
and communicate with me, as the Lord Jesus showed us the offering that is above, on the third day after
he rose. So it was done, and the chanter went up on a great stone and sang: […] Alleluia. They read the
Gospel and made the offering.‖ James Keith Elliott, ed. The Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of
Apocryphal Christian Literature in an English Translation (Oxford: Clarendon, 1993), 522-523.
110 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
instrument has been known as zummāra.
132
Hence, one could infer that the term
zummara is generally related to musical instruments. Qatraya views that ―[t]he psalmody
(zummara) before the Gospel [is] a symbol of the songs of praise of the disciples and
children who were crying out saying, ‗hosanna [192a] to the son of David‘ etc. (Matt.
21:9).‖
133
The halleluiah hymn before the Gospel is much more ancient in the Eastern
Churches than the Western Churches.
134
Zummara that is sung during the rite of
marriage is based on the first part of Psalm 45, which is generally known as a wedding
song. Through this hymn the worshipping community praises God with halleluiah and
prays that the tongue of the singer will be like a divine pen which writes down the divine
praises as a melodious song.
135
2.3.2.7. The Procession with the Gospel and its Veneration
The alleluia chant accompanies a procession of the book of the Gospel.
136
The
procession of the Gospel begins with an oration in a low voice where the priest proclaims
that Jesus Christ is the ―splendor of the Father‘s glory and the image of the Father‖
(SMB, 138). It also mentions that Christ has manifested himself in a human body, and
with the light of the gospel he has removed the darkness and enlightened human minds.
Consequently, it is a time to offer praise, worship and thanksgiving to the Lord of all.
137
It is followed by the procession of the Gospel. Together with the censer-bearer and the
candle-bearer the celebrant goes to the altar from the Bema and takes the Gospel from
the altar and says: ―Jesus Christ, the light of the World and the life of all, glory be to the
infinite mercy that sends You to us, forever. Amen‖ (SMB, 138).
In the view of Qatraya, the procession of the Gospel is ―a symbol of the procession with
which our Lord entered Jerusalem, riding on a colt.‖
138
According to Cabie, the lights
and incense symbolize the honor that one has for the gospel book when it is changed
from altar to the Bema because the gospel book represents Jesus Christ.
139
According to
Qatraya, ―[t]he (sweet) incense at this moment is a symbol of the sweetness of our
Lord‘s words; what he said indicates: ‗Come unto me, all you who are weary and
132
M. Th. Houtsma and Martijn Theodoor, eds., E. J. Brill‟s First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936,
Volume 5 (Leiden: Brill, 1987), 541.
133
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208.
134
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 102.
135
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 196; Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 32.
136
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 139. Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of
the Mass,‖ ―A procession precedes the reading in all the liturgies of East and West.‖ Denis-Boulet,
―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 105.
137
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 138.
138
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 208.
139
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 105.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 111
carrying loads, and I will give you rest‘ (Matt. 11:28).‖
140
With regard to the meaning of
the lights during the Gospel reading, Qatraya mentions that they are ―a symbol of what
our Lord told his Apostles, ‗You are the light of the world‘ (Matt. 5:14); and again, ‗Let
your light thus shine out before people so that they may see your good works and praise
your Father who is in heaven‘ (Matt. 5:16).‖
141
He also specifies that the lights that are
used are ―not one‖ but ―two‖ pointing out that the words of Jesus Christ was not only for
his disciples but also includes all the gentiles who were converted by the disciples.
142
While reaching the Bema, the priest again in a low voice prays:
―Lord Christ, enlighten us in Your laws, inflame our minds with Your
knowledge, and sanctify our souls with Your truth so that we may be
faithful to your words and obedient to Your commandments. Lord of
all, forever‖ (SMB, 137).
The theme of this prayer is a recurrent theme during the celebration, mainly during the
Liturgy of the Word. It unveils that in and through the liturgy of the word, the human
mind is filled with the enlightenment of God‘s laws, knowledge about Him, and acquires
sanctification of the soul. After the prayer, the deacon announces: ―Let us stand and
listen attentively to the holy Gospel‖ (SMB, 137).
143
The celebrant stands while facing
the liturgical assembly and the servers with the lighted candles stand on both sides. Cabie
comments that even when many liturgical usages are lost, the tradition of standing to
listen to the gospel during the liturgy is still kept by the faithful.
144
While standing in
front of the Bema, the censer-bearer censes throughout the reading of the Gospel.
According to Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―[t]he smoke of incense going upwards
throughout the Gospel reading symbolizes our continued response to the call of God,
proclaimed in the Gospel.‖
145
In short, the liturgical procession from the Bema to the
altar and the reverse, with the lighted candles and incense makes the procession a solemn
celebration.
140
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 209; Refer also to, Yousif, ―The Divine
Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 207.
141
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 209; Refer also, Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy
According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 207. The italics added for emphasis.
142
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 209; Refer also, Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy
According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 207. The italics added for emphasis.
143
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 139.
144
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 106; Refer also to, The Liturgical
Portions of the Apostolic Constitutions: A Text for Students, where it mentions that standing for the
prayer is the normal posture as seen in the Apostolic Constitutions, VII, 45. Quoting from the Apostolic
Constitutions it repeats: ―And while the Gospel is read, let all the presbyters and deacons, and the whole
people, stand in profound silence; for its is written: Be silent and hear, O Israel. And again: But do you
stand here, and listen.‖ Grisbrooke, ed. The Liturgical Portions of the Apostolic Constitutions, 14.
145
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268.
112 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
2.3.2.8. The Gospel Reading
At the commencement of the Gospel reading, the priest blesses the congregation with the
Gospel and says: ―Peace be with you‖ (SMB, 139). In the East Syrian Eucharistic
celebration this blessing occurs three times: before the Gospel reading, anaphora, and the
communion ceremony. These three blessings of peace function as an admonition which
signals that an important liturgical action in relation to the Christ event is going to take
place immediately.
146
In the view of Išo‘yahb IV the blessing symbolizes ―the peace
which our Lord gave unto His disciples,‖ and he also points to the fact that it is given
three times by the Lord after His resurrection: ―on the Sunday of the Resurrection,
another time on the New Sunday, and the third time at the Sea of Tiberias when John
said: ‗it is the Lord‘.‖
147
The three times of the blessing of peace could be considered as
a symbol of these three appearances of the Lord and his blessing. According to Narsai, it
is a ―saying which the [life-giving] mouth prescribed‖ pointing to Jesus Christ, and he
details the reason to repeat this blessing during the liturgical ceremonies:
―‗Peace be with you,‘ for death is come to naught, and corruption is
destroyed through a Son of our race who suffered for our sake and
quickened us all. ‗Peace be with you,‘ for sin is removed and Satan is
condemned by a Son of Adam who has conquered and given victory to
(or justified) the children of Adam. ‗Peace be with you‘, for the Good
Lord has been reconciled to you by the death of His Son who suffered
on the cross for our sake. ‗Peace be with you,‘ for you have been made
at peace with the angels by Him who has authority over the angels and
reigns over all. ‗Peace be with you,‘ because you have been united –
the People and the Peoples – and the barrier has been broken down by
Jesus who destroyed all enmity. ‗Peace be with you,‘ for new life is
reserved for you by Him who became a first-born unto all creatures in
life incorruptible. ‗Peace be with you,‘ because you have been
summoned to the Kingdom aloft by Him who entered first to prepare a
place for us all.‖
148
The people respond to this blessing with the words ―with you and with your spirit.‖
Theodore of Mopsuestia gives a commentary on this phrase and it reads as follows:
―All of them pray that through peace the grace of the Holy Spirit may
be vouchsafed unto him, so that he may strive to perform his service to
the public suitably and rightly. In this way the priest obtains more
abundant peace from the overflow of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and
146
The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 9; This blessing occurs three times in the east Syrian
Eucharistic celebration. One is before the Gospel; the second time just before the sign of peace and the
third time before the Qanona, ―God the father alone is Holy…‖ Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The
Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 34, 47, 67.
147
Išo‘ Yahb IV, ―Nestorian Questions on the Administration of the Eucharist,‖ in Nestorian Questions on
the Administration of the Eucharist by Išo‟Yahb IV: A Contribution to the History of the Eucharist in the
Eastern Church, ed. Willem Cornelis van Unnik (Amsterdam: Verlag B.R. Grüner, 1970), 180.
148
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ in The Liturgical Homilies of Narsai, ed. Dom. R.
H. Connolly, Texts and Studies: Contributions to Biblical and Patristic Literature (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1909), 8.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 113
from it he receives help for the works required of him, because, as in
other affairs so in service, the priest will appear to be doing the right
thing when the blessing goes from him to the congregation and from it
to him.‖
149
From all these references, one could infer that the blessing of peace has an important
function in the East Syrian Liturgy. After this blessing and the response of the people,
the priest reads the holy Gospel. In the words of Qatraya the gospel reading is ―the
mystery of all the words which our Lord said to the Jews before He suffered.‖
150
According to the Syro-Malabar marriage rite, three options are given for the gospel
readings: John 2: 1-11, Mathew 19: 3-6, Mark 10: 2-9. The first reading is the account of
the Wedding at Cana, as suggested by Evenou, where ―[t]he mystery of which marriage
is a sign.‖
151
The second and the third readings emphasize the sacramentality of marriage
that the couples are joined by God and the indissolubility of marriage so that no one can
separate them (Mk10:9). At the end of the gospel reading, the liturgical assembly
responds: ―Glory to you, Christ, Our Lord‖ (SMB, 140). Meanwhile, the celebrant closes
the book of the Gospel, kisses and hands it over to the server who places it on the altar.
Meanwhile, the candles are returned to the Bema where they were placed earlier.
After the Gospel reading the celebrant gives a homily on the word of God. Homily is
―the commentary on the readings.‖
152
The Syriac term is turgama which comes from the
root trgm, and means ―interpretation, allegory, commentary, homily, funeral oration; a
discourse, speech.‖
153
In simple terms, it can be considered as the expository discourse
following the biblical readings. Qatraya says turgama could be considered as the
―interpretation, homily or speech.‖
154
It is also commented that the homily or the sermon
serves the function of an interpretation of the word of God during the liturgical
celebration. It can be compared with the sermon of Jesus Christ, since He has spoken in
parables and stories with the multitudes who were not able to comprehend them with
their proper meaning and significance. Thereafter, Jesus Christ gave the interpretation of
the parables to His disciples leading them to understand the hidden meaning.
155
During the homily the liturgical congregation is requested to assume the posture of
sitting down. The commentators attribute a meaning to this symbolic corporeal posture
with the following words: ―Now you have heard the signs of our Lord, and His
dispensation; but you have not understood. And when you have learned with the
149
Theodore of Mopsuestia, ―Commentary on the Lord‘s Prayer and on the Sacraments,‖ 91-92.
150
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 209.
151
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 203.
152
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 106.
153
Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 69-70.
154
Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 159.
155
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 58-59.
114 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
disciples what is the sign of the coming of the end of the world, cause yourselves to die
(=sit down) a voluntary death, that you may know hidden mysteries.‖
156
The ninth canon
of the Synod of Seleucia (410 A.D.) says that after the scripture readings the word of
God should be ―declared until third or fourth hours‖ whereby emphasizing the
importance of the explanation of the Word of God.
157
Justin the Martyr also comments
that ―the President [of the liturgy] verbally instructs, and exhorts us, to the imitation of
these excellent things,‖
158
thus, pointing to the relevance of the homily. The Apostolic
Constitutions also suggest that each presbyter take a turn to exhort the people and lastly,
as ―the captain of the ship,‖ the bishop do the same.
159
Thus, detailing the various
interpretations of the ancient liturgical commentaries on the homily points out the
significance of the homily during the liturgical celebration.
2.3.2.9. The Intercessory Prayer
The intercessory prayer, which is known as Karozutha in Syriac, literally means the
proclamation prayer that comes after the homily. It is suggested that the Karozutha is
―the response of the community, assimilating the Divine Word. Special intentions to be
retained throughout the celebration are also added here.‖
160
St. Justin, writing about 150
on Sunday Mass, noted that, after the readings and homily, ―we all rise together and offer
up our prayers.‖
161
According to the East Syrian liturgical tradition the litanies include three kinds of
sequences: the ba‟uta, which stands for the ―short intentions‖ to which the people
respond: ―O Lord, have mercy upon us!‖ The second one is Karozūthā, which explains
the intentions of each category for which the prayer is offered and to which the
congregation responds with Amen. The third one is called the ―Angel of Peace litany‖ as
seen in the liturgy of the St. John Chrysostom for the catechumens. Beginning with the
protection of the angel of peace and grace, it prays for peace, love, forgiveness of sins
and God‘s mercy, and to each prayer the people answer: From you, O Lord!‘ In the
Chaldean Services, the people are standing at the ba‟uta, kneeling for Karozuta, and
156
Pseudo Nestorian George, A Commentary on the Mass, 58-59.
157
Synod of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, ―The Synod of Mar ‗Ishaq 410 Ad‖ http://www.fourthcentury.com/wp-
content/uploads/2009/06/thecouncilofmarishaq.pdf (accessed 25 April 2020); Yousif, ―The Divine
Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 207.
158
Justin the Martyr, Justin the Martyr, 52.
159
Grisbrooke, ed. The Liturgical Portions of the Apostolic Constitutions, 15. While discussing the biblical
readings in the first chapter we have discussed the teachings of Second Vatican Council in relation to the
homily in the liturgy. See section, 1.3.2.2 for details.
160
Vellian and Pathikulangara, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Chaldeo-Indian Church,‖ 268; Justin the
Martyr, Justin the Martyr, 52.
161
Justin the Martyr, Justin the Martyr, 52; Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖
110.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 115
standing again during the Angel of Peace.
162
As for the origin of these litanies Yousif
suggests that ―Karozutha is originally Chaldean; [...] the Angel of Peace may be from a
non-Chaldean source.‖
163
As suggested by Cabie, ―sealing the liturgy of the word afresh
with common prayer,‖ also ―expresses the priesthood of all the baptized and entreats
God for all men.‖
164
According to the rubrics of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar Church, there are
two sets of prayers under the category of Karozutha. The first one is related to the second
category of the Chaldean Tradition, that is, the Karozutha where the special intentions
for the bride and bridegroom are offered and the congregation responds with ―Lord, have
mercy on them.‖ With regard to the theme of each intention, it seems to be Christological
by focussing on the relationship between Christ, the bridegroom and Church, and the
bride. Taking into account different marriage themes from the scripture, the liturgical
assembly prays for the couple so that they may obey the commandments of God to lead a
life of mutual love and unity with sacrifice and as a role model for all other families. To
be more specific, the first one address the heavenly bridegroom, Christ, and prays to
bless the couple to be united in holy Matrimony so that as he offered up His life for the
church, His bride, the couple will able to take up the sacrifices of their married life in
love and unity. The second one endorses that Christ invites all to the spiritual banquet of
the word of God and compares it with the heavenly banquet. It also prays that by living
the family life in an exemplary way based on the precepts of Christ, the couple may also
partake in the heavenly banquet at the end of their life. Recapitulating the teaching of
Jesus Christ on indissolubility of marriage, the third one beseeches to bless the couple
with a life of chastity and fidelity happily and indissolubly. The fourth one recalls the
presence of Christ in the marriage at Cana and asks to bless the couple to live a spiritual
life with prayer, trust in God and experiencing God‘s presence in their marital life (SMB,
140-141). Taking into account all these prayers, it could be legitimate to affirm that all
these prayers are Christological as each prayer addresses Christ with scriptural references
based on themes on marriage.
The second set of Karozutha is the same as the litany of the Angel of peace seen in the
traditional East Syrian liturgy. The deacon concludes the intercessory prayer with ―[l]et
us commend one another and ourselves to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, we
beseech You‖ (SMB, 142). For which the assembly responds, ―Lord God, we commend
ourselves to you.‖
165
The priest says a collect asking God to bless the spouses with joy
162
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 209. Syro-
Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 262, 263 and 266.
163
Yousif, ―The Divine Liturgy According to the Rite of the Assyro-Chaldean Church,‖ 208.
164
Denis-Boulet, ―Analysis of the Rites and Prayers of the Mass,‖ 111.
165
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 266.
116 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
and hope and to obtain the everlasting crown which Christ has promised to their servants.
He also prays for the parents of the couple and those who nurtured them in God‘s love
and all the participants of the ceremony.
Summing up the section on the Liturgy of the Word, it is legitimate to argue that the
Liturgy of the Word could be considered as a time to prepare the spouses and the
participants to receive the sacrament of marriage with good disposition by hearing the
word of God and unfolding the meaning and significance of marriage. Though the
structure of the Liturgy of the Word of God is similar to this section of Syro-Malabar
Eucharistic celebration, it remains unique for the sacrament of marriage with its specific
mention on the scriptural readings related to marriage and the prayers dedicated for the
spouses. In the following section, we analyze the third part of the sacrament of Holy
Matrimony, the rite ‗proper‘ of marriage for the Syro-Malabar Church, that is, the
celebration of marriage in detail.
2.3.3. Rites of Marriage
As understandable from the above structure of the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage, the
specific rites of marriage that constitute the sacrament of Matrimony take place
immediately after the Liturgy of the Word and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The
celebration of marriage starts off with the prayer by the priest in which he prays for
himself. It is followed by an announcement of the deacon. Then, a hymn is sung which
extols the meaning and significance of marriage from Christological perspective. It is
followed by the Nuptial covenant comprising the scrutiny of the consent of the spouses
that culminates in the public declaration of their consent, the joining of the hands of the
spouses and the blessing. Afterwards, the priest blesses the thali, rings and the
manthrakodi and then, the spouses exchange them. While these rites take place, the choir
sings a hymn. The rites proper conclude with the matrimonial pledge by the couple and
the nuptial blessing. Now, we take up a detailed analysis of each of these rites.
2.3.3.1. The Announcement of the Deacon
The supreme moment of the solemnization of marriage commences with the
announcement of the deacon:
―Dear brothers and sisters, the bride and groom are going to be united
in the sacrament of holy matrimony. The celebrant prays for himself
that he may administer this sacrament worthily. In reverence and
attentiveness, let us now pray in silence‖ (SMB, 142-143).
Through this announcement, firstly, the deacon anticipates the significance of the rites
that are going to be performed shortly, that is, the man and woman are going to be
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 117
united.
166
Thus, it marks an entry to the rites which constitute the sacrament of holy
matrimony. Secondly, the deacon invites the community to pray for the priest so that he
may be able to administer the sacrament in a worthy manner. It has a double implication
from an Eastern theological perspective: it underlines the prominence of the place of the
priest for the celebration, and the need to pray for the priest so that he may administer the
sacrament in a worthy manner.
167
Thirdly, the announcement of the deacon endorses the
disposition of reverence, attentiveness and of silent prayer for the participation and
celebrations of the sacrament of marriage.
From the East Syrian perspective, the attitude of a reverential fear is a characteristic
feature for the celebration of any sacred mystery, which has its epitome expression in
celebration of the Mystery of the Eucharist. According to the Anaphora of Addai and
Mari, the Eucharist is ―the great, fearful, holy, life-giving, divine mystery, before which
the people stand in silence and awe.‖
168
Again, a homily on the Mysteries ascribed to
Narsai speaks of the ―dread Mysteries‖ and suggests that everyone should be ―in fear and
dread while they are being performed. [...] Bend to the ground the glance of your minds,
and entreat earnestly and make supplication to the God of all in this hour which is full of
166
The verb unite comes from the past participle of the Latin term unire which means to join together or to
make one. It also implies ―to combine or join (one or more things) to or with another or others, to bring
or put together (separate or divided things), so as to form one connected or continuous whole [...] to join
or clasp (hands), esp. in the marriage ceremony.‖ The Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. ―Unite.‖ 78; The
term union or joining of man and woman is not unfamiliar to the theological discussions of the East
Syrian. Rather, they are frequent expressions found in the theological discussions of the East Syrian
tradition. Robert Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A Study in Early Syriac Tradition
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977), 131-142. James Hamilton Charlesworth, ed., The Odes
of Solomon: The Syriac Texts (Missoula: Scholars Press, 1977), Ode 42:7b-9; 3:1-11; 38: 9-12; 8: 1; 11:
21; Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 170; John Meyendorff, Marriage:
An Orthodox Perspective (New York (N.Y): St. Vladimir‘s Seminary Press, 1984),16. Exploring further,
one could find out that even the terminology used to designate marriage in Syrian theological world is
related to the Syriac terms meaning union or joining. For example, Ephrem the Syrian uses two Syriac
terms,
(šawtōfutō) and (zuwwōgō) to denote marriage. The root of
(zuwwōgō) is (z-w-g) which means ―to join‖ or ―to pair.‖ While discussing on the terminologies
used by Ephrem, Yifat Monnickendam, suggests that ―[t]his meaning [as expressed by the terms
(šawtōfutō) and (zuwwōgō)] developed to describe the joining of a man and a
woman, i.e. ‗to marry‘ or ‗to have sexual intercourse‘. Yifat Monnickendam, ―Articulating Marriage:
Ephrem‘s Legal Terminology and its Origins,‖ Journal of Semitic Studies 58, no. 2 (January 1, 2013),
277. The same turn of phrase, to be united, occurs in the Sacrament of Marriage of the Syro-Malabar
Church for the first time at the introductory rites and also a second time at the beginning of the
intercessory prayers, and here, in the announcement of the deacon as an entrance to the constituting rites
of the sacrament of marriage.
167
While commenting on the Eucharist, Gabriel of Qatar presents this announcement of the deacon as ―an
instruction of the priesthood.‖ Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 215. A detailed
discussion will be followed on this theme in the subsequent section while discussing on the prayer of the
priest for himself.
168
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 253; Margaret Barker, The Revelation of Jesus Christ:
Which God Gave to Him to Show to His Servants What Must Soon Take Place (Revelation I.I)
(Edinburgh: Clark, 2000), 376.
118 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
trembling and great fear.‖
169
Theodore of Mopsuestia also suggests the significance of
this disposition in the Eucharist. What evokes this disposition is the fact that ―the body
which is lying there is high, awe-inspiring, holy, and truly Lord through its union with
the Divine nature,‖ and therefore, everyone must look at it ―with a quiet and reverential
fear and a silent and noiseless prayer.‖
170
Narsai also speaks of the importance of praying
in silence while the administration of the sacred mysteries takes place. ―All the
ecclesiastical body now observes silence, and all set themselves to pray earnestly in their
hearts.‖
171
Hence, from Syrian theological perspective, the reverential fear toward the
sacred mysteries and silent prayer, thus, characterizes the important moment of the
celebration of the mysteries. It is evident from the repeated use of these expressions in
the Eucharistic celebration of the Syro-Malabar church.
172
It is against this background
of the East Syrian attitude towards the Eucharist, the announcement of the deacon is
better understood. Through the announcement, the ecclesial community is reminded and
admonished to realize the significance of the unique moment and to pray in their hearts
for the priest who officiates the celebration and for the couple who are going to be united
in the sacrament.
In short, the announcement of the deacon foretells the ceremonies that are going to be
performed in order to dispose the ecclesial community for the celebration. By doing this,
as in the eucharistic celebration, deacon makes the participants aware the constitutive
significance of this part of the celebration of marriage in relation to other parts of the
celebration. It is a fervent reminder ―that which takes place is awe-inspiring‖ and
therefore, all those who take part in the mystery of marriage must participate in it with ―a
quiet and reverential fear.‖
173
2.3.3.2. The Prayer of the Priest for Himself
As an immediate preparation for the celebration of the mystery of the sacrament, the
priest prays for the divine graces to perform the sacrament worthily. The prayer begins
with an anamnesis that it is God who blessed man and woman as life partners. To put it
differently, it is God who willed and united the man and woman at the creation.
Remembering God as the author of marriage, the priest praises God for situating
marriage within the order of creation. Realizing the divine role in the origin of marriage,
priest continues to pray for himself asking divine graces to discharge his responsibility in
God‘s name.
169
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 10-11; Barker, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 376.
170
Theodore of Mopsuestia, ―Commentary on the Lord‘s Prayer and on the Sacraments,‖ 87-88,
171
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 12; 10; 11; Barker, The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
376.
172
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, 17; 19; 21.
173
Theodore of Mopsuestia, ―Commentary on the Lord‘s Prayer and on the Sacraments,‖ 88.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 119
This prayer brings up the discussion on the role of the priest in the celebration of the
sacrament of marriage in the Eastern Churches, especially in the Syro-Malabar Church.
The question about the minister of the sacrament of marriage is of central importance in
the Eastern and Western Churches.
174
The Code of Canons of Eastern Churches asserts
that ―[o]nly those marriages are valid which are celebrated with a sacred rite in the
presence of the local hierarch or the local pastor or a priest who has been given the
faculty of blessing the marriage by either of them.‖
175
It points to the fact that the
celebrant of the sacrament of marriage is the priest.
176
The nuptial blessing is one of the
important requirements for a valid marriage in the Eastern churches.
177
With this
background, this priestly prayer announces that sacrament of marriage is not celebrated
by the couples alone, but it is celebrated as a sacrament with priest as the main
celebrant.
178
The homily on the Exposition of the mysteries ascribed to Narsai, reiterates
that the presence of the priest is mandatory for the solemnization of marriage:
―The Mysteries of the Church are not celebrated without a priest, for
the Holy Spirit has not permitted (any other) to celebrate them. The
priest received the power of the Spirit by the laying on of hands; and by
him are performed all the Mysteries that are in the Church. […]
174
To enhance this discussion, it is praiseworthy to quote from Patrick Connolly. In relation to the Western
marriage he says, by the 19th century, the belief that the spouses themselves were the ministers of the
sacrament was universally accepted among Catholic Theologians in the West; this was considered to be
‗theologically certain.‖ Connolly, ―Western and Eastern Approaches to Marriage,‖ 364. While
commenting on the same issue in the Eastern Churches he comments that the blessing of the priest was a
necessary condition for the validity of the marriage and the priest is considered as the minister of the
sacrament of marriage. Patrick Connolly, ―Contrasts in the Western and Eastern Approaches to
Marriage.‖ Studia Canonica 35, no. 2 (2001), 370-372. A detailed discussion on the same theme is seen
in the article written by Nedungatt. See George Nedungatt, ―Minister of the Sacrament of Marriage in
the East and the West,‖ Periodica de re canonica 90, (2001), 305-388.
175
Code of Canons of Eastern Churches, § 828, 1. This translation is taken from Victor J. Pospishil,
Eastern Catholic Marriage Law According to the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (Brooklyn:
Saint Maron publications, 1991), 469. Here after, the abbreviated form CCEO will be used for the Code
of Canons of Eastern Churches. The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of the Diamper also endorses that
―Matrimony be celebrated in the face of the Church by the vicar, or parish priest‖ and marriages which
are not celebrated with the presence of the priest ―are void and null.‖ ―The Acts and Decrees of the
Synod of Diamper,‖ in The History of Christianity in India from the Commencement of the Christian
Era, ed. James Hough (London: Seeley and Burnside, 1860), VII, § 1.
176
Western Churches presume that the real administer of the sacraments are couples themselves:
―According to Latin tradition, the spouses as ministers of Christ‘s grace mutually confer upon each other
the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church. In the tradition of the
Eastern Churches, the priests (bishops or presbyters) are witnesses to the mutual consent given by the
spouses, but for the validity of the sacrament their blessing is also necessary.‖ Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 1623; Code of Canon Law (Latin English Edition) (Washington: Canon Law Society of
America, 1999), 1055 §1. See section 1.3.1.1. for details on the symbolic meaning of the entrance
procession and the role of the couples in the liturgy of marriage of the Roman Rite.
177
Connolly, ―Western and Eastern Approaches to Marriage,‖ 370.
178
Antony Narikulam, ―The New Order for the Celebration of the Sacraments in the Syro-Malabar
Church‖ https://nelsonmcbs.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/syro-malabar-sacraments-dr-antony-
nariculam.pdf (accessed 20 December 2016). 9-10.
120 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
Without a priest woman is not betrothed to a man; and without him
their marriage festival is not accomplished.‖
179
Here, Narsai presents the presence of the priest as essential for the dispensation of the
sacrament of the marriage. The same may be inferred from one of three conditions that
Mar Abd Yeshu emphasized for the valid celebration of any sacrament. For him, it is a
must that: ―a true priest who has attained the priesthood rightly, according to the
requirements of the Church‖
180
to be the celebrant of a sacrament.
Together with the discussion on the question on the minister of the sacrament, the prayer
of the priest for himself expresses the human unworthiness to celebrate a divine mystery
which is one of the prominent themes of the East Syrian liturgies.
181
The homily of
Narsai, in this connection, refers to the condition of a priest as the celebrant of a sacred
mystery.
―The priest is in awe and great fear and much trembling for his own
debts and the debts of all the children of the church. [...] he is an
attorney, and fulfils an advocacy on its behalf. [...] In (his) awful
character and office, an object of awe even to the seraphim, the son of
the dust stands in great fear as mediator.‖
182
It presents the priest as possessed by a reverential fear before the divine mysteries.
Therefore, with a ―contrite heart before God‖ he asks blessings of God to perform the
sacred sacrament as according to God‘s desire.
183
While commenting on one of the
Manuscripts of Mar Abd Yeshu
184
on the worthiness of the ministers, Badger says that
―the confession of the officiating priest of his own unworthiness, and not withstanding
this, the efficacy of the sacraments, which he administers, in such as partake of them
aright, as contained in the offices of Baptism and the Lord‘s Supper, proves their
179
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 21.
180
The other two conditions for the validity of the sacrament are the following: 1) ―the Word and
Commandment of the Lord of sacraments, whereby He ordained each of them‖; 2) ―the right intention
and confirmed faith on the part of those who partake of them, believing that the effect of the sacrament
takes place by a heavenly power.‖ Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 165-164.
181
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, The Syro-Malabar Qurbana, ; Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary
on the Liturgy,‖ 214, 215; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac Qurbana, 164.
182
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 7.
183
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 8; Mathew, Structure and Theology of East Syriac
Qurbana, 165; Brock, ―Gabriel of Qatar‘s Commentary on the Liturgy,‖ 214.
184
It seems to be relevant to put down the translated version of the manuscript as it is given in the text for a
detailed understanding. ―Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and
sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments, yet forasmuch
as they do not the same in their own name, but in CHRIST‘s and do minister by His commission and
authority, we may use their ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving of the
Sacraments. Neither is the effect of CHRIST‘s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace
of God‘s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto
them; which be effectual, because of CHRIST‘s institution and promise, although they be ministered by
evil men. Nevertheless, it [appertained] to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil
ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally being
found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.‖ Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 163.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 121
agreement with the teaching of our own Church in this respect.‖
185
This implies that
although the priest receives the ordination and the graces by the laying on of hands, he is
still in need of prayer and the ecclesial community should intercede for him through their
prayers.
186
Thus, the prayer of the priest for himself is a good preparation for the
commencement of the solemnization of the sacrament of marriage: the binding of man
and woman in love.
As the prayer of the priest comes to an end, the people respond with Amen. With their
Amen, they join with the priest and pray for him: ―With Amen the people subscribe with
the priest, and take part with him by their prayers and their word (i.e. Amen).‖
187
After
this prayer, a hymn based on the theme of the covenantal relationship between Christ and
the church is chanted leading the couple for the nuptial covenant.
2.3.3.3. The Nuptial Covenant
The next part is the nuptial covenant where the priest asks the bride and bridegroom to
profess their consent, and to which they respond with ―Yes. I do.‖ Reflecting more on
the title for this section, the nuptial covenant, a reconceptualization of what is already
taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, namely that the ―marriage between
baptized persons is a true sacrament of the New Covenant‖
188
could be found. This same
idea is echoed in the CCEO, where it is stated that ―[t]he marriage covenant, established
by the Creator and ordered by His laws, whereby a man and a woman through an
irrevocable personal consent establish between themselves a partnership of their whole
life.‖
189
Marriage is here presented as a covenant between a man and a woman for their
whole life and its creator is God Himself. Further, it has become a frame of reference for
185
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 165-164. As an appendix to this argument Badger places
one of his encounters with an ancient Manuscript in the private possession of Kasha Mendu of Amedia.
Badger confesses that he is not able to find out the name of the author or the title of the work, however,
he quotes from the manuscript to present an explanation on the worthiness of the priest for the
celebration of the sacrament: ―Though there be really found in the Church wicked and lying priests,
nevertheless the right hand of the Lord which was placed upon their heads is true, and the oblation which
they offer is pure, and the HOLY SPIRIT listens [to their invocation,] and descends upon the oblation,
which communicates to such as partake thereof a true pardon; for these effects depend not upon the
conversation of the priest.‖ Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 164. It presents that the effect
of the sacrament is as a grace of God.
186
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 8.
187
Narsai of Edessa, ―An Exposition of the Mysteries,‖ 8.
188
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1617. Victor J. Pospishil while commenting on this Code
enumerates that the prerequisites of a contract is involved in the covenant, but covenant goes beyond a
contract: ―It [the covenant] presumes in the partners a ready and a willing disposition toward the sharing
of their entire existence together, the most intimate partnership of the whole life.‖ Pospishil, Eastern
Catholic Marriage Law, 188.
189
CCEO 776 §1; Comparing the CIC and CCEO, Connolly suggests that the role of the Creator is more
expressive in the CIC. Connolly, ―Western and Eastern Approaches to Marriage,‖ 378; The Synod of
Diamper presents that ―the efficient cause of matrimony regularly, is the consent of both parties declared
by words or signs de praesenti.‖ ―The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper,‖ VII.
122 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
one of the basic teachings of Eastern Code of Canon Law that the marriage covenant
takes place primarily ―between baptized,‖ and such a marriage is valid by the very fact of
―the institution of Christ.‖
190
Taking into account these implications, this part affirms
that marriage is a special and dignified sacrament of the covenant demanding an intimate
union man and woman for their whole life.
a. An Analysis of the Question
Our discussion on the nuptial covenant gets a new orientation when the focus of the
question is analysed. It expounds the covenantal vision of marriage to which the spouses
are entering into through the celebration. The question reads as follows:
―(Name of the Bridegroom) in compliance with the Law of Christ and
in accord with the teachings of the church, with free will and full
consent, do you take (Name of the bride), as your wife?‖ (SMB, 144).
In this scrutiny, the couple are asked whether they understand the significance of
marriage, the will of God and Law of Christ behind it, and the teachings of the Church
on the sacrament of marriage. This scrutiny is also an opportunity for the couple to
express a public confirmation of their free will and full consent for marriage but, it is not
really an examination of whether the couple are aware of the prerequisites for
marriage.
191
Rather, it is a public expression that confirms their consent for an
indissoluble and unitive marriage for their whole life. By this public confirmation they
express ―that they bring to the marriage consent nothing that excludes Christian
marriage, such as explicit opposition to unity and indissolubility.‖
192
The East Syriac rite of marriage, to which the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage is indebted
for its patrimony, also has the same question for the scrutiny. It scrutinizes the
bridegroom that he is espoused to the woman in accordance with the ordinance of the
Church, according to the law of Christ, with pure and free will and also with an
undoubting heart.
193
But a notable difference is that in the East Syrian liturgy it takes
place during betrothal and not during the marriage. Another major difference between
190
CCEO 776 §2; Connolly, ―Western and Eastern Approaches to Marriage,‖ 394. Pope John Paul II,
Familiaris Consortio, Art. 13, p 23; Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Rocchetta,
―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 9.
191
One of the particular laws of the Syro-Malabar Church explicitly makes sure that the prenuptial enquiry
must be done before the betrothal: ―Prior to betrothal the parties shall fill in the prenuptial enquiry form
in front of their respective parish priests in order to make sure that they enter into the marriage covenant
with due preparation, knowledge and consent (cc. 782-785).‖ Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Particular
Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, ed. Fr. James Kallumkal V.C et al., vol. 2 (Kakkanad: Syro-Malabar
Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2003), § 160.
192
Pospishil, Eastern Catholic Marriage Law, 188; The Synod of Diamper also underlines that ―the bond
of matrimony, being once lawfully tied, is perpetual, and cannot be dissolved by anything but the death
of one of the parties.‖ ―The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper,‖ VII. Italics added for emphasis.
193
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 244.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 123
the East Syrian Church and the Syro-Malabar Church is on the persons to whom the
question is asked. In the East Syrian Church, after scrutinizing the bridegroom about his
consent, the same question is asked to the steward of the bride who expresses the consent
on behalf of the bride. Differing from this, in Syro-Malabar Church the questions are
addressed directly to the bridegroom and bride in the presence of the witnesses. The
CCEO makes it clear by stating that the ―[c]onsent cannot be given except by the
partners themselves.‖
194
Hence, the consent of the spouses is the essential element for
marriage.
The scrutiny takes into account whether they are making the nuptial covenant, firstly in
compliance with the Law of Christ and, secondly, according to the teachings of the
church. The Law of Christ with regard to marriage is expressed in the Gospel, Mt 5: 27-
32; 19: 3-12; Mk 10: 2-12; Lk 16; 18. One unitive characteristic in all these passages is
that here Jesus Christ affirms the indissolubility of marriage: ―What God has joined
together, no man could dissolve.‖ The awareness of and the readiness for an indissoluble
marriage is one of the essential conditions for entering the marriage. As it is written ―the
Christian marriage was always regarded as a permanent union that should not be
dissolved, and anything which led to the breakup of a marriage was considered sinful.
This was the teaching of Jesus (Mt 5: 27-32; 19: 3-12; Mk 10: 2-12; LK 16; 18).‖
195
Going further, the question takes into account the basic knowledge of the teachings of
the Church on marriage. CCEO 817 §1 states that ―[m]atrimonial consent is an act of
free will by which a man and a woman, through an irrevocable covenant, mutually give
and accept each other in order to establish marriage.‖ Again, CCEO 817 §2 states that a
―[n]o human power can replace this matrimonial consent.‖
196
These canons explicitly
teach that consent is essential to marriage and that there should be no external force
compelling them to enter into marriage. Gaudium et Spes and Familiaris Consortio also
teach that the marriage between the spouses should only be effected when there is
freedom of choice and readiness to give to each other freely.
197
Thus, basically, the
question inquires about their consent for marriage, demanding an indissoluble and
unitive relationship. It also signals that a serious attention should be given that they are
entering into marriage wholeheartedly without any coercion.
194
Pospishil, Eastern Catholic Marriage Law, 336.
195
Pospishil, Eastern Catholic Marriage Law, 194.
196
The same idea is echoed in the words of Pope John Paul II when he states ―the words of matrimonial
consent constitute this sign [marriage].‖ Pope John Paul II, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the
Dimension of Sign,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 767, no. 3 (1983), 9. See also, John Paul II, ―Charter of the
Rights of the Family,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano, no. 48 (1983), § 3 where it states: ―Marriage cannot be
contracted except by the free and full consent of the spouses duly expressed.‖ To add more emphasis on
the role of marriage Pospishil, Victor J. writes as follows: ―Over the centuries the Church has evolved
the conviction that the exchange of the consent is the sole basis of a marriage.‖ Pospishil, Eastern
Catholic Marriage Law, 335.
197
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 67, 68.
124 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
b. The Presence of the Witness
At the beginning of the marriage ceremony itself, the witnesses occupy a unique role
among the ecclesial community, by flanking near to the bridal pair in front of the Bema
(SMB, 127). Now, while scrutinizing the bridegroom and the bride, the role of the
witnesses becomes prominent by their active response that they are witnesses to the
public profession of the consent of the spouses. The CCEO makes it clear that the
presence of the witnesses is one of the prerequisites for the celebration of marriage:
―Only those marriages are valid which are celebrated with a sacred rite in the presence of
[…] at least two witnesses.‖
198
It could be considered as a reaffirming of what the
Council of Trent declared through the Decree Tametsi that ―marriages which were not
solemnized in the presence of a competent priest and at least two witnesses were not
valid.‖
199
From the East Syrian perspective, the brideman, as expressed in the East Syrian Liturgy
of marriage, is an honoured member of the community who stand in the place of John the
Baptist, the messenger of Jesus Christ
200
and the bridemaid could be a lovely and revered
woman.
201
In the Chaldean liturgical celebration of marriage there is a special prayer for
the witnesses with a vision of being blessed by God so that they may be able to partake
in the joy of the spouses.
202
Looking from a wider perspective of the Eastern Code of
Canon Law, Pospishil suggests that ―besides the priest, at least two witnesses must
attend. They can be of both sexes; of any age, Catholic or non-Catholic, as long as they
are able to understand and witness what is going on.‖
203
Hence, along with the consent of
the couple, the testimony of this consent by the witnesses is one of the necessary
elements for a valid marriage. The expression of the witness to the marriage by the
stewards makes it clear that marriage is ―not just an affair of two individual believers‖
but involving the ecclesial community to which the spouses belong and this community
has a significant role in ―the communion between the spouses.‖
204
198
CCEO, 828 §1.
199
Council of Trent, ―Canons on the Reform of Marriage,‖ 68; The Synod of Diamper commands the
necessity of the witness for the validity of marriage and suggests that St. Thomas Christians should
punctually observe what the Council of Trent had taught for the validity of the sacrament of marriage.
―The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper,‖ VII, §1. Klemens Richter, ―The Liturgical
Celebration of Marriage: The Problems Raised by Changing Theological and Legal Views of Marriage,‖
Concilium 9, no. 7 (1973), 78.
200
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 250.
201
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 271.
202
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 250.
203
Pospishil, Eastern Catholic Marriage Law, 312.
204
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 169.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 125
c. The Symbolism of Joining of Right Hands
After receiving the consent of the bridegroom and the bride in the presence of the
witnesses, the priest asks the couple to join their right hands, ―the most ancient and
universal symbol of the marriage union,‖
205
as a symbol of their nuptial covenant. When,
the spouses join their right hands the priest blesses them with a prayer. The prayer goes
as follows:
―May the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob be with you. May our
Lord, Jesus Christ, bind you in holy matrimony to a family life of love
and oneness of minds. In the name of the Father, and of the Son +
(blesses the couple and sprinkles holy water on the hands joined) and
of the Holy Spirit, forever‖ (SMB, 145).
This prayer sets the marriage in the history of salvation by recounting the fidelity of God
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thereby, it relates the rite of marriage to salvation history,
wherein God the creator makes a covenant with his chosen people, Israel.
206
In addition,
it refers to Jesus Christ who binds the bridal couple in the sacrament of marriage and
leads to a life of love and unity. At the end of the prayer the priest blesses the couple and
the holy water is sprinkled on their joined hands. The symbolism of joining the right
hands establishes that the bride and bridegroom are now to be considered as joined in
marriage and the blessing of this joined hand with the sign of the cross implies that it is
God who binds them inseparably in the sacrament of marriage. Thus, the nuptial
covenant clearly expresses that the marriage is a lifelong commitment between the
bridegroom and the bride joined, blessed and consecrated as a covenant with the grace
and love of God.
2.3.3.4. The Blessing of the Thali, the Knot
In the series of rituals, next comes the blessing of the thali, the knot, the most symbolic
and traditional element of the Syro-Malabar sacrament of Matrimony and it is considered
as the ―marriage badge.‖
207
The tying of the thali or minnu,
208
a tiny gold pendant,
205
J. Robert Baker et al., eds., A Marriage Sourcebook (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994), 24.
The Synod of Diamper observes that marriage was ―commonly celebrated with words signifying only a
consent‖ and commands that it is not sufficient for a valid marriage. As a result, the Synod provided the
form of the solemnization of Matrimony with the following elements. Celebration at the Church, the
Priest, two witnesses, the joining of the hands covered with the stole of the priest, the promise of the
spouses, and the nuptial blessing. ―The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper,‖ VII, § 2. In the
Hindu tradition, grasping the hand of the bride at the marriage ceremony symbolizes that the bridegroom
is assuming the responsibility of the bride for the rest of life. Luke Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu
Celebration of Marriage,‖ in La Celebrazione Cristiana del Matrimonio, Simboli e Testi, ed. P. Giustino
Farnedi (Roma: Pontificio Ateneo S. Anselmo, 1986), 367.
206
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 28.
207
Rao Bahadur L. K. Anantakrishna Ayyar, Anthropology of the Syrian Christians (Ernakulam: Cochin
Government Press, 1926), 90.
208
Minnu is a synonym for the term thali and has a wider circle of usage as the thali. The literal meaning of
126 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
around the neck of the bride is considered as the unique moment in the Syro Malabar
marriage.
209
Eugène Tisserant, in his work Eastern Christianity in India, comments that
―[t]he Syro-Malabar ritual has a peculiar characteristic in the administration of the
Sacrament of Marriage: the priest blesses a small golden cross in the place of a ring,
which the bridegroom passes round the neck of his wife.‖
210
a. The Traditional Elements and Ceremonial Practices with the Thali
When the Hindus were converted to Christianity, they have brought in different elements
and practices into the life and practice of the Thomas Christians from the very beginning
of Christianity in India.
211
These practices, therefore, more than an adaptation, were the
continuation of their earlier way of life which they had incorporated into the life and
practice of Christian life in the light of the Gospel. It is well articulated by Placid
Podipara when he refers to the nature of the Thomas Christians as ―Hindu in culture,
Christian in Faith, and Oriental in Worship.‖
212
It was argued that the cultural
dimensions, religious ceremonies, educational system, and the social practices that
prevailed among the Thomas Christians were not a mere adaptation from Hinduism to
Christianity. To be precise, as commented by James A. Aerthayil ―what we have in this
community, therefore, was not a clear case of adaptation, but preservation of a culture,
entrusted to them as a legacy, vitalizing it with Christian principle. […] The truth of the
the term minnu is that which glitters, a synonym of gold. From a Christian perspective, the term thali is
frequently used. In order to avoid confusion, in this text the term thali would be used.
209
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 194. The Synod of Diamper calls this ritual as ―the
usage of the heathens‖ and condemns it. However, this custom continued to be part of the Syro-Malabar
Church because of its cultural and social significance and became an essential element in the sacrament
of marriage. ―The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper,‖ VII § 12. See also, Payngot, ―The Syro-
Malabar Marriage,‖ 263. Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖265; Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 195.
210
He referred the manuscript Borgianus latinus 155 found in the Vatican Library belonged to the personal
collection of Cardinal Stephen Borgia. This manuscript has the Latin translation of the Syro-Malabar
ritual, which is made very likely when the Propaganda issued the edition of the ritual of the Syro-
Malabar Church. Eugène Tisserant, Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-Malabar
Church from the Earliest Time to the Present Day, trans., Edouard R Hambye (London: Longmans,
1957), 183-184;
210
C. D. Sebastian, ―Saint Thomas Christians of India: A Paradigm of Cultural Identity
in the Eastern Christianity,‖ in Philosophy, Religion, and Culture of Asian Countries, ed. Sergey
Pakhomov (Saint-Petersburg: Saint Petersburg State University, 2009), 135.
211
James A. Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St. Thomas Christians (Bangalore: Dharmaram
College, 1982), 58; Anscar J. Chupungco, ―The Cultural Adaptation of the Rite of Marriage,‖ in La
Celebrazione Cristiana del Matrimonio, Simboli e Testi, ed. P. Giustino Farnedi (Roma: Pontificio
Ateneo S. Anselmo, 1986), 145.
212
Placid Joseph Podipara, ―Hindu in Culture, Christian in Religion, Oriental in Worship,‖ Ostkirchliche
Studien 8, (1959), 89-104; Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St. Thomas Christians, 59; Paul
Pallath, ―Inculturation among the St. Thomas Christians,‖ in Mar Thoma Maragam: The Ecclesial
Heritage of the St Thomas Christians, ed. Andrews George Mekkattukunnel, Mar Thoma Margam
(Kottayam: OIRSI Publications, 2012), 842-843.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 127
Gospel, however, enlightened them to ennoble what was imperfect earlier and to correct
what was wrong.‖
213
Emphasizing the impact of Hindu religion of Thomas Christianity, Fonseca observes that
this Christian community continued to use ―many Hindu social practices connected with
marriage and family life, and was yet able to remain faithful to its distinctive faith,
liturgy and norms of morality.‖
214
Like many other customs, the practice of tying thali
was absorbed into Christian practice with modifications and new signification. In the
Hindu use of thali, it had an image of a god or goddess engraved in it, which had the
shape of a pear or that of the leaf of a banyan tree.
215
When Christians continued to use
thali, they marked it with a cross made of twenty-one tiny gold beads which
distinguishes it from the Hindu thali.
216
The cord used for tying the thali was made from
21 strands which were drawn from the manthrakodi, the wedding dress of the bride,
entwined in seven sets of three.
217
For Hindus, the cord was made by temple women.
218
The string used to tie the thali is usually replaced by a gold chain after the wedding. It
was considered inauspicious if the thali is lost or the string is broken.
219
The thali is
considered so sacred and a married woman is never expected to take off the thali from
their neck. When the wife or the husband dies the thali would be either buried with their
213
Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St. Thomas Christians, 59.
214
Joseph A. Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective: A Historical, Social, Theological
Investigation (Roma: Academia Alphonsiana, 1988), 195; Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St.
Thomas Christians, 46; Devis Chenginiyadan, ―Methodology Based on Symbols in Sacramental Rites:
An Anthropological and Phenomenological Study Based on Louis Dupré‘s Works with Reference to
Indian Religious Traditions and Syro-Malabar Rite,‖ (Leuven: K.U.Leuven, Faculty of Theology, 2007),
370.
215
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 266; Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of
Marriage,‖ 174. The banyan tree, in the Hindu culture, is considered as the symbol of fertility and love.
Antony Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage)
(Kakkanad: Commision for Family Apostolate, 2011), 139; Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint
Thomas, 190.
216
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 190; Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St.
Thomas Christians, 47; Placid Joseph Podipara, The Thomas Christians (London: Darton, 1970), 90;
Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage), 138-139;
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 174; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar
Marriage,‖ 266.
217
The number twenty one is a significant number since it is a set of three and seven. For the Syro-
Malabarians the number three represents Trinity and seven refer to the seven sacraments or seven days,
thus, the thread used for tying the thali symbolizes that the life of the married couple are intertwined
with the faith in Trinity and the Sacraments of the Church. Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian
Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 174; Podipara, ―Hindu in Culture, Christian in Religion, Oriental in
Worship,‖101; Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 187; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar
Marriage,‖ 266; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage),
138; Edakalathur, Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 158.
218
Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 187.
219
Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 187; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖
267; Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 174.
128 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
corpse or deposited at the treasury of the Church.
220
All these customs have a great
impact on the social life of the married couple and they are still in effect today.
b. The Significance of Tying Thali
The term used for marriage in Malayalam, the common Malabar language, is
pennukettuka, meaning, to tie the girl. It also signifies the binding of the bride to the
bridegroom in a solemn celebration of marriage. In other words ―[t]he husband binds the
wife to oneself or united her to oneself by means of a bond. More clearly, the man gives
his love pledge by the gesture of binding thali around the neck of the woman and
declares her to be his wife.‖
221
As the matrimonial badge it ―proclaims the bride as a
married woman‖ marking a significant transition in her life.
222
Since, the bridegroom
binds the minnu, the synonym for thali, around the neck of the bride this custom is also
known as minnukettu – tying the minnu around the neck of the bride.
223
The thread by
which the thali is tying also has a significant value from an Indian perspective:
―thread symbolizes the spirit which animated the person with divine
energy. The presence of the thread signifies the union of man and
woman in the spirit of God. As the bride by obligation wears this
thread on which the thali is attached until death, there is continuous
activity of the spirit of God which animates her and keeps her always
in union and in intimate relationship with her husband.‖
224
The formula for blessing the thali in the present text of the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage
reads as follows:
―O Lord, by Your death on the cross, have earned the Church as Your
bride, bless + this thali that unites the bride and the groom in mutual
trust and love. May this thali, the very symbol of unity, bind them to
indivisible love and faithfulness of fidelity. May the cross, embossed
on it, give them strength to bear cheerfully the sorrows of life, and to
lead a life pleasing to You. May this also be a symbol of their fidelity.
(Sprinkles holy water upon the Thali)‖ (SMB, 145).
220
Podipara, The Thomas Christians, 90; Aerthayil, The Spiritual Heritage of the St. Thomas Christians,
47; Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 186; Varghese Palathingal, Consortium
Totius Vitae: Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church (Kerala: Saint Thomas
academy for research, 1992), 105; Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu Celebration of Marriage,‖ 370. In the
Hindu tradition, the thali was deposited in the mouth of the corpse before it is buried signifying that even
after the death the marital relationship and fidelity for her husband is continued. Palathingal, Essence
and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 104.
221
Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 104.
222
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 174; Ayyar, Anthropology of the
Syrian Christians, 53.
223
Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 104; Brown, The Indian
Christians of Saint Thomas, 194; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and
Symbols of Marriage),139; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 266.
224
Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 105; Chundelikkattu,
Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage),138.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 129
The prayer begins with the salutation to the Lord recollecting how Christ won the
Church as his bride by his death on the cross. It echoes the vision of marriage in the
model of the relation between Christ and the Church as envisioned by Paul. Thus,
marriage is understood and approached from Christological perspective. With this
understanding, marriage ―shows its true meaning in the light of Christ and his Church‖
and thus, the ―Christological viewpoint, as oriented and penetrated by the reality of
Christ and his Church‖
225
is a model for the Christian marriage. Recognizing the Christ-
Church relationship as the point of reference, the thali is blessed and is worn as the
symbol of union between the bride and the groom. Further, the thali symbolizes the
marital relationship, characterized by indivisible love and indissoluble fidelity that
demands a lifelong commitment from the spouses. To be precise, for the St. Thomas
Christians, ―the thali is a symbol of the strong bond and intimate union between the
spouse.‖
226
The cross embossed on the thali has a great significance when it is
understood within the framework of the mystery of Christ-Church relationship. Christ as
the heavenly bridegroom earned the Church as His bride through the cross. On the one
hand, it demands the indivisible love and fidelity from the spouses as Christ loved the
Church. On the other hand, it signifies that the spousal life is centered on Christ who
blesses the spouses throughout their life.
227
The cross also signifies that the marital life
includes challenges of life and the need for the divine assistance and strength to take up
the crosses of life that come across their married life.
225
Leonardo Boff, ―The Sacrament of Marriage,‖ Concilium 9, no. 7 (1973), 30; Palathingal, Essence and
Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 105.
226
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 175. Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar
Marriage,‖ 280; Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 105;
Chundelikkattu, The Signs and Symbols of Marriage, 138-139.
227
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 266; Chundelikkattu, The Signs and Symbols of Marriage, 139.
130 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
2.3.3.5. The Blessing of the Rings
In the East Syrian tradition, the ring was exchanged during the betrothal and originally
there was no wedding ring as the Syro-Malabar Church has now.
228
However, as the
symbolic meaning of the wedding ring came to be recognized, the exchange of rings
became an indispensable part of the Christian marriage rite and, consequently, also in the
Syro-Malabar Church. Wider range of symbolic meaning is attributed to ring: ―The ring
is a transcendental symbol of faithfulness all through the ages‖ and it also symbolizes the
―confirmation of the promise made.‖
229
It also expresses the union which binds the man
and woman in marriage.
230
The ring in relation to wedding ceremonies is generally considered as a ―sign of mutual
faithfulness‖ that symbolizes that the hearts of the couples are ―bound by a single
pledge.‖ The ring is placed on the ring finger, because it is held that ―there is a vein
which carries the blood to the heart.‖
231
Though short in its length, the formula for the
blessing of the rings of the Syro-Malabar Church indicates the ring as the symbol of
―mutual love and fidelity‖ (SMB, 146). It also affirms that the commitment of the
spouses to love and to be faithful to each other is fulfilled by the blessing of the Lord.
The mutual exchange of rings by the spouses is of great significance, as it symbolically
represents the equality and reciprocity between the bride and groom. It highlights the
mutual responsibility demanded from both the bride and the bridegroom to preserve their
marital love and indissoluble unity. The conciliar teaching of marriage as a ―human act
whereby spouses mutually bestow and accept each other, a relationship arises which by
divine will and in the eyes of society too is a lasting one‖
232
is nobly expressed in this
symbolic liturgical action.
228
Podipara, ―Hindu in Culture, Christian in Religion, Oriental in Worship,‖101. In the Syro-Malabar
Church wedding ring is a new addition in the new text. ―While the tying of a minnu remains sacred, an
exchange of rings has also been added in emulation of Western cultural practices.‖ Fonseca, Marriage in
India in a Christian Perspective,193. Certain other rituals for the Chaldean solemnization of marriage,
such as the coronation of the bride, blessing with relics and exchange of rings, were not practiced in
Malabar. Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 186. Tisserant, Eastern Christianity in
India: A History of the Syro-Malabar Church from the Earliest Time to the Present Day,183; Podipara,
The Thomas Christians, 90 ―There was (and is) no wedding ring which the East Syrian rite prescribes.‖
Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 105; Sebastian, ―Saint
Thomas Christians of India: A Paradigm of Cultural Identity in the Eastern Christianity,‖ 135; Payngot,
―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 265.
229
Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 264.
230
Baker et al., eds., A Marriage Sourcebook, 29; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 268.
231
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 119. Reynolds, Marriage in the Western
Church, 92; ―The wedding ring is put on the woman‘s left hand, on the fourth or ring finger commonly
through to press a vein which was supposed to communicate directly with the heart.‖ Payngot, ―The
Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 280; ―Bless the ring which is a sign of the covenant and contract [between]
them made.‖ Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 250; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra
Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage), 141.
232
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 131
The round shape of the ring also has its specific implications. The round shape or the
circle signifies eternity. ―As a circle does not have any beginning or ending so the
commitment of the spouses is undying. The ring is a token of love and fidelity. Handing
it over to the beloved constitutes a promise of exclusivity; it is a ritual gesture that
manifests absolute, complete self-giving to the spouse.‖
233
For Baker, the circle is
―operated as a symbol of constancy, a sign of the continuity and endurance promised on
wedding days.‖
234
To sum up, the ring acquired a significant role at the moment of the
wedding liturgy as it is a symbol of the lifelong faithfulness and commitment of the
spouses.
2.3.3.6. The Blessing of the Manthrakodi
As in the case of thali, blessing of the Manthrakodi, a new wedding garment, and its
spreading over on the head of the bride is one of the ancient customs of the Saint Thomas
Christians in India.
235
As we have discussed above, there is also a connection between
the use of thali and manthrakodi in the rite of marriage of the Thomas Christians because
the string used for tying the thali is made of the 21 strands drawn from the manthrakodi,
knotted in seven sets of three.
236
a. The significance of Manthrakodi
The new wedding garment, manthrakodi, corresponds to the bridal veil used in many
Eastern churches, very specially, the bridal attire used in the Chaldean Church.
237
The
significance of manthrakodi for the whole of the couple‘s life is noteworthy because it is
preserved till the end of their life, and later it becomes the burial shroud of the wife.
238
As the cloth is related to the personal life of every man and woman, ―it frequently served
233
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 33; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and
Symbols of Marriage), 140.
234
Baker et al., eds., A Marriage Sourcebook, vii;
235
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 265; Fonseca describes the blessing of the wedding attire and
its use at the liturgy of the marriage is part of the Eastern Churches. Fonseca, Marriage in India in a
Christian Perspective,186-187; Badger, ed., The Nestorians and their Rituals, 257-258; Ayyar,
Anthropology of the Syrian Christians, 91. Pauly Maniyattu comments that even though the blessing of
the wedding attire has a East Syrian background, for Thomas Christians the Hindu tradition of giving the
new cloth, pudava kodukkal, to the bride by the bridegroom is the origin of the blessing of the
manthrakodi. Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 175; Chundelikkattu,
The Signs and Symbols of Marriage, 144. This custom also has a biblical background in Ruth where she
requests Boaz to spread his cloak over her as a symbol of taking care of her (Ruth: 3:9). Posner R,
―Marriage,‖ in Encyclopeadia Judaica (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing Company, 1971), 1041.
236
For a detailed discussion refer Footnote, No: 64.
237
Badger, ed., The Nestorians and their Rituals, 254-258; Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian
Perspective, 187.
238
Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective,187; Ayyar, Anthropology of the Syrian
Christians, 74.
132 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
to symbolize one‘s self (cf.2 Kgs 2:13-14; 9:13).‖
239
It also signifies the act of entering
into the covenantal relationship as expressed in Ezekiel 16:8.
240
The manthrakodi is,
again, considered as ―the symbol of loyalty, love, commitment and dedication to each
other.‖
241
With this symbolic gesture the mutual love and lifelong commitment
demanded of the spouses are well expressed. Further, the spreading over of the
manthrakodi has another meaning as it indicates the divine presence in the life of the
spouses. According to Ephrem, the Spirit symbolizes warmth by which everything
becomes fruitful and sanctified. The apostles were clothed by the Spirit and received the
power to complete their tasks entrusted to them.
Even so the Spirit clothed the naked/Apostles,
as it sent them forth to the four winds (lit.directions) upon their tasks.
[…] By means of warmth all things ripen
As by the Spirit all are sanctified, a transparent symbol!
242
Hence, the putting on of the Manthrakodi symbolically suggests the putting on of the
Holy Spirit in the life of the spouses and also the active role of the Holy Spirit in their
life. The presence of the Holy Spirit sanctifies their life and empowers them to go
through different, including difficult experiences of their married life till the end of their
life. Another implication that is attached to the use of Manthrakodi and the covering of
the bride‘s head with it symbolizes the responsibility of sheltering the bride by the
bridegroom. This expression of the responsibility, thus, adds a contextual and societal
colour to the rite of celebration.
b. The Formula for Blessing and its Implications
An analysis of the formula for the blessing of the manthrakodi reiterates its significance
by its use of the imageries and Christ-Church mystical relationship. It reads as follows:
―O, merciful Lord, who adorns the human soul with the enduring
mantle of grace, bless + this manthrakodi. Help this bride and groom
put You on through their mutual love and self-giving. O Lord, who
clothed the holy Church, Your bride, in the mantle of glory, make this
239
Geoffrey F. Wood, ―Ruth, Lamentations,‖ in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond Edward
Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy (London: Campman, 1984), 608; Kochuparampil,
―Mysteries of the Church in the East Syriac Tradition,‖ 265.
240
―I passed by you again and looked on you; you were at the age for love. I spread the edge of my cloak
over you, and covered your nakedness: I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you,
says the Lord God, and you became mine‖ (Ezekiel 16:8). This version is taken from NRSV.
241
Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar Church, 106; Chundelikkattu,
Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage), 144; Maniyattu, ―Inculturation
of the East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 175; Kochuparampil, ―Mysteries of the Church in the East
Syriac Tradition,‖ 265.
242
Robert Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A Study in Early Syriac Tradition (Cambridge:
Cambridge University press, 1977), 80.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 133
couple worthy to put on the robe of glory in heaven after a life of
sanctity on earth‖ (SMB, 146).
This formula presents God as the one who adorns the human soul with the ―mantle of
grace.‖ It vividly reminds that by their mutual love and enduring self-giving the couple
―put on Christ‖ who loves the Church and sacrificed His life to earn the Church as His
bride. The expression ―Put on Christ‖
243
implies the Baptism of the individual person, by
which they acquire the robe of glory and the newly baptized are asked to preserve the
robe of glory given at baptism.
244
The formula for the blessing of the manthrakodi
alludes that the Lord clothed the Church in the mantle of glory signifying that ―at each
Christian baptismal ceremony it is the individual soul that is betrothed [to Christ].‖
245
However, the actual wedding feast is celebrated in ―the sacred time, at the eschaton,‖
when those who have kept their wedding garments spotless and pristine, which received
at their baptism, ―will fully realize the existence of their robes of glory.‖
246
The clothing
imagery, the putting on and the putting off of the robe of glory or the robe of light, is one
of the prominent themes of the Syrian Tradition.
247
Ephrem the Syrian is one among
them and in his hymn on Nativity he writes on Incarnation and its effects as follows:
All these changes did the Merciful One make,
stripping off glory and putting on a body;
243
The Odes of Solomon uses the phrase ―put on‖ in a variety of ways: to put on ―the Love of the Lord‖
(3:1), ―Thy grace‖ (4:6), ―Thy seal‖ (4:7), ―Him‖ (7:4), ―His holiness‖ (13:3), ―incorruption‖ (15:8),
―Thy grace of the Lord‖ (20:7), ―light‖ (21:3), ―Joy‖ (23:1), ―Love‖ (23:3), and ―the name of the Most
High‖ (39:8). In all these cases the author of the Odes specifies the relationship between God and the
human soul. For Ephrem the Syrian, putting on Christ suggests the Baptism. Sebastian Brock, The
Luminous Eye: The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (Collegeville, Michigan:
Cistercian Publications, 1992),
244
Brock, The Luminous Eye, 94-95. The imagery of robe of glory, proposed by Ephrem the Syrian, is a
widely discussed theme of the Syrian Theology.
245
Brock, The Luminous Eye, 31; Palathingal, Essence and Form of Marital Relationship in the Malabar
Church, 106; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the Signs and Symbols of Marriage),
144.
246
Brock, The Luminous Eye, 95; Hannah M Hunt, ―‗Clothed in the Body‘: The Garment of Flesh and the
Garment of Glory in Syrian Religious Anthropology,‖ Studia patristica 64, (2013), 7; Sebastian Brock,
―The Robe of Glory: A Biblical Image in the Syriac Tradition,‖ The Way 39, no. 3 (1999), 255; Erik
Peterson, ―A Theology of Dress,‖ Communio: International Catholic Review 20, (Fall, 1993), 565.
247
While discussing on the robe of glory as envisioned by Ephrem, Sebastian Brock explains as follows:
―It is evident that St. Ephrem and the other early Syriac writers derived [the term robe of glory]
ultimately from Jewish circles, where the term arose from a particular interpretation of Genesis 3:21. In
that verse the Hebrew and the ancient versions read, ‗And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife
garments of skin‘; it so happens, however, that the Hebrew word for ‗skin‘ is very similar to that for
‗light,‘ and a famous late-first-century rabbi, Rabbi Meir, is reputed to have had a manuscript of Genesis
which actually read ‗garments of light.‘ The Aramaic Targum tradition, furthermore, translates the
phrase by ‗garments of honor (or glory),‘ very similar to the ‗Robe of Glory,‘ characteristic of Syriac
writers.‖ Saint Ephrem, ―Hymns of Paradise: Saint Ephrem the Syrian,‖ ed. Sebastian P. Brock
(Crestwood: St Vladimir‘s Seminary Press, 1990), 68; Peterson, ―A Theology of Dress,‖ 558-568;
Brock, ―The Robe of Glory: A Biblical Image in the Syriac Tradition,‖ 247-259; Hunt, ―Clothed in the
Body,‖ 1-7; Sebastian Brock, Studies in Syriac Christianity: History, Literature, and Theology
(Hampshire: Variorum, 1992), 15-38.
134 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
for He had devised a way to reclothe Adam
in that glory which Adam had stripped off.
Christ was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
corresponding to Adam‘s leaves,
Christ put on clothes, instead of Adam‘s skins;
He was baptized for Adam‘s death.
He rose and raised up Adam in his glory.
Blessed is He who descended, put Adam on and ascended!
248
Adam stripped off his robe of glory by his fall but by ―stripping of glory‖ but by ―putting
on a body‖ Christ clothed Adam again with the glory he was deprived off by his sin. For
the Adam‘s sin Christ was baptized, and for the same, Christ‘s body was embalmed
signifying the sacrament of Eucharist. Christ rose from the dead to raise up Adam, the
humanity, in their glory. Thus, by his Incarnation, Baptism, death on the cross and the
resurrection from the dead, Christ reclothed Adam, the humanity, with the robe of glory.
Hence, by employing the imagery of clothing, ―Ephrem succeeds in providing his
readers with a splendidly cohesive picture of the entire range of salvation history, from
Creation to the Fall, through the Incarnation, to the Sacraments, or Mysteries, of Baptism
and the Eucharist, and on to the Final Resurrection.‖
249
In the sacrament of baptism the white dress is given to the child with a prayer: ―May our
Lord Jesus Christ adorn you with the robe of sanctity and help you to a life of innocence‖
(SMB, 46). From this perspective, baptism is considered as the putting on of the robe of
sanctity, which the first parents had lost through their sin. In his Hymn on Virginity,
Ephrem repeats that Christ came to find out Adam and to put him back to Eden in order
to re-clothe him with the garment of light which he lost at Eden.
250
Understood in this
manner, ―at his or her baptism, the individual Christian, in putting on Christ,‘ puts on the
robe of Glory, thus re-entering the terrestrial anticipation of the eschatological Paradise,
in other words, the Church; finally, at the Resurrection of the Dead, the just will in all
reality renter the celestial Paradise, clothed in their Robes of Glory.‖
251
The metaphor of
the robe of glory, thus, links the ―primordial and the Eschatological paradise‖ and
reminds the entire salvation history and points to the ―place of each individual
248
Saint Ephrem, Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns, ed. Bernard McGinn, trans., Kathleen E. McVey, The
Classics of Western Spirituality (New York: Paulist Press, 1989), Hymn 23:13 on Nativity. This
translation is taken from the following work: Brock, The Luminous Eye, 85.
249
Brock, The Luminous Eye, 86; Hunt, ―Clothed in the Body,‖ 3.
250
Saint Ephrem, Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns, Hymns on Virginity (XVI: 9), 331: ―We have found Him
Who finds all, Who came to find Adam who was lost, and in the garment of light to return to him to
Eden.‖ See also, Hunt, ―Clothed in the Body,‖ 7.
251
Saint Ephrem, ―Hymns of Paradise,‖ 67; Hunt, ―Clothed in the Body,‖ 6-7; Brock, ―The Robe of Glory:
A Biblical Image in the Syriac Tradition,‖ 253-255.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 135
Christian‘s Baptism within the divine economy as a whole.‖
252
Only when one situates
the rite of mantrakodi within this frame work of Syrian understanding of the robe of
glory, one can grasp the implication of it in the Indian context and also in the oriental
liturgical tradition. The manthrakodi symbolizes this wedding garment and the prayer of
blessing over it announces that the solemnization of marriage marks only a beginning of
a long journey. As the baptized is exhorted to keep their robe of sanctity, the spouses are
reminded of keeping their wedding garment intact by keeping their marital union
indissoluble in order to participate in the eschatological banquet with this robe of glory.
Once the blessing of thali, rings and the manthrakodi is over, in the rite of marriage, it is
the time to exchange them. Firstly, the priest hands over the thali to the bridegroom who
ties it around the neck of the bride. Then the spouses exchange the rings. If there are
rosaries, the celebrant gives them to the bride and bridegroom. The text also gives an
option to garland each other with a garland of flowers. This is a new adaptation found
only in the present text of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malabar. This adaptation is
taken from the Indian marriage tradition which expresses a wilful and free choice of each
of the spouses. Then the priest hands over the manthrakodi to the bridegroom and the
bridegroom puts it on the bride. There are two ways of doing this: either the bridegroom
spreads it over the head of the bride. While these exchanges are taking place, the choir
sings a hymn greeting the new formed family in the Church. The hymn extols Jesus as
the ―bridegroom of love‖ who showers His grace on this nuptial day when the earth and
heaven merges. It also suggests the spouses to lead a sanctified life as the Holy Family
and a witnessing life as the virtuous couple, Sarah and Tobias.
252
Saint Ephrem, ―Hymns of Paradise,‖ 67; Brock, ―The Robe of Glory: A Biblical Image in the Syriac
Tradition,‖ 253; Peterson, ―A Theology of Dress,‖ 565.
136 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
2.3.3.7. The Matrimonial Pledge
In the order of a series of rituals in Syro-Malabar marriage Rite, next comes the
matrimonial pledge. By placing their right hands on the Gospel, the couple repeats after
the priest the words of the pledge. This solemnizes the promise of the couple the core of
which is the covenantal faithfulness and mutual adherence of the couple. Expressing it
they make the pledge ―to live in love and fidelity, and with oneness of mind‖ till the end
of the life regardless of the situations of life, whether they pleasing or not (SMB, 148).
253
The term fidelity comes from the Latin word fidelis, and in the context of marriage it
means ―the compact of the marriage vows, a compact stitched together with threads of
faith in one another and faith in God.‖
254
In the ancient Israel, a covenant was confirmed
by an oath (Gen 21:22 ff.; Deut.29:9 ff.; Josh. 9:15-20; II kings 11:4).
255
The oath attests
―the truth or inviolability of one‘s words‖ and generally the oaths were associated with
―an invocation of God.‖
256
By this invocation they confess their faith in God and show
their adherence to Him. The same sentiment is expressed by Ibn Ezra when he
commented on Hosea 4:15. Explicating the nuances of a pledge in the context of a
covenant, he explains that ―[a]dhering to God carries with it the obligation to make
mention of Him in all one‘s affairs, and to swear by His name, so that all who listen may
perceive that he adheres lovingly to God, the name and mention of Him being on his
lips.‖
257
According to Charles Payngot, the oath of fidelity is a new addition that was
included in the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage after the second Vatican Council. Again,
this oath of fidelity that the couple makes placing their hands on the Bible makes the
marriage ―more juridical.‖
258
Coming to the present text, the pledge is made placing
hands on Gospel amending the earlier practice of taking oath on the Bible. This
modification is on the understanding that the Gospel represents Christ and in marriage it
signifies that the conjugal relationship that is modeled after the mystical union between
Christ and the Church. The matrimonial pledge is now sealed with the Word of God.
253
According to Pospishil, oath of fidelity by the spouses during the liturgical rite is ―very expressive‖ and
he suggests that though it is not in the canonical form of the marriage, ―the absence of which would
render the marriage invalid.‖ Pospishil, Eastern Catholic Marriage Law, 371.
254
Baker et al., eds., A Marriage Sourcebook, viii.
255
Moshe Weinfeld, ―Covenant,‖ in Encyclopaedia Judaica, ed. Fred Skolnik (New York: Thomson and
Gale, 2007), 249.
256
Moshe Greenberg, ―Oath in the Bible,‖ in Encyclopaedia Judaica, ed. Fred Skolnik (New York:
Thomson and Gale, 2007), 358.
257
This translation is taken from Greenberg, ―Oath in the Bible,‖ 358. The translated version of the original
work is given in Abraham Ibn Ezra, ―Commentary on Hosea,‖ in Commentary of Rabbi Abraham Ibn
Ezra on Hosea, ed. Abe Lipshitz (New York: Sepher-Hermon, 1988), 49.
258
Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar Marriage,‖ 268. According to the Talmudic Law the oath is considered as
―a mode of juridical proof.‖ Haim Hermann Cohn, ―Talmudic Law,‖ in Encyclopaedia Judaica, ed. Fred
Skolnik (New York: Thomson and Gale, 2007), 360. R. G. Parsons, ―Sacraments (Christian, Eastern),‖
in Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. James Hastings (New York: T & T. Clark, 1913), 903.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 137
Second Vatican Council teaches that ―the intimate partnership of married life and love
has been established by the Creator and qualified by His laws, and is rooted in the
conjugal covenant of irrevocable personal consent.‖
259
By taking the pledge, the bridegroom and bride express their readiness and commitment
to undertake the mutual responsibility in all circumstances of their life. The pledge
specifically stipulates three dimensions of life, namely, ―the temporal reality‖ (in joy and
sorrow), ―the economic reality‖ (in wealth and want), and ―the physical reality‖ (in
health and sickness). Such a tridimensional perspective represents how the marital pledge
embraces the totality of the human life. The comprehensiveness and the totality of the
nature of this pledge is clearly understandable from its correlative expression of a
positive and negative aspect of human life, namely, joy and sorrow, wealth and want,
and health and sickness. This pairing expresses view of totality because ―by mentioning
the extremes, everything that is in between them is included.‖
260
It reminds and demands
that the pledge of fidelity promised at the solemnization of the sacrament of marriage is
to be realized in their married life irrespective of the circumstances. This pledge is, thus,
a deepening, and a public expression of their consent attests the matrimonial consent is
not a mere immediate and passing sign, but a sign looking to the future which produces a
lasting effect, namely, the marriage bond, one and indissoluble (‗all the days of my life,‘
that is, until death).‖
261
The matrimonial pledge, thus, commits the spouses in love and
faithfulness to each other throughout their life.
Having promised their readiness for their lifelong marital life through their pledge, the
spouses request the grace of God to live their promise in its fullness and perfection. This
reveals the conviction that the marriage is not a mere human endeavour, but can only be
brought to completion with the grace of God that the spouses can keep their indissoluble
commitment. These two dimensions are clearly attested by the celebration. Therefore,
the actual celebration of marriage ―can be articulated in two simultaneous base
performances: the exchanging of marriage vows by the bride and bridegroom as mutual
subjects of doing, and the joining of them both by God. It involves not only the bridal
pair, but God Himself.‖
262
This makes the celebration of marriage as a moment where
the divine-human encounter is explicitly recognized in a human situation.
259
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48. Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Syro-Malabar
Sabhayude Aradhanakrama Viswasa Pariseelanam, 149-150. In the Bible, one of the oath gestures was
―raising the hand to YHWH‖ and the gesture of touching the bible could be analyzed in this Judaic
background. Greenberg, ―Oath in the Bible,‖ 359; Chundelikkattu, Vivaham Oru Samagra Padanam (the
Signs and Symbols of Marriage), 146.
260
Lukken, ―Relevance of Semiotic Analysis to the Liturgical Sciences,‖ 309.
261
Pope John Paul II, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the Dimension of Sign,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 767,
no. 3 (1983), 9.
262
Lukken, ―Relevance of Semiotic Analysis to the Liturgical Sciences,‖ 305-306.
138 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
Once the matrimonial pledge gets over, the deacon prepares the couple for the nuptial
blessing by inviting them to bow their heads for the blessing.
2.3.3.8. The Nuptial Blessing
The nuptial blessing occupies a ―central position‖
263
and ―a needful part of the inner
meaning of marriage.‖
264
According to the Eastern Code of Canon Law, the blessing of
the priest is a basic condition for the validity of marriage.
265
The formula for the nuptial
blessing by the priest with the hands extended once again reiterates and solemnly
proclaims the significance of the grace of God in establishing the sacrament of marriage
and also, in enabling the couple to fulfil their marital responsibilities. With this prayer
the grace of God is invoked which ―will assist the newly-wed couple to live out faithfully
the mystery of communion as ‗one body‘.‖
266
The nuptial blessing also repeats that
marriage is a great mystery by which the covenantal relationship of the bride and
bridegroom symbolizes the sacramental relationship between Christ and the Church.
The nuptial blessing is primarily beseeching the divine blessings and assistance upon the
new family. The words that recur are ―bless,‖ ―enrich‖, ―help‖ and ―lead‖ the couple.
This prayer also contains the invocation of the Holy Spirit in order to fill the spouses
with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Familiaris Consortio, Pope John Paul II teaches that
―[t]he Holy Spirit, who is poured forth in the celebration of the sacraments, is the living
source and inexhaustible sustenance of the supernatural communion that gathers
believers and links them with Christ and with each other in the unity of the Church of
God.‖
267
The role of the Holy Spirit is asserted by the Pope while explaining the
263
Richter, ―The Liturgical Celebration of Marriage,‖ 81; ―The priest‘s blessing, which was initially
reserved exclusively for first marriages, was made obligatory during the eighth and ninth centuries.‖
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 195.
264
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 223; see also, The International Commission on
English in the Liturgy, ―The Order of Celebrating Marriage‖ (accessed 18 October 2014). §9; Julie
McCarty, ―Nuptial Pentecost: Theological Reflections on the Presence and action of the Holy spirit in
Christian Marriage,‖ New Theology Review: February (2003), 59; Payngot, ―The Syro-Malabar
Marriage,‖ 27-41.
265
Fonseca, Marriage in India in a Christian Perspective, 193. While discussing on the prayer of the
priest, the significance of the priestly prayer for the validity of marriage in the Oriental Churches is
focused.
266
Commission on Inter-Church Relations and Education Development, Mysteries of the Kingdom: The
Sacraments of the Assyrian Church of the East (California: Edessa Publicaitons, 2011), 351. Edakalathur
comments that ―[t]he sacerdotal blessing signifies the divine intervention which assists the spouses to
live faithfully the mystery of communion. It is indicative of the lasting and fecund union.‖ Edakalathur,
Marriage in the East Syrian Tradition, 77-78.
267
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 41. Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 16; Rocchetta
presents the role of the Holy Spirit in an explicit manner. He states: ―It is in the Holy Spirit that man and
woman meet and build one another in love. It is in the Holy Spirit that they present themselves to the
Church and celebrate their marriage. It is in the Holy Spirit that their mutual consent is made actual in
the ‗yes‘ of Christ and the Church and makes them partners in the new covenant. It is in the Holy Spirit
that the spouses exercise their baptismal priesthood and realize their conjugal community as a
community of love and of grace. There is no step on the conjugal path that is not under the sign of the
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 139
relationship between the Holy Spirit and the sacraments. The Pope stated that the
sacrament of marriage is the ―human participation in that divine love which has been
‗poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit‘ (Rom 5:5).‖
268
In this relation,
significant and noteworthy is his teaching that it is ―precisely from the power of the holy
spirit‖ that the union between the couples is taking place on the ―proper level of persons
(communio personarum).‖
269
It presents Christ as the ―sovereign and protector‖ and
―friend in all the doings‖ which, thereby affirms the continuing presence of Christ in the
life of the spouses. In short, the nuptial blessing invokes all the persons of the Trinity
personally to bless the new family and in their life ahead.
The nuptial blessing also underlines procreation and formation of children as the
fundamental responsibilities of married life. Therefore, the blessing goes on to pray that
―[ma]ay He help you to receive gladly the children [and] God may deign to bless you
with and lead them in the path of holiness‖ (SMB, 148). Thus, this prayer succinctly
reminds the couple of the nature and responsibilities of the conjugal love they share:
firstly, that their conjugal love must be open to life and secondly, the children are gifts of
God and they have to be brought up in holiness adhering to the Christian way of life. It
rightly echoes the basic teachings of Lumen Gentium on marriage that ―[f]rom the
wedlock of Christians there comes the family, in which new citizens of human society
are born, who by the grace of the Holy Spirit received in baptism are made children of
God, thus perpetuating the people of God through the centuries. The family is, so to
speak, the domestic church.‖
270
It specifies that it is in the family where children are born
and brought up as the children of God which makes the family the domestic church. In
other words, it clearly highlights the fact that it is not only in giving birth but also in
baptizing and forming their children in Christian faith that the spouses share in the
building up of the Church. If the Eucharist is to follow, it begins with the liturgy of the
Eucharist with the offering of the spouses and the ecclesial community.
2.3.4. Concluding Ceremonies
The liturgy of marriage concludes with two orations of seeking protection and assistance
from God who blessed Abraham and Sarah. It also asks for the intercession of Blessed
Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, her spouse and the head of the Holy Family, and the saints so
that the couple may prosper in their married life. Finally there is a blessing prayer which
is also called as ―the sealing prayer.‖
271
In this blessing prayer, the priest prays that the
Holy Spirit.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 16.
268
Pope John Paul II, ―Spirit: Source of Sacramental Life,‖ L‘Osservatore Romano, no. 5 (1991), 11.
269
Pope John Paul II, ―Christian Spirituality of Marriage Possible Only by Living According to the Spirit,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano 861, no. 47 (1984), 1.
270
Second Vatican Council, ―Lumen Gentium,‖ § 11.
271
Varghese Pathikulangara, Mysteries of the Church: (Sacraments and Sacramentals) (Kottayam: Denha
140 Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Marriage Rite
spouses may be blessed with the grace of God so that they may able to live their marital
life in love, unity and dedication. He continues to pray that they may be able to offer
their bodies that ―are members of the body of Christ and temples of Holy Spirit, as a
pleasing and living sacrifice to God‖ (SMB, 150). Again, there is a prayer that the
spouses may be blessed with children, prosperity and companionship of good friends.
Further, he prays that God may bless them so that they may be able to offer glorification
in the heavenly bridal chamber.
272
At the end of the sealing prayer the celebrant blesses
the spouses and the ecclesial community and sprinkles holy water on the couple. The
spouses and the witnesses are invited to proceed to the sacristy where spouses are
requested to sign the official register before the priest and the witnesses.
Concluding Remarks
Having analyzed the Syro-Malabar marriage rite, it can be summarized by pointing out
the basic insights that emerged from this analysis. A brief analysis of the history of the
text provided the understanding that the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage in its present form
is the fruit of a long and continued process of evolution. During the three phases of
evolution – Synod of Diamper, Second Vatican Council and the present text – the liturgy
of marriage of the Syro-Malabar church integrated and assimilated specific elements
from the Indian cultural milieu and East Syrian liturgical tradition. However, it was not a
mere adaptation of the symbols and rites from the Indian soil but was a continuation of
the converted Christians‘ former way of life. The uniqueness of these elements is based
on the new meaning attributed to the rites and symbols, assimilated from the cultural
context. In other words, the rituals and symbolic expressions of the liturgy of marriage
were enhanced by the Indian culture but its internal content is based on the Christian
teaching on marriage.
The second part of the chapter was a brief analysis of the betrothal ceremony in the Syro-
Malabar Church providing an overall view of how the celebration of betrothal in the
Church is taking place in the Church. The importance of betrothal lies in the fact that it is
where the spouses express their promise for marriage and exchange betrothal rings as a
sign of the promise. The third part of the chapter was a detailed investigation on the
marriage rites analyzing the structural elements, symbolic actions, and the theme of the
various prayers and hymns. A general view of the structure of the marriage rites unveils
its similarity to the sacrament of Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours except the rites
proper to the marriage ceremony. For instance, the beginning of the liturgy with the
Services, 2004), 171.
272
―Bridegroom (Hatna) is one of the favorite titles by which the primitive Syrian ascetics expressed their
passionate attachment to Christ, the ―Beloved‖ (Habbiba). They looked forward to union with him in the
eschatological wedding-feast (Mestura) and thereafter in the heavenly bride-chamber (Gnona). Koikara,
The Sacredness of Marriage & Family, 181.
Analysis of the Syro-Malabar Rite of Marriage 141
angelic hymn, the Lord‘s prayer with qanona, repetition of the psalms in a specific
manner, lāku mārā hymn, the trisagion hymn etc. They points out the uniqueness of
Syro-Malabar liturgy. Further, the similarities between the rite of marriage, Eucharist
and the Liturgy of the Hours show the particular structure of the East-Syrian liturgies
with unique liturgical elements for the introductory rites and the Liturgy of the Word.
The specificity with regard to the liturgy of marriage is that the theme of each prayer is
based on the catholic teachings on marriage that takes into account the consent and the
nuptial blessing by the priest as the basic requirement of marriage.
Additionally, the SMB further shows that the Indian cultural element of thali deepens the
Christian understanding of marriage, and very well expresses that the Christian marriage
is a sacrament of indissoluble unity between man and woman to the whole of their life
sustained and strengthened by their life of faith and prayer. As we have seen the
Christian thali, differing from a Hindu thali, is marked by an embossed cross that
indicates that it is Christ who brings them together and unites them in marriage. The
cross on the thali again implies the Christological basis of the sacrament of marriage that
it is modeled after the relation between Christ and the Church. Just as Christ redeemed
the Church by his sacrifice on the cross, the love and communion of man and woman is
sanctified by a life that shares everything between them. This signifies that their life of
marriage progresses and matures by bearing the crosses of each other. The East Syrian
rite of marriage, to which the Syro-Malabar rite is indebted for its liturgical tradition, has
the special blessing of the ‗wedding attire‘ during the celebration of marriage. There, the
wedding attire signifies the sanctity of married life which will later become the robe of
glory in heavenly bridal chamber – eternity. When this tradition became part of the Syro-
Malabar Church, it was merged with the Indian cultural marital practice of Manthrakodi
and became an important aspect of the celebration of Syro-Malabar rite of marriage.
Apart from these clear cultural elements that enhance the expression of the Catholic
understanding of marriage, the other rites such as the public profession of the consent,
the joining of hands, blessing and exchange of rings occupy great significance and
relevance in the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage. These symbols or symbolic gestures
express more effectively what the conjugal life signifies for the couples, for the Church
and society. The prayers of the rite of marriage are predominantly scriptural and it
proclaims in itself the divine plan and nature of the sacrament of marriage. Again, this
scriptural rootedness of the prayers rightly situates the sacrament of marriage as part of
the history of salvation and, thus, the couples through marriage are placed in a unique
manner in the economy of salvation.
Having discussed the second primary source of our research, the next chapter will
discuss the third primary source, the Malankara rite of marriage representing the West
Syrian liturgical tradition.
CHAPTER 3
THE SERVICE OF CROWNING OF THE SYRO-MALANKARA CHURCH:
A STRUCTURAL AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Introduction
We have seen in the last two chapters that the rites of marriage of the Latin Church and
the Syro-Malabar Church have been moulded by the customs and practices of different
contexts in which the Christian faith had emerged and flourished incorporating
theological discussions and faith convictions of the Catholic Church. Further, the rites of
marriage are a combination of prayers, rituals and symbolic actions emerged as the
documents of the faith, theology and customs on marriage and family of Christian
communities from different cultures and traditions. With these convictions we move to
the analysis of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church. SMK is the third
primary source of our dissertation representing the West Syrian liturgical tradition of the
Catholic Church. The basic hypothesis of this chapter is that the fundamental concepts
and teachings of Christian marriage that are emphasized in the West Syrian liturgical
tradition are drawn out from the instructions, prayers, hymns, and liturgical actions of the
rite of marriage of this particular Church. Realizing the significance and importance of a
liturgical theology of marriage of this particular rite of marriage, we carry out the
research of this chapter directed by some specific questions: How is the sacrament of
marriage being celebrated and practiced today in the Syro-Malankara Church? How are
the dignity and value of marriage, of the spouses, and of the family protected, sustained,
and nurtured through the rite of marriage proper to this particular rite of the Catholic
Church? How can a liturgical theology of marriage be drawn out from the wedding
liturgy by discovering the profound symbolic richness and meaning of the textual prayers
as well as the rituals and actions of the SMK?
Taking up these questions in a systematic way, we assume, will trigger up the analysis of
the SMK and unveil the meaning and significance of the textual and structural
components of the rite of marriage together with the symbolic representations of the
liturgical actions. Consequently, by answering those questions through analysis and
discussion by productively merging secondary literature with the primary literature, this
chapter will contribute to our research in such a way as to deepen our knowledge on the
sacrament of marriage in the Syro-Malankara Church and subject it to a detailed analysis
drawing out the liturgical theology of this particular rite of marriage. It will, further,
contribute to our major research question: What are the similarities and differences
between the official rites of marriage currently in use in the three different liturgical
traditions of the Catholic Church in India? What is the understanding of marriage and
family being reflected in the different rites of marriage?
144 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
This chapter follows the same methodology and structure that we have charted in the
former chapters with a conviction that it will assist us to explore the rite in a systematic
manner. Hence, the chapter is divided mainly into three parts. An overall view of the
history and the general structure of the rite are important to situate the chapter within a
general framework. As a result, the first part will deal with a short historical overview of
the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church which is celebrated as two services:
the service of blessing of the rings and service of the crowning. Second part will discuss
the declaration of the consent. Since in this dissertation we specifically focus on the rite
of marriage, the service of crowning, in the third part we will generally deal with the first
service of marriage, the betrothal as the blessing of the rings. Dealing very shortly what
the service of blessing of the rings in SMK is, in the fourth part we will discuss in detail
the liturgy of marriage, namely, the blessing of the crowning. We assume that by
structuring in such a way, we will get a general view of SMK and a detailed
understanding of the service of the crowning.
3.1. A Brief Sketch of the History of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
The primary source to study the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church is the
liturgical text published by the Department of the Sacred Liturgy, The Book of the Holy
Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Matrimony and the Order of House Blessing
(Trivandrum: The Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2017), 69-147. It is the English
translation of the original text used for the celebration of the Sacraments published in
2017 under the approval of the Bishops‘ synod. Basically, the Sacraments of the Syro-
Malankara Church find their origin in Antiochene Church, the cradle of the West Syrian
liturgical tradition.
1
The history of the Syriac literature confirms that it was St. Jacob of
Edessa who had ―compiled, arranged and revised‖ the Order for the solemnization of
marriage and ceremony of crowning of the West Syrian Church.
2
William Wright gives a
biographical note on Jacob of Edessa and a direct mentioning that it was Jacob of Edessa
1
Chacko Aerath, ―The Order of Service of the Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖
Christian Orient IX, no. 2-3 (1988), 68; Tisserant, Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-
Malabar Church from the Earliest Time to the Present Day, 184; Thomas Pazhoor, ―Vivaham
(Marriage),‖ in Kudasakal Malankarasabhayil (a Study of Sacraments in the Malankara Church), ed.
Louis Moolaveettil (Kottayam: Catholic Mission Press, 1980), 163; Chacko Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos:
A Study Based on the Malankara Liturgy of Marriage (Rome: Mar Thoma Yogam, 1995), 108;
Appendix II; Kurian Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony According to the
Malankara Syrian Church,‖ Christian Orient XI, no. 3 (September, 1990), 137; William Wright, A Short
History of Syriac Literature (London: Adam and Charles Black, 1894), 145.
2
Ignatius Aphram Barsoum, The History of Syriac Literature, 121; Wright, A Short History of Syriac
Literature, 145; Pazhoor, ―Vivaham (Marriage),‖ 163; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 110; Stephan
Planthottathil, ―A Brief Historical Study on Evolution of the Liturgical Contents of the West Syrian
Tradition,‖ in From Streams to Source: Essays on the Foundation of Malankara Theology, Festschrift in
Honour of Dr. John Berchmans OIC, ed. Mathai Kadavil, James Puthuparampil, and George Thomas
Kallunkal (Pune: BVP Publications, 2010), 273; 288-289;Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality
of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 136.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 145
who composed the rite for the solemnization of marriage in the West Syrian liturgical
tradition. As written by Wright, Mar Jacob was the Bishop of Edessa in 679-680
ordained by Patriarch Athanasius II. Later he moved to the convent of monks of
Eusēbhōnā where he taught the Scripture in Greek and returned to Edessa where he drew
up an anaphora or liturgy. Further, he revised the liturgy of St. James and composed the
rite of the sacrament of baptism, blessing of the water on the evening of Epiphany, and
the sacrament of marriage.
3
The available Manuscripts, in India and various parts of the
world of this liturgy, are supposed to be of later origin.
4
As already mentioned in the
General Introduction, the present edition of the text of the sacraments was prepared by
Abraham Konatt and was printed in 1964 by the Mar Julius Press at Pampakuda. The
Reformed Mar Thoma Church that has its existence in India also celebrates the
sacraments using the same rite of marriage but, intentionally omitting any prayers that
point to the intercession of the saints and the Mother of God and any direct prayers for
the departed signifying the difference between the Churches.
5
Discussing the ROCM and SMB, we have asserted that Second Vatican Council had a
great impact on the evolution of those rites. Nevertheless, when we move to SMK, we
can understand that the stipulations of the Vatican Council had no great influence on the
rite. However, we could see two major revisions. Basically, the West Syrian liturgical
tradition follows the Syriac Text and Syro-Malankara Church translated the original text
into vernacular language. As a result, the language of the present text generally used by
the Malankara Church in India is Malayalam, one of the south Indian languages.
6
And
the text is the mixture of Syriac and Malayalam language. It further provides the
celebrant an option to celebrate the sacrament either in Syriac or in Malayalam. Second,
one of the additions to the original West Syrian liturgy of marriage is the incorporation
of the two cultural elements to the rite of marriage: The rite of the thali and the rite of
manthrakodi.
7
Apart from these two alterations, the text is essentially the West Syrian
liturgy of marriage.
The Order of the Celebration of marriage further suggests that the celebration of
marriage in the Syro-Malankara Church is conducted without the Eucharist. CCEO can.
783, § 2 states that ―[i]t is strongly recommended to the Catholic parties that they receive
3
Wright, A Short History of Syriac Literature, 143-145; For a detailed study on the different editions on
the liturgical texts on the sacrament of marriage see, Philip Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy
(Kottayam: OIRSI India, 1997), 148-167.
4
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 136.
5
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 68; Valuparampil, ―The
Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 136.
6
Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 87; Valuparampil, ―The Theology and
Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 136.
7
I presume that the reader is already familiar with the terms as we had a detailed discussion in SMB,
Chapter 2: 3.1.
146 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
the Divine Eucharist in celebrating the marriage.‖ However, the particular Law of the
Syro-Malankara Church affirms that ―[w]ith due regard for CCEO can. 783 § 2, both the
parties shall prepare for the celebration of the sacrament of marriage, receiving the
sacraments of reconciliation and Divine Eucharist.‖
8
Hence, the spouses participate in
the Eucharist as a preparation for the sacrament of marriage, but, not along with the
sacrament of marriage.
3.2. Declaration of the Consent
The service of marriage begins with the Sub‟ho, the doxology and continues with the
enquiry and expression of the consent by both the bride and the bridegroom subsequeted
by the agreement of the witnesses for their declaration of the consent. Following sections
will discuss the doxology and the declaration of the consent as seen in the SMK.
3.21. The Doxology
The order of Holy Matrimony in the SMK begins with the glorification of the Trinity by
proclaiming ―Glory be to the father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit‖ and the
people answer: ―May mercy and grace be upon us, weak and sinful servants, in both
worlds and forever‖ (SMK, 103). In the Syriac liturgical tradition this prayer is known as
the Sub‟ho, which means ―doxology.‖
9
This is the typical and distinctive form of
doxology used in the West Syrian Church at the beginning of every liturgical
ceremony.
10
We could easily recognize two parts in the doxology. The first part glorifies
the Trinity and the second part pleads for the grace and mercy on the people. While
writing a commentary on the Eucharist Moses Bār Kēphā suggests that by proclaiming
the angelic hymn the ecclesial community glorifies the Trinity, who is holy and
sanctifying, so that the people will be sanctified to receive the mysteries, the sacraments,
in a worthy manner.
11
With regard to the second part of the doxology, there is a clear
8
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 536. For a detailed
discussion on the separation of wedding rite from the Eucharist see Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox
Perspective, 27-33. The reason for developing a rite of marriage distinct from the Eucharist, according to
the author, ―the obvious connection between Church marriage and Eucharist was lost anyway as soon as
Church marriage became a legal requirement.‖ Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 31.
9
Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 39; Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the Spirit: The
Prayer of the Asian Churches, vol. 1 (Vagamon: Kurisumala Ashram, 1996), 26. Peter Day defines it as
a ―type of hymn sung during the liturgy.‖ Peter Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity
(Tunbridge Wells: Burns and Oates, 1993), 277.
10
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 75; Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 39; The
Malankara Academy, The Order of the Holy Qurbono of the Syro-Malankara Church, ed. Chacko
Aerath Abraham O.I.C (Trivandrum: Jayamatha Training Institute Press, 1986), 1; The Sacrament of
Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 9, 73, 103, 153; Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the
Spirit, 27, 39, 44.
11
Moses Bār Kēphā, ―The Exposition of Moses Bār Kēphā That Is the Explanation of the Mysteries of the
Oblation,‖ in Two Commentaries on the Jacobite Liturgy by George Bishop of the Arab Tribes and
Moses Bār Kēphā: Together with the Syriac Anaphora of St James and a Document Entitled the Book of
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 147
instruction about how to use the doxology in the prayer of the Church. Francis Acharya,
one of the prominent liturgical writers of the West Syrian liturgical tradition, instructs
that the doxology is to be proclaimed in the prayer of the Church and it has to end with
the prayer ―and on us weak and sinful servants mercy and compassion in both worlds
forever and ever. Amen.‖
12
The expression ―in both worlds (btrayhun „olme)‖ at the end of the doxology makes it
peculiar to the Syrian Rite.
13
In Jewish rabbinical literature the theme of a ―coming
world‖ has a prominent place.
14
According to those literatures, there are two ages and
one is succeeded by the other. While, one is the world of ―unhappiness and corruption‖
where human beings live their present life, the other world is known as the ―the new age‖
where there is ―happiness and the absence of corruption.‖
15
Though the usual expression
for this state of perfect happiness is the ―world to come‖, the Rabbah suggests that the
best expression to signify this world could be ―the coming world.‖
16
The basic argument,
for Rabbah, is that ―[t]hat world can be called a future world only in relation to those
who have not yet died, but it is already in existence. [...] and it is coming for those who
wait for it.‖
17
There are different understandings about when the inauguration of this
Life (London: Williams and Norgate, 1913), 87.
12
Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the Spirit, 26; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church,
75. Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 69; Philip Chempakaseery, ―The Use of Bible in the
Malankara Liturgy,‖ in From Streams to Source: Essays on the Foundation of Malankara Theology,
Festschrift in Honour of Dr. John Berchmans Oic, ed. Mathai Kadavil, James Puthuparampil, and
George Thomas Kallunkal (Pune: BVP Publications, 2010), 172.
13
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 75. In the Syro-Malabar Church every sacrament begins
with the doxology which is the form of the angelic hymn ending with ―always and forever‖. Hence, the
beginning of the liturgical ceremonies proclaims ―Glory to God in the highest, peace and hope to people
on earth, always and forever.‖ The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, Sacrament of Baptism (13);
Sacrament of adult Baptism and Chrismation (58); Sacrament of marriage (125); Sacrament of anointing
of the sick (152).
14
The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the
Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day (New York and London: Funk and Wagnalls
Company, 1903), s.v. ―Eschatology,‖ 218; Joseph Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus
Christ, trans., William Wolf (New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston of Cananda, 1964), 169; Elenjikal,
Baptism in the Malankara Church, 75.
15
Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus Christ, 169; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 75.
16
Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus Christ, 170; The Jewish Encyclopedia suggests that
the Perso-Babylonian perception is that a world-year consists of twelve millennium years and in Jewish
eschatology, this understanding had transformed into ―a world-week of seven millenniums‖ taking
inspiration from the Genesis account of Creation in a week. Further, in the Psalms it is read that ―[a]
thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday‘ (Ps. XC. 5). Hence, it is suggested the idea that ―the
present world of toil (―olam ha-zeh‖) is to be followed by a Sabbatical millennium, ‗the world to come‘
(‗Olam ha-b‟).‖ The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature,
and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 211.
17
Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus Christ, 170. See also, The Jewish Encyclopedia: A
Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the
Earliest Times to the Present Day, 218; John Bowman, The Gospel of Mark: The New Christian Jewish
Passover Haggadah (Leiden: Brill, 1965), 229; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 75.
Bonsirven comments on it and says that: ―The sages have taught us that we human beings cannot
148 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
world will take place. According to some people, this ―world to come‖ will start ―by the
resurrection‖ but, some argue that it will ―start immediately after the death.‖
18
Though,
there are differences in views on the commencement of the world yet to come, there are
agreement on the nature of this world. The Talmud suggests that ―[i]n the world to come
there is no eating, no drinking, no procreation, no business negotiations, no jealousy, no
hatred and no competition; Rather, the righteous sit with their crowns upon their heads
enjoying the splendor of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: ‗And they be held God, and
they ate and drank‘ (Exodus 24: 11), meaning that beholding God‘s countenance is
tantamount to eating and drinking.‖
19
Thus, ―the world to come‖ is the eschatological
vision where human beings will have a direct contact with God enabling them to
experience the constant presence of God.
To be precise, the first part of the doxology used by the Malankara Church praises the
Trinity and the second part acknowledges the unworthiness of human beings and the
need of God‘s mercy throughout their lives in this world and the world to come in the
eschaton. Thus, the typical form of doxology used in the Malankara liturgy, especially at
the beginning of the administration of the sacraments and the Liturgy of Hours, is rich in
theology. It wakens up the worshipper to the sense of God‘s glory leading to bless Him
and conscientizes the worshipper his/ her unworthiness and pleads for the mercy and
grace of God in this world and in the eschatological world.
3.2.2. An Analysis of the Question and the Declaration of the Consent
Chacko Aerath comments that the traditional form of the Order of Marriage in the
Malankara Church was not prefaced by the formal questioning of the bride and the
bridegroom to express their consent.
20
Nevertheless, in the most recent texts of the
sacrament of marriage, the question expressing the consent of the bride and the
bridegroom in the presence of the witnesses has become mandatory. According to the
SMK, the bridegroom and the bride stand before the Sanctuary along with the best man
and the maid of honor. The priest first asks the bridegroom the following question:
appreciate the joys of the future age. Therefore, they call it ‗the coming world‘ [Olam HaBa], not
because it does not yet exist, but because it is still in the future. ‗The World to Come‘ is the one waiting
for man after this world. But there is no basis for the assumption that the world to come will only begin
after the destruction of this world. What it does imply is that when the righteous leave this world, they
ascend on high, as it is said (Ps. 31: 20): ‗How great is the goodness, O Lord, which you have in store
for those who fear you, and which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of men.‖
Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus Christ, 170.
18
Bonsirven, Palestinian Judaism in the Time of Jesus Christ, 169.
19
The original version is from Tanhuma Vayikra, 8. ―Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 17.A‖
https://www.sefaria.org/Berakhot.17a.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en (accessed 20 December 2017).
20
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 68.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 149
―(N.), our son in the Lord, in accordance with divine ordinances and
the precepts of the Holy Church, do you consent to marry (N.), who is
here present?‖ (SMK, 73).
The bridegroom answers, ―I do‖. The priest then asks the witness (best man): ―Did you
hear this declaration of consent?‖ and the witness attests the consent of the bridegroom
by saying, ―I did‖. The question is repeated to the bride and the maid of honor when they
express their consent for marriage. The question to declare consent is similar to the
SMB, though as seen here, the SMK omits the phrase ―with free will and full consent‖ as
seen in the SMB.
21
In the liturgy of marriage, this is the only place where the SMK
explicitly refers to the consent and is the only time the bridegroom and bride express
their consent.
3.3. The First Service: The Blessing of the Rings
We have already discussed that in the Roman Church there had been a period of time
when betrothal preceded the liturgy of marriage. However, in the present context
betrothal is excluded from the marriage liturgy. Discussing the SMB, we confronted with
the fact that in the Syro-Malabar Church, betrothal is a distinct liturgy celebrated totally
separated in space and time from the rite of marriage. Distancing from these two rites, in
the Syro-Malankara Church, the betrothal is celebrated just before the service of
crowning. Both in the East and West, originally they were separated by place and time
and that system continued until the ninth century and till the thirteenth century in some
of the Eastern Churches.
22
Irénée-Henri Dalmais reminds that as testified by the
Nomocanon of Bar Hebraeus in the thirteenth century, Syrians had an ancient practice of
ratifying the betrothal by giving a cross to the bride to wear round the neck. But, as the
time passed by, he recaps, that this practice has gone out of use among the Antiochene
Syrians.
23
According to the present text, the first service is the betrothal and is known as ―the
blessing of the rings.‖ The particular law of the Syro-Malankara Church states that
―[w]ith the blessing and the bestowal of the nuptial ring by the priest, the spouses enter
into a lifelong bond of covenantal love and unity in and through Jesus Christ.‖
24
After
the declaration of the consent begins the first service called ―the blessing of the rings.‖
The recitation of the Psalm 51 is followed by the introductory prayer. Then comes an
antiphon, eniyÔnÔ, explaining the importance of rings by explaining that it is through the
21
We have a detailed discussion on the question; see section 2.3.3.3 for details.
22
Hudayo Canon. 8, 2. Translated by Konnattu Malpan, https://archive.org/stream/ 1907_ Hudaya_
Canon_Malayalam/1907_Hudaya_canon_malayalam#mode/2up [accessed on 15 July, 2019].
23
Dalmais, The Eastern Liturgies, 120-121; Placidus S. Joseph, Fontes Iuris Canonici Syro-
Malankarensium (Rome: Typis polyglottis Vaticanis, 1940), 187.
24
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 519.
150 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
rings ―the Holy Church became the bride of Christ and she received His precious body
and blood‖ (SMK, 79-80). Further, it recollects that the ring had helped Tamar, one of
the Old Testament personalities, from the execution. Parallel to the hymn in the Liturgy
of Word of SMB, next comes the quqilion with the Psalm 45: 1-3 followed by small
prayer called eqbô which sings the Song of Songs 5: 8-15. Then we have the prômiûn, a
preface for Sêdrô prayer which is a long series of prayers ending with a prayer of incense
etro. The theme that Christ has betrothed the Church with ―His victorious Body and
Blood as a ring‖ is repeated in these prayers (SMK, 85-86, 90). It is followed by the
blessing of the rings, prayer for the bride and bridegroom, canticle (sûgîtô) and the
prayer of the seal.
25
Summarizing the prayers, hymns and rituals, the first service unveils the theology behind
this liturgical action. Firstly, the betrothal emphasizes the aspect of union: it affirms the
union of the humankind with God by making them a chosen people as expressed in the
Old Testament. With references from the New Testament, the liturgy underscores the
idea that Christ has made the daughter of the gentiles as a Church, betrothed her with
water and spirit and has given his body and blood as a ring as the symbol of his betrothal
to the Church (SMK, 85). Further, by referring to the baptism, SMK affirms that
Christians have been reborn and united to the life of Christ in spirit and water through
the baptism. Again, by the ring of betrothal bride and bridegroom are united to a life of
joy and their joy will be perfected by this betrothal ring (SMK, 86). Shortly, in the
service of the rings, one of the main themes is union whereby it points to the union
between God and humanity, Christ and the Church, and in the present context, the bride
and the bridegroom. And it advises that the spousal union should be a union pleasing to
God (SMK, 94). Thus, ―the betrothal prayer inaugurates a life in common which still lies
ahead, just as the apostolic call to the Gentiles begins a long history of Christ‘s Church.
But, the ultimate goal is always the same: the restoration of lost unity with God, the
reintegration of human life into its authentic wholeness. This is also the meaning of
Christian betrothal.‖
26
Consequently, betrothal affirms the faithful that God shows to the
humankind and demands from the couple the same faithfulness till they reach the bridal
chamber in heaven.
Secondly, it affirms the divine dimension in the rite of blessing of the rings. The prayers
underscore the idea that the right hand of the Lord is invisibly present at the moment of
the blessing of the rings and the bride and bridegroom receive the rings from the priest as
if they receive it from the hands of the apostles themselves (SMK, 78, 92-93). Hence,
25
For a detailed study on the first part of the Malankara liturgy of marriage refer, Aerath, Liturgy and
Ethos, 110; Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖
137; Pazhoor, ―Vivaham (Marriage),‖ 177.
26
John Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective (New York (N.Y): St. Vladimir‘s Seminary
Press, 1984), 35.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 151
one of the significant differences between SMB and SMK is the manner of the ritual and
the theological meaning ascribed to the ceremony of blessing of the rings. While the
rings are exchanged by the spouses in SMB, it is the priest who put on the rings on the
fingers of the bride and the bridegroom in SMK.
27
Consequently, it directly proclaims
the role of the priest in the union of the spouses and thereby adds the symbolism that it is
God who unites the spouses and it is His ―right hand with full of goodness and blessing,
be with the spouses and protect them all the days of their life‖ (SMK, 93).
Thirdly, during the ceremony of the blessing, the priest waves his hands over the rings
saying ―Praise to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit who blesses these rings in His
mercy and abundant blessings‖ (SMK, 92). Waving has deep meaning in the liturgy of
the West Syrian liturgical tradition as it implies the descending of the Holy Spirit over
the mysteries. Thus, the waving over the rings symbolically signifies that the ritual of
blessing has a sacramental meaning and the betrothal is not ―a simple legal agreement
between two parties‖ rather it ―is the marriage contract as the Church understands it. It
involves not only the bridal pair, but God himself.‖ Further, betrothal ―represents the real
bond of marriage, lacking only the ultimate sacramental fulfillment.‖
28
With this general background of the liturgy of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church,
we move to the detailed textual and ritual analysis of the second service of the liturgy of
marriage, the service of crowning.
3.4. The Second Service: The Blessing of the Crowns
The blessing of the crowns, the second service of marriage, can be sequenced and
structured into four main parts: the introductory rites, the liturgy of the Word, the rites
that are proper to marriage and the concluding ceremonies. In the following section we
will discuss each of them briefly.
3.4.1. The Introductory Rites for the Service of Crowning
The introductory rites for the blessing of the crowning starts with the Sub‟ho, the
doxology, continues with Enyono, a short prayer by the priest, Quqilion, Eqbo, Prumion-
sedro prayer and ends with Qolo-Quqoyo.
29
In this section, we will discuss them in detail
with the aim of bringing out the meaning and significance of the initial prayers and
rituals. We will also discuss how these introductory rites predispose the bride and the
27
Joseph, Fontes Iuris Canonici Syro-Malankarensium, 187.
28
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 36-37.
29
Kuklion, Eqbo, Proemion and Sedro are some of the peculiar types of prayers of the Antiochene
liturgical tradition. Meaning of these Syriac terms will be analyzed in detail when we discuss each
prayer in the following sections. Pazhoor, ―Vivaham (Marriage),‖ 173; The Book of the Holy
Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Matrimony and the Order of House Blessing (Trivandrum: The
Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2017), 103-118.
152 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
bridegroom together with the liturgical assembly to celebrate the sacrament of marriage
worthily.
3.4.1.1. The Opening Prayer
The sense of unworthiness is one of the recurrent themes of the Malankara liturgy which
emphasizes the need for God‘s blessing to celebrate the divine mysteries in a worthy
manner.
30
It reads as follows:
―O Lord God, make us worthy of the unending wedding banquet and
the eternal marriage chamber. With those whom you invited to that
banquet, invite us also to your eternal joy. Together with them and in
their midst, we will offer praise and thanksgiving to you and to your
Father and to your Holy Spirit, now and always and forever‖ (SMK,
103).
31
The term worthy is often used in the Syriac Literature. For example, the ancient
literature, The Acts of Thomas refers to this term frequently but in different perspectives.
For instance, it uses the term as a supplication to God to make the unworthy human
beings to be worthy of entering the heavenly glory. Further, it requests the worthiness to
celebrate the divine mysteries in a worthy manner. Additionally, it pleads to make the
worshippers worthy of good wealth and health.
32
Thus, the recognition of God‘s grace to
overcome the unworthiness of human being is a prominent theme in the Acts of Thomas.
In the Syriac liturgy, we often encounter the prayer for the worthiness to celebrate the
divine mysteries. Coming back to the opening prayer, it is a prayer to the Lord to make
the faithful worthy to enter into the wedding banquet, which is ―unending,‖ and the
wedding chamber, which is ―eternal.‖ Moving further, we come across the idea that in
every sacrament the priest prays for himself for the worthy celebration of the divine
mysteries. However, one of the notable differences in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony
is that the priest is not directly praying for himself that he may administer the sacrament
in a worthy manner.
33
Rather, it is a collective prayer where he prays on behalf of the
community prompting him to pray ―make us worthy.‖ It suggests the idea that by praying
for worthiness, the priest asks for God‘s blessings on the whole community, including
30
Thykoottathil Varghese, Christological Mysteries: A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James in
the Syro-Malankara Church (Pune: BVP Publications, 2011), 52.
31
Italics added for the emphasis.
32
According to the Acts of Thomas, ―Man can be worthy to be servants of Christ: ch.24; 72 and 159;
worthy to inherit heavenly glory: ch. 15; 24; 139 and 146; worthy to partake in the mysteries: ch. 49; and
88 and 136; worthy to receive the Holy Spirit of Christ: ch. 76 and 94; worthy of the wealth: ch. 145,
and worthy of God: ch.160.‖ Albertus Frederik Johannes Klijn, ed. The Acts of Thomas: Introduction,
Text and Commentary, ed. J. K. Elliott and H. J. De Jonge, Supplements to Novum Testamentum, vol.
CVIII (Leiden: Brill, 2003), 69-70.
33
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 1; The Sacrament of
Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 9; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 75-76; P. T.
Givergis Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ in The Eucharistic Liturgy in the
Christian East, ed. John Madey (Kottayam: Prakasam Publications, 1982), 144.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 153
the bride and the bridegroom, as well as for himself. Hence, it points to the idea that the
prayer has a double dimension: individual and communitarian. At the individual level, it
refers to the couple that they may celebrate the mystery of marriage in a worthy manner.
At the communitarian dimension, it refers to the celebrating community, including the
priest, for a worthy celebration of the mystery.
34
According to Murray, ―[e]schatological wedding-feast (meštûṯâ, literally ‗drinking
party‘)‖ and the ―heavenly bride-chamber (gnônâ)‖ are the places Syrian ascetics looked
forward to experience the intimate union with Christ, their beloved.
35
He further suggests
that the Syriac term hatnâ, which means Bridegroom, is one of the favourite titles of
Christ given by the primitive ascetics to express their personal and intimate relationship
to Christ. He comments that these imageries had been used as the ―expressions of
personal devotion‖ and points out that the same idea is unveiled in the Odes of
Solomon.
36
However, in later usages these imageries have been used to denote the
relationship between Christ and the Church.
37
One of the following prayers, namely,
eqbo, a short hymn that comes in the following prayers of the liturgy of marriage will be
theologically significant to enhance our discussion on this theme.
38
It reads as follows:
―O holy Church, your Bridegroom established your chamber in heaven
above. As per His promise, He raised you and placed you above all
powers, all authorities, and the great armies.‖
39
Addressing Jesus as the Bridegroom, it depicts what Christ as the bridegroom of the
Church has done to the Church. Hence, on the one hand, it affirms that Christ, the
bridegroom has established a bridal chamber in heaven and on the other, it unveils the
idea that Christ has sublimated the place of the Church by raising and placing it above all
the human powers. Consequently, prayers which speak about the bridal chamber and
wedding feast not only emphasize the couple but also refer to the intimate relationship
between Christ and the Church. Delving deeply into the prayers, further underscores the
idea that by referring to the wedding banquet and the wedding chamber at the celebration
of marriage, the prayers refer to two levels of time and space: firstly, the wedding
34
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 154.
35
Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 132.
36
Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 139; James Hamilton Charlesworth, ed. The Odes of
Solomon: The Syriac Texts (Missoula: Scholars press, 1977), 42, 8-9.
37
Klijn, ed. The Acts of Thomas, 168-79; ―In the Acts of Judas Thomas, on the other hand, devotion to
Christ the Beloved and the ‗True Bridegroom‘ is all expressed through violent hostility to marriage as
such, and except for the first hymn, this imagery is not even implicitly ecclesiological in its purport.‖
Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 133.
38
The Syriac term eqbo means ―heel or end.‖ It is a short hymn of a single verse and the new text of
marriage provides the prayer both in the form of a hymn and prose. Codrington, Studies of the Syrian
Liturgies, 15.
39
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 111.
154 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
celebration here and now; secondly, the eschatological union that will take place in
heaven. This idea is clearly expressed in the following words:
―The bridal chamber in heaven is the goal of the Christian spouses. The
bridal chamber on earth is seen as perishable, and the church prays for
the couple that God may make them joyful in the eternal bridal
chamber. It is the eternal bridal chamber in heaven which gives
meaning and depth to the passing bridal chamber on earth.‖
40
Thus, the prayers unveil the idea that the ultimate goal and purpose of Christian marriage
is to enter the bridal chamber. In contrast to the perishable earthly bridal chamber, the
bridal chamber in heaven is eternal and imperishable giving meaning to the earthly
marriage. So, ―[i]n the liturgy of marriage, the reality which is to come is actualised and
anticipated. The perfection or fullness is given to the spouses at the experiential level
into sacred space and time of the liturgy of marriage.‖
41
The phrase, ―invite us to eternal
joy” deepens this eschatological and communitarian dimension of the wedding banquet.
The opening prayer of SMK further emphasizes the idea that entering to the bridal
chamber and participating in the heavenly banquet is an invitation from the Lord. One of
the requirements to enter into the bridal chamber and to enjoy the banquet, either the
earthly or the heavenly, is the freely given invitation from the heavenly bridegroom. As a
result, this call is not ―something that she deserves, rather, she [the Church] sees this
invitation as a gift from the Lord.‖
42
In the same way, entering into the sacrament of
marriage is not primarily based on the decision of the couple but, rather, it is the
invitation from God, a free gift of God. Thus, the liturgy depicts the fact that entering
into the bridal chamber through the sacrament of marriage is a gift from the Lord to
which the spouses respond with faith and commitment. Thereby, the Church as a
community, and the spouses as the individuals, join with those who have already entered
the eternal bridal chamber and enjoy this eternal happiness. Thus, it exhorts the couple
that the joy revealed through marital life is ―not merely ephemeral and carnal but rooted
and grounded in God, the source of all goodness and abiding happiness.‖
43
And there are
people who have received his call and entered the bridal chamber and become as the
models to be imitated and followed.
Most of the hymns and prayers of the West Syrian liturgies end with the doxology and
the opening prayer also ends with the doxology that ―we will offer praise and
thanksgiving to you and to your Father and to Your Holy Spirit, now and always and
forever.‖
44
It emphasizes that the ultimate responsibility of the Church is to praise and
40
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 154-157.
41
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 154-157.
42
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 157.
43
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖
44
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 103; To cite some more references: From the
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 155
give thanks to God the almighty which is the fundamental aim and purpose of the liturgy,
whether it is one of the sacraments or it is the Liturgy of the Hours.
The aforementioned discussion leads to a synthesis that the opening prayer, though short
and brief, is rich in its theological content. It integrates the ideas that even if human
beings are unworthy, God invites them to partake in the celebration of the sacraments
and to enter into the heavenly bridal chamber. Additionally, it exhorts that as the new
couple is called to lead a life pleasing to God and give thanks and praise, the whole
community of the faithful is also given this mission. This mission is not only pertaining
to the earthly life, but continues even in the heavenly life.
45
Thus, when the doxology at
the beginning of the SMK emphasizes on the plea to make worthy to experience God‘s
blessings on the two worlds, the opening prayer emphasizes the invitation of God to enter
the bridal chamber and enjoy the wedding banquet. Further, it links the two prayers by
explaining that the two worlds mentioned in the doxology could be viewed as the earthly
bridal chamber and the heavenly bridal chamber with its temporality and permanence.
3.4.1.2. Enyono
The term Enyono is a Syriac term and the etymological meaning of the term is ―petitions
with responsorial.‖
46
It is a long hymn with six stanzas (SMK, 103-107). Turning
towards the Congregation, the priest together with whole ecclesial community sings the
hymn in a beautiful rhythm. Through this hymn the ecclesial community prays for the
bride and the bridegroom that they may be blessed with the abundant graces from God
who blessed the righteous of former times; Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac
and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, Joseph in Egypt. The general structure of the hymn is
that firstly, the hymn points out the name of one of the specific Old Testament
personalities and makes the petition that God may bless the bride and bridegroom
abundantly. Before the last verse, the priest sings Sub‟ho, glorifying the Trinity. Then the
last verse is sung with the name of Joseph, the Patriarch. According to the rubrics, at the
end of each stanza of the hymn the priest blesses the couple with the sign of the cross.
47
Liturgy of the Hours see, Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the Spirit, 111, 163, 178; From the
Eucharist, see The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 26, 38, 55. See
also James Puthuparampil, ―From Liturgy to Life: A Study Based on the Eucharistic Liturgy of St.
James,‖ in From Streams to Source: Essays on the Foundation of Malankara Theology, Festschrift in
Honour of Dr. John Berchmans Oic, ed. Mathai Kadavil, James Puthuparampil, and George Thomas
Kallunkal (Pune: BVP Publications, 2010), 338.
45
Puthuparampil, ―A Study Based on the Eucharistic Liturgy of St. James,‖ 338.
46
John Berchmans Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the Malankara Catholic Church: Some Soundings on
Methodology,‖ in From Streams to Source: Essays on the Foundation of Malankara Theology, ed.
Mathai Kadavil OIC, James Puthuparampil OIC, and George Thomas Kallunkal OIC (Pune: BVP
Publications, 2010), 76.
47
Since there is a significant difference between West Syrian liturgical tradition and other liturgical
traditions in the manner of signing the cross it seems to me important to illustrate how the sign of the
Cross is done in the Syro-Malankara Church.Malankarites ―make the sign of the Cross with one finger of
156 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Referring to the blessings that God had rendered to the Old Testament Patriarchs and the
liturgical action of the blessing the spouses at the end of each stanza, the hymn refers to
the biblical basis and theological richness acquiring a significant role in the liturgy of
marriage. Because of its theological abundance, in the following sub-sections we will
discuss the theology of this hymn in a detailed manner.
a. Unique Role of the Old Testament Couples in the Salvation History
Four Old Testament couples are mentioned in the hymn: Adam and Eve, Abraham and
Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Rachel. According to the salvation history they
―are considered as the pioneers of the first covenant and whose marriage represented the
prototype of the actual one.‖
48
Being the first reference, Adam and Eve at the time of
creation refer back to the state before the Fall. The Creation account in relation to
marriage shows how Adam and Eve, the first couple, were created, united, blessed and
placed in Eden by God.
49
Edward Schillebeeckx mentions that Yahweh is the ―founder
of marriage‖ who blessed the union of Adam and Eve. For Schillebeeckx, this blessing
of God was ―the very blessing of God‘s act of creation.‖
50
He continues to argue that the
the right hand, the thumb and second finger joined together below the first finger. This shows that here
are three distinct persons in the Trinity. The thumb denotes the Father, the first finger the Son, the
second finger the Holy Spirit. The first finger is extended above the other two showing thereby that only
the second Person of the Trinity came down from heaven and became man and redeemed the human race
by his saving death on the cross. The [Malankarites] make the sign of the Cross from the left shoulder to
the right which practice was begun in Syria from the time of Mar Severios the first ‗Jacobite‘ Patriarch
of Antioch in the sixth century.[...] While blessing persons or things, [Malankarites] do not make a cross
over the object with two movements of the right hand, as do the Latins, but with four punctuating as it
were the extremities of the cross with dots. When blessing is done by touching the objects,
[Malankarites] make a cross over the object with two movements of the thumb only.‖ Paniker, ―The
Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 144; Geevarghese Panicker, ―Christian Life in the
Malankara Tradition,‖ Word & Worship XXII, no. 9 (October-November1989), 340; Liesel, The
Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 88; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 245.
48
Jomon K. M, ―T‘aks‘a D-‘Al R‘az‘a Q‘adish‘a D-Zuw‘ag‘a - a Textual and Theological Analysis of the
Order of Marriage in the East Syriac Tradition,‖ (Kottayam: Mahatma Gandhi University, 2014), 105.
Terms like type, prototype, or archetype is a matter of discussion in theological, philosophical,
psychological levels, to name a few. From a biblical perspective, we consider ―certain ‗patterns of
relationship‘, or archetypes, exist eternally, and that they are recognizable from time to time as persons,
things and events in the historical sequence. Further, we can believe, that through the inspired or
intuitive recognition of types and antitypes, it is possible to discern the purposeful activity of God in
history.‖ Gilbert Cope, Symbolism in the Bible and the Church (London: SCM Press, 1959), 73.
According to the Webster‘s Dictionary, Archetype means ―an original pattern, or model.‖ It is a
combination of two Greek words; Arche which means first and typos which denotes a mark. David B.
Guralnik et al., eds., Webster‟s New World Dictionary (New York (N.Y): The World Publishing
Company, 1968), 24. Protype means ―the first thing or being of its kind; original.‖ Guralnik et al., eds.,
Webster‟s New World Dictionary, 378.
49
In the liturgy of St. James, followed by the Antiochene Church different stages of the history of salvation
is referred. Succinctly, as Ayyaneth mentions, ―Creation, in a cryptic reference to Adam and Eve.‖
George Ayyaneth, ―A Narratological Overtune to Liturgical Theology,‖ in From Streams to Source:
Essays on the Foundation of Malankara Theology, Festschrift in Honour of Dr. John Berchmans OIC,
ed. Mathai Kadavil, James Puthuparampil, and George Thomas Kallunkal (Pune: BVP Publications,
2010), 225.
50
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 16.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 157
first marriage in the history is the union of Adam and Eve in Eden and God‘s blessing
made their marriage ―the prototype of all married life.‖
51
Reference to Adam and Eve in the liturgy of marriage reminds some of the unique
characteristics required for the union of man and woman in marriage. Firstly, it teaches
about the essence of the unique relationship that exists between man and woman: ―Bone
from my bones, flesh from my flesh‖ (Gen 2: 23). Here, man and woman realize that
through their marital relationship they experience the oneness of mind and body. They
become one flesh which is ―the medium through which the whole personality
communicates its varied emotions, longings, joys and fears.‖
52
For that reason, as seen in
the Biblical commentaries, the term flesh carries a sublime meaning and goes far beyond
the normal understanding of the physical body of a human person. Consequently, in
relation to marriage by becoming one flesh, ―two people seem to share, in some
mysterious fashion, a single personhood.‖
53
Thinking on the same line, Ephrem the
Syrian, emphasizes that the union of man and woman implies the union ―without
division as they were from the beginning.‖
54
Hence, by pointing to Adam and Eve,
firstly, the hymn reminds the couple the unity of their body and heart required from the
marital union. Secondly, it reminds the couples a responsibility given to the first couples
to be ―fruitful, and multiply‖ (Gen 1, 28) which shows the ―interwoven symbolism of the
fertility of the earth and human sexuality and procreative power.‖
55
Hence, by referring
to the blessing given to the first couples in the liturgy of marriage, the new couples are
reminded of God‘s initiative in uniting them in marriage and invokes God‘s blessing
throughout their married life.
56
Additionally, it entrusts the new couple the responsibility
to procreate and multiply as God has given to the First Couples in the garden of Eden.
Referring to Abraham and Sarah, the second stanza of the enyono refers to the second
phase of salvation history that has begun with the selection and blessing of Abraham and
Sarah. Through their election, a new people of God, namely, Israel was formed, and the
51
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 16; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 203.
52
Robert Davidson, Genesis I - II: Commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1973), 37-38;
Ps. 84:2.
53
Davidson, Genesis I - II: Commentary, 33.
54
St. Ephrem, ―Commentary on Genesis,‖ in St. Ephrem the Syrian, Selected Prose Works: Commentary
on Genesis, Commentary on Exodus, Homily on Our Lord, Letter to Publius, ed. Kathleen McVey, The
Fathers of the Church (Washington, [D.C]: The Catholic University of America Press, 1994), 106.
55
Cope, Symbolism in the Bible and the Church, 116. ―Increase and multiply‖ refers to the period before
sin‖ Andrew Louth, ed. Genesis I-II, Ancient Christian Commentory on Scripture: Old Testament 1
(Westmont, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2001), 38. Augustine, Two Books on Genesis against the
Manichaeans 1.19.30. ―The nuptial blessing, however, whereby the pair, joined in marriage, were to
increase and multiply and fill the earth, remained in force even when they sinned. Yet it was given
before they sinned, for its purpose was to make it clear that the procreation of children is a part of the
glory of marriage and not of the punishment of sin.‖ City of God 14.21; Louth, ed. Genesis I-II, 39.
56
―Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.‖
RSV, Genesis, 2: 24.
158 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
first covenant was made with Abraham and Sarah (Gen 12). Apparently, Abraham and
Sarah is a couple chosen by God for a special purpose, to form a new family.
Additionally, through creating a new family of Abraham and Sarah with a divine
intervention, specially chosen from all the other families, God formed a specific family
of the people of God.
57
Going further, the Divine choice led them to be blessed by God
with a child and multiplied them even though Sarah was advanced in age and barren.
58
In
order to receive the blessings of God, Abraham and Sarah had to rely totally on God
which demanded them ―to renounce the certainties of the past,‖ ―to face the uncertainties
of the future‖ and ―to look for and to follow the direction of Jehovah‘s will.‖
59
Hence, by
mentioning Abraham and Sarah in the liturgy of marriage, they stand as a lighthouse for
the new couple which demands them to totally submit themselves to the divine plan in
their married life. It assures God‘s continuous support and blessing to face the
difficulties of their everyday life.
According to Genesis, the significant theological emphasis as seen in the search for a
wife for Isaac and its fruition in the betrothal between Isaac and Rebecca is that
everything is ―from the Lord‖ (Gene 24: 50). On the one hand, it shows the divine
intervention in choosing a wife suitable for to Isaac, the chosen Son of Sarah and
Abraham. It also includes human consent to accept or reject the proposal brought by the
servant of Abraham, on the other. Though the divine intervention is not explicit to
Rebecca and her family, they could recognize the sign of Yahweh‘s hand in finding out
Rebecca for Isaac and, as a consequence, submit themselves to the divine plan.
60
Thus,
Isaac and Rebecca being the third reference in the liturgy of marriage unveil God‘s
mysterious intervention in joining two persons specially chosen by God. It further
reminds the couple of God‘s ways in choosing them as wife and husband and demands
their readiness to accept them whole heartedly.
In the annals of salvation history Jacob and Rachel occupy a prominent role as they
become part of the divine plan although God is not referred directly in the choice of
Rachel (Gen 28). Jacob is blessed with an array of God‘s promises: the personal relation
with God, Promised Land (v.13), multiplied descendants (v.14), a seed from him through
57
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 205.
58
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 205.
59
D. D Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, ed. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, A. F.
Kirkpatrick, D. D (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1914), 155. ―The selection of the
patriarchal family as the channel of universal blessing.‖ Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 155-156.
Genesis, 17, 18, the covenant is made with a brief sentence containing a promise of the land.‖ 185.
60
Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 259. ―A search for a wife for Isaac, the chosen son of Abraham
and Sarah, the one to whom the promises of blessing and possession of the land descend, begins in
Genesis 24:2 and bears fruit when Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac (Gen 24:28).‖ David W. Cotter,
Genesis, ed. David W. Cotter, Jerome T. Walsh, and Chris Franke, Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew
Narrative & Poetry (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2003), 83.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 159
which world will be blessed (v.14), divine presence and protection throughout the life
(v.15).
61
Supplementary to the aforementioned blessing, by referring to the blessing
given to Jacob‘s family, the hymn invokes the same blessing on the new couples so that
they will be also blessed with continuous and personal belongingness from God, material
prosperity and gift of children. Coming to the last part of the hymn, the blessing given to
Joseph is also mentioned which sheds light on the blessing given to Joseph by Jacob. ―In
the Genesis account, Joseph is presented as a ―plant by a spring‖ (Gen 49, 22). In verse
23 he is depicted as the one who had fought with God. In this battle he was aided by
God, the almighty‖ (Verse 24).
62
Presenting Joseph as the one who is being planted near
a spring symbolizes the fertility of his life and mission and by assuring the blessing that
has given to his father would be showered on Joseph, God is presented as the One who
constantly assists Joseph throughout his life.
63
Briefly, in all these examples we see that the first couples of the Old Testament come to
the stage of salvation history to play their own unique role at different points of history
of Israel as willed by God.
64
Looking at the Malankara liturgy in general, it presents that
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have a special place in the salvation history. ―They represent
those who have achieved salvation and are depicted in the liturgy as sitting in the
heavenly place.‖
65
By referring the blessing given to the Patriarchs and their family, this
hymn asks God to place the bridegroom and the bride in the companionship of these holy
couples so that they will be provided with the same blessings God has given to the
chosen people of God in salvation history.
b. The Link between the Old and the New Testaments
Having discussed the blessings given to the Patriarchs and their families, in this section
we explore how the Old Testament couples and the blessing given to them by God
relates them to the New Testament and what is its impact for the new couple. When the
Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, as presented by the Gospel of Mathew begins with
Abraham (Mt 1-16), for the Gospel of Luke, it goes back to Adam, as we see in St. Luke
(3: 23-38). Though there is difference in description, the reference to the ancestors of
Jesus the Messiah, points out that the succession of generations ―was leading to a goal:
the coming of Christ, the Messiah, ‗from the root of Jesse according to the flesh, didst
bud forth the ever-virgin one and was incarnate of her and was born of her for the
61
―Jacob is standing by him. Jacob is made to realize the ever-protecting Presence, at his side, or watching
over him.‖ Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 293. Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 294.
62
Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 435-436. ―Joseph was able by God‘s help to resist.‖ Herbert E.
Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 436.
63
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 202.
64
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 206.
65
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 201.
160 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
redemption of the human race.‘‖
66
Thus, every Old Testament couple acquired a specific
role in the salvation history. The Syrian Fathers see the Old Testament couples
mentioned during the liturgy of marriage ―as types of the covenantal relationship
between Christ and the Church.‖
67
The origin of the covenantal relationship is
foreshadowed in the union of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and continues
through the Patriarchs, reaches its culmination in the mystic relationship between Jesus
Christ and the Church.
―Eliezar had given Rebecca as a bride at the well of water. Jacob [did
likewise] for Rachel at the well of water, and Moses [too] for Zipporah
at the well of water. All of these therefore were types of our Lord, who
betrothed his Church through John‘s baptism. Just as Eliezar
introduced Rebecca to Isaac, his master, when he came to meet her in
the field, so too John introduced our Redeemer from the Jordan,
Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.‖
68
Here, the continuity between Adam and Eve and Christ and the Church through the
history of salvation is well expressed and established by presenting the Old Testament
characters as the types of Jesus. In order to show this continuity, Jacob of Serug
comments that ―Adam‘s side gave birth to a woman who gives birth to mortals, while
our Lord‘s side gave birth to the Church who gives birth to immortals.‖
69
He continues to
argue to the extent that the mystery of Christ-Church relationship is unveiled in the
imagery of the union of man and woman in marriage and he says:
―Moses put in his writings
That ‗a man should leave his father and mother
And cleave to his wife so that the two of them might be on
completely.‘
The prophet Moses introduced the account of the man and his wife
Since through them Christ and His church are spoken of.‖
70
66
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 36.
67
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 203.
68
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ Carmel McCarthy, Saint
Ephrem‟s Commentary on Tatian‟s Diatessaron: An English Translation of Chester Beatty Syriac Ms
709 with Introduction and Notes, Journal of Semitic Studies, Supplement 2 (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1993), 81.
69
Jacob of Serug, Concerning the Veil on Moses‘s face, 84. The idea that from the blood and water of
Jesus‘ side the Church is born as from the rib of Adam, Eve was originated, was already present in the
theological discussions even at the time of Justin the Martyr: ―Adam‘s rib is his wife, and the blood of
our Lord is his Church.‖ Justin the Martyr, Justin the Martyr, 323; Murray, Symbols of Church and
Kingdom, 138. ― In calling Christ‘s blood his Church, Ephrem may simply be making a variation on
‗flesh of my flesh‘‖ Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 138. Eve is also considered as the type of
Mary and the bride of the Christ, the Church. Additionally, Adam was considered as the ―figure of
Christ.‖ Cope, Symbolism in the Bible and the Church, 130-131; Louth, ed. Genesis I-II, 36; Tertullian,
Anima, XLIII. Jacob of Sarug, Concerning the Veil on Moses‘ Face, 78; St. Ephrem, ―Commentary on
Genesis,‖ 105.
70
Jacob of Serug, Concerning the Veil on Moses‟s face, 84. ―Man and wife were the basis of this mystery,
they served as a picture and type and image for reality, by means of them Moses uttered this great
mystery.‖
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 161
Hence, the imagery used to describe the Christ-Church union is the indivisible union of
the conjugal love. It further affirms that the source and summit of the spousal union of a
man and woman is the mystery of the Christ-Church union. In other words, ―Christian
marital relationship has to be shaped, vitalized and inspired by this basic relationship
between Christ and the Church.‖
71
Moving further to Abraham and Sarah, they were a couple blessed by God as a family
from whom, a family of God was generated. While commenting on the sacrifice of Isaac
by Abraham, Ephrem comments that ―in the ram that hung in the tree and had become
the sacrifice in the place of Abraham‘s son, there might be depicted the day of Him who
was to hang upon the wood like a ram and was to taste death for the sake of the whole
world.‖
72
He continues to affirm the promise of God that He would multiply the seed of
Abraham and the universe would be blessed from the seed of Abraham, ―who is
Christ.‖
73
Here, we can see the continuity between the Old Testament couples and the
New Testament.
The betrothals of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses at the well were considered as the ―types of
our Lord, who betrothed his Church through John‘s baptism.‖
74
Additionally, Rachel was
considered as the ―figurehead of the Church.‖
75
Aphrahat argues that in the vision of
Jacob there were many symbols: ―he saw a gate to heaven, which is Christ; he saw
ladder, a symbol of the Cross; he anointed the rocks, which is a type of the peoples.‖
76
The people referred here is the Church.
77
Hence, the Old Testament couples point to the
spousal union between Christ and the Church. ―In the spousal union between Christ and
the Church, it is the divine initiative and the divine plan of salvation which is stressed in
the liturgy.‖
78
71
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 124.
72
St. Ephrem, ―Commentary on Genesis,‖ 169;
73
St. Ephrem, ―Commentary on Genesis,‖ 169; Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 45.
74
McCarthy, Saint Ephrem‟s Commentary on Tatian‟s Diatessaron, 81; Murray, Symbols of Church and
Kingdom, 135; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 206.
75
McCarthy, Saint Ephrem‟s Commentary on Tatian‟s Diatessaron, 76; Murray, Symbols of Church and
Kingdom,135; Justin the Martyr has already presented Rachel as the type of the Church: ―The marriages
of Jacob were types of what was about to be done by Christ. For it was not lawful for Jacob to be
married to two sisters at once. And he served Laban for his daughters, and when deceived about the
younger, he served him again seven years. But Leah is your people and synagogue, and Rachel is our
Church.‖ Justin the Martyr, Justin the Martyr, 236.
76
Aphrahat, The Demonstrations of Aphrahat, the Persian Sage, ed. George Anton Kiraz et al., trans.,
Adam Lehto, Eastern Christian Studies (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2010), 131.
77
Aphrahat, The Demonstrations of Aphrahat, 131; Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 45; St.
Ephrem, ―Commentary on Genesis,‖ 174; Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, 45. For the detailed
description of the image rock as Christ and Church in Syriac literature, Murray, Symbols of Church and
Kingdom, 205-38; Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 36-37.
78
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 203
162 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Summing up the discussion, we can affirm that Enyono places a vision that that the
initiative of God is the basic foundation of every family. As the Old Testament couples
were chosen and blessed by God, the new couples are exhorted to experience the
initiative of God for making them a new couple. They are placed in the sequence of this
divine selection and placed as a part of the Church.
79
Additionally, the prayer reminds
the couples that they are also integrated to salvation history and have a unique role to
play by themselves.
Enyono is followed by a short prayer to fill the new couple with the richness of the
divine gifts, particularly the divine joy that the new couple is supposed to experience
through the observance of the divine commandments and the joyful presence of the
Trinity throughout their marital life.
80
3.4.1.3. Quqliyon
The term Quqliyon is originally a Syriac translation of a Greek term Kuklion and in the
liturgy it implies singing a Psalm.
81
The essential characteristic of Quqliyon is that in the
middle of every verse of the psalm a halleluiah or a pair of halleluiah is integrated.
82
Quqliyon in the liturgy of marriage is sung as follows:
―In your strength, the king rejoices, O Lord
Halleluiah – o – Halleluiah
He shall be pleased in your – salvation
You let him know your intention
Halleluiah – o – Halleluiah
And he never unheeded – your requests
For you placed your blessings upon him
Halleluiah – o – Halleluiah
And on his head you placed – splendid crown
He pleaded for life unto you
Halleluiah – o – Halleluiah
And blessed him – with long life‖
83
79
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 204. Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 36.
80
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 69.
81
This particular style of chanting the psalms is very ancient and originally it dates back to the 8th century.
Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 249; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 83, 203-204; Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 35-36.
82
According to the West Syrian liturgical tradition, the psalms are recited in three distinctive manners: ―(a)
simply recited (pshitoit), i.e. without farcing or tune; (b) ―with a canon‖ (qonuno), the Psalm itself being
recited without tune. This ‗canon‘ is somewhat similar to the antiphon of a Psalm in the Roman Breviary
to be sung (originally) after every verse or after every few verses; but the Syrian canon is a long
composition divided into sections and not one single antiphon. In other words, the qonunois the farcing
of the Psalm or of a number of Psalms considered as a whole, a section (bayto=house) being inserted
after a section of the Psalm; (c) ―on the quqliyon‖ the Psalm is sung, not recited, with Halleluya in the
middle of every verse.‖ Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 83, 203-204; Codrington, Studies
of the Syrian Liturgies, 35-36, 42-43, Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 249.
83
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 107-108.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 163
Some commentators argue that this Psalm belongs to the great royal ceremonies since it
was used at the royal ceremony of the enthronement of a king or at the renewal of the
kingship in the royal context.
84
However, some others argue that this Psalm could be
considered as a thanksgiving Psalm by emphasizing that vv 2-7 have the nature of
thanksgiving.
85
Linking the Psalm with the preceding Psalm 20 and its context, some
commentators argue that Psalm 21 is recited before the battle.
86
Thus, there are different
arguments with regard to the usage of the Psalm 21. Nevertheless, taking into account
the liturgical context and its thematic articulation, we may take it as a thanksgiving
psalm by which the community renders their gratefulness to God for His abundant
blessings.
Delving deeply into the Psalm sung at the liturgy of marriage, it could be noticed that the
essential focus of this hymn is the trust in the strength of God and it suggests that the
king‘s triumph had been accomplished by God‘s intervention and thus must be endorsed
to Yahweh.
87
The Psalm not only presents a resounding victory achieved with the
vigorous intervention of Yahweh but also vv 3-8 enumerates a list of blessings that God
has given to the king. For instance: firstly, God has given him salvation and as a response
the king rejoices for this divine gift; secondly, God allowed him to know the divine will
so that he may be able to follow it as God intends; thirdly, God has heeded the requests
of the king and blessed him abundantly; fourthly, a ―splendid crown‖ was placed on the
head of the king; fifthly, when the king has asked for life, God bestowed him the long life
– the eternal life. The abundance of divine blessings given to the king indicates that he
―is the representative and the most privileged of Yahweh‘s sons‖ and ―the blessings and
the prosperity enjoyed by the king are explained by and attributed to Yahweh‘s divine
favour.‖
88
Consequently, the Psalm narrates the intimate relationship between Yahweh
and the king and the blessings that God offer to those who are close to Him.
Reflecting on the Psalm in the light of the various prayers of the SMK, we could see a
close link among them. Among the various blessings noted in the Psalm the joy of the
king occupies the first place and the basis of this joy is the strength provided by God.
Coming to the liturgy of marriage, joy is one the themes often referred to in the liturgy
and, thus, we have a good number of references in the SMK: ―rejoice in your bounty‖
84
John Eaton, The Psalms: A Historical and Spiritual Commentary with an Introduction and New
Translation (London: T & T Clark International A Continuum imprint, 2003), 114; Pius Drijvers, The
Psalms: Their Structure and Meaning (Freiburg: Herder, 1965), 186.
85
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, The New Jerome Biblical Commentary
(London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1992), 529; Mitchell Dahood, Psalms I, 1-50, The Anchor Bible (New
York: Doubleday & Company, 1965), 131;
86
John Day, Psalms, ed. Roger Norman Whybray, Old Testament Guides (Wiltshire: JOST Press, 1993),
96.
87
Dahood, Psalms, 132.
88
Drijvers, The Psalms: Their Structure and Meaning, 186-187.
164 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
(SMK, 107), ―joy that comes from the observance of your commandments‖ (SMK, 107),
―invite us to your eternal joy‖ (SMK, 103) ―bestows crowns of joy to bridegrooms and
brides‖ (SMK, 111). Again, as in the Psalm, crowning has a prominent role to play in the
liturgy of marriage and we can see that the service of marriage itself is titled as the
blessing of the crowns and the rite of crowning is the most significant moment in the
liturgy of marriage. Additionally, together with the Psalmist, the Church prays for the
new couple that God who blessed the king will bestow all the blessings for a victorious
married life. The liturgy also anticipates the eternal life, the eternal bridal chamber,
which the couple is going to receive in the future.
Consequently, in and through this quqliyon the Church prays for the couple that they
may trust in the Lord to confront the down-to-earth occasions of their married life. It
further reminds the couple that the close relationship with God would assist them to
understand God‘s will in their everyday life and practice it in their life, leading to a
joyful married life. Thereby, God will bless them with the abundant blessings that he has
promised to them and lead them to eternal life. Shortly, we could affirm that the quqliyon
has a unique position in the liturgy in its content and style by enumerating the depth of
the conjugal life in and through the psalm.
3.4.1.4. Husoyo: Propitiatory Prayers
After the hymn interpolated with halleluiahs, the liturgy of marriage continues with a
peculiar type of solemn prayer. Having a series of prayers with a penitential character, in
the West Syrian Church this prayer is known as husoyo. The meaning of this Syriac term
is ―atonement‖ or ―pardon.‖
89
In the West Syrian liturgical tradition husoyo occurs in the
preparatory rite of most of the sacraments and of the major canonical hours.
90
Generally,
husoyo is constituted with a series of prayers such as Proemion and Sedro prefaced by
husoyo prayer proper consists of stomenkalos said by the deacon and response of the
people with kyrieeleison (SMK, 110-113).
91
Generally, it has a particular structure in the
liturgy: beginning with praising God, it describes Christ‘s love toward the humanity, and
89
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church; Planthottathil, ―Evolution of
the Liturgical Contents of the West Syrian Tradition,‖ 277-280; Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of
Eastern Christianity, 123.
90
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 20; The Sacrament of
Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 16-18; 83-85, 110-113; 156-158. Francis Acharya, Prayer with
the Harp of the Spirit, 29, 68; Joseph Amar, ―The Syriac Hoosoyo: A Consideration of Narrative
Techniques,‖ Diakonia, XXII, 3, (1988-89), 154.
91
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 20. Varghese Vijayanand,
―Penitential Dimension in the Liturgy of St. James,‖ in Litury of St. James: Its Impact on Theologizing in
India, ed. John Berchmans and James Puthuparampil (Pune: BVP Publications, 2009), 343; Stephen
Plathottathil, ―Themes of Incarnation in the Sedre for the Period of Suboro-Yaldo According to Mosul
Fenqitho,‖ Parole de l‟Orient 36, (2011), 288.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 165
asks absolution for the sins.
92
In the celebration of the sacraments, the text enumerates
the depiction of ―the meaning and effects of the sacraments‖ and the discussion of the
correlated themes.
93
It also explains the theology of the particular liturgical service.
These prayers are recited in a solemn manner and hence it is legitimate to affirm that the
significance of husoyo prayer lies ―not only in their liturgical quality, and doctrinal
richness but also in the singularly solemn and touching way they are recited by the
celebrant at worship.‖
94
Hence, recited in the proper style and appropriate tone
accompanied by offering of the incense, this liturgical composition incubate an attentive
disposition for the celebration of the mystery of marriage.
a. Proemion – Introductory prayer
The term proemion is originally a Greek word, though transliterated into Syriac, and
widely used in the Syriac liturgical traditions. Finding as a unit along with sedro prayer,
etymologically it means ―preface‖ or ―introduction.‖
95
Basically, in and through the
proemion the Christological importance of the particular liturgical celebration is brought
out and it is also considered as ―a prayer of praise, thanksgiving and adoration.‖
96
Proemion begins with the invitation of the priest to ask for the ―mercy and compassion
from the Lord‖ and the community responds to it by asking God‘s mercy on them. The
priest continues to pray for the worthiness to ―offer prayer, thanksgiving, glory, honour
and exultation without ceasing and at all times forever.‖
97
Referring to the Book of
Revelation, thus, it could be considered as a word by word reiteration of the praise and
thanksgiving offered in the heaven.
98
Consequently, illustrating the marvellous things
God has done to the humanity, the priest invites the humanity to praise and glorify him.
The important reason to praise ―the Word enthroned above‖ is that the Lord had
compassion over the sinful humanity and brought them back to God. Summarizing the
Christological doctrines it says:
92
Planthottathil, ―Evolution of the Liturgical Contents of the West Syrian Tradition,‖ 277-280;
93
Planthottathil, ―Evolution of the Liturgical Contents of the West Syrian Tradition,‖ 280; Ignatius
Aphram Barsoum, The History of Syriac Literature, 111.
94
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church; Planthottathil, ―Evolution of
the Liturgical Contents of the West Syrian Tradition,‖ 277-280.
95
Codrington, ―Studies of the Syrian Liturgies,‖ 14.
96
Issac Thottunkal, ed. Emerging Trends in Malankara Catholic Theology: Vision and Contributions of
Cyril Mar Baselios (Rome: Mar Thoma Yogam, 1996), 160; Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the
Malankara Catholic Church,‖ 78; Baby Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology (Burlington:
Ashgate, 2004), 2.
97
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 110.
98
In the Book of Revelation the praise and thanksgiving in heaven is expressed in the following verse:
―Glory, honour and thanks to the one who sits on the throne and worthy are you our Lord and God to
receive glory, honour and power‖ (Rev 4:9,11). Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the Malankara Catholic
Church,‖ 72.
166 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
―Though He is high and exalted above all else, in the magnitude of His
love, He made our sinful nature worthy to be brought near to Him. He
cannot be known or comprehended by Philosophers and sophists, yet
all adore His existence‖ (SMK, 110-111).
Very briefly, it presents the theology of katabasis, the descending of God to the
humanity and anabasis, the ascending of the humanity to God. Moving further, by way
of introducing the significance of the absolution of the sins, the proemion makes use of
the biblical basis of the sacrament of confession: ―Whatever He absolves is absolved and
whatever He binds is bound‖ (Mt 18:18). It again affirms that it is the Lord who bestows
the ―crown of joy to bridegroom and brides‖ (SMK, 111). According to the Scripture, the
crown of joy symbolizes the crown given in the heavenly presence to those people who
lead humanity to God.
99
In other words, by using a ―narratological technique of telling,
illustrating, and illuminating‖
100
the proemion presents salvation history to the ecclesial
community: Christ as the Word of God have come down to save the humanity; He is
enthroned in the heaven and continues to bring the humanity to Himself with
compassionate love. The faithful are invited to adore and praise the Lord and reminded
that those who lead others to righteousness will be awarded with the crown of joy.
b. The Sedro Prayer
The term sedro comes from the Aramaic term seder which means order and thus, sedro
receives the meaning ―order‖ or ―series‖ or ―orderly arrangement.‖
101
Sedro is one of the
unique liturgical compositions of the West Syrian liturgical tradition denoting long series
of prose prayers uttered by the priest while placing incense in the thurible.
102
It is a term
already known in the Jewish liturgy and its structure is similar to Berakah, as presented
by Melchizedek (Gen 14: 18-19). A similar pattern is evident in the prayers of the early
Church as illustrated in Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4) where the apostles praised and gave
thanks along with supplications and prayers.
103
In the West Syrian liturgy sedro prayer
manifests an order or series which could be considered as ―a long exposition or
99
Thottunkal, ed. Emerging Trends in Malankara Catholic Theology, 160. The biblical reference to the
crown of joy is Philippians 4:1; 1 Thess.2:19. ―Therefore, my brother, you whom I love and long for, my
joy and crown that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!‖ ―For what is our hope, our
joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
Indeed, you are our glory and joy.‖
100
Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the Malankara Catholic Church,‖ 79.
101
Plathottathil, ―Themes of Incarnation in the Sedre,‖ 289. Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the
Spirit, 14. ―In the cultic context it means to arrange things in a particular order. In Leviticus (Lev. 24: 3-
7) the term appears six times in the sense of law and order.‖ Plathottathil, ―Themes of Incarnation in the
Sedre,‖ 289; Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 264.
102
Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the Malankara Catholic Church,‖ 79; Varghese, West Syrian
Liturgical Theology, 2; Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 264.
103
Plathottathil, ―Themes of Incarnation in the Sedre,‖ 289; Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the
Spirit, 14.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 167
meditation on a theme.‖
104
It is also considered as a ―penitential prayer composed of
verses‖ set into a fixed structure and framework.
105
Generally, there are two parts in sedro.
106
In the liturgy of marriage, sedro, begins with
praising God for his marvellous deeds. It sets a heavenly atmosphere during the liturgical
ceremony by recalling that all the heavenly hosts glorify the Lord and the angels tremble
before the majesty of God. It recognizes that the Lord is pleased with the human
liturgical services and introduces the basics of the liturgy as God‘s mercy that allows
bestowing human petitions to the Lord. It also presents the nature of God by presenting
Him as the One who is always willing to bestow the gift of His grace and who is slow
and enduring in punishing those who deserve it. The second part is considered as the part
of petition which proclaims the unending divine mercy and asks to bless all those who
are present at the liturgical celebration and all ―those on pilgrimage and those who dwell
in your dominion‖ representing the two worlds (SMK, 112).
107
Then the priest prays for
divine assistance to the new couple so that they will be ―just and righteous‖ (SMK, 112).
It also entails the prayer to guide the new couple to lead a life according to the
commandments of God so that they may follow a ―path of truth‖ finally reaching the
heavenly kingdom. Additionally, it asks the spouses to love what leads to eternal life and
to avoid sin and death. It also prays to unite their hearts so that they may together draw
nearer to God‘s holiness and be freed from the slavery of Satan. The petitions end with a
formula of praise to the Holy Trinity to bless and praise them forever and the people
respond with amen.
Hence, in an orderly manner, through the sedro prayer the Church offers praise and
thanksgiving to God and render supplications for the spouses. Plathottathil comments
that ―[b]ecause of the extensive theology of the first part of the Sedro, they function as
the ‗loci theologici‟ of the West Syrian Church. They are prayers but also represent the
church‘s teachings, meant to instruct the faithful, giving them the essential elements of
their faith in a simple language and in the context of worship. The sedro, thus are the
typical examples of the ‗lex orandi, lex credendi.‖
108
From the perspective of marriage
liturgy, we conclude that the first part of the sedro prayer could be considered as the
general teachings on the theology of the Church. However, the second part specifically
104
Xaviervilas, ―Doing Theology in the Malankara Catholic Church,‖ 79. John I, Patriarch of Antioch
(+648), is considered as the author of this particular type of prayer with a long series of prayers, further
instigating the origin of the litanies in Antiochene liturgical tradition. Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical
Theology, 2; Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 264.
105
Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 264.
106
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 17; 85-86; 156-158. Generally the first part
deals with praising God and the second part consists of absolution from the sins.
107
We have already discussed about the two worlds in the first part of the chapter: See 3.3.1.1.
108
Plathottathil, ―Themes of Incarnation in the Sedre,‖ 291. Italics are added.
168 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
aims at the spouses and offers supplications for their well-being thus relating directly to
their life.
Husoyo ends with a prayer ―[m]ay we receive from God pardon of offences and
forgiveness of sins in both worlds forever‖ (SMK, 113). It is similar to the formula of
absolution seen in the Eucharistic celebration.
109
Though, it is not named particularly as
huttomo in the SMK, by putting a parallelism with the sacrament of Eucharist, this
prayer could be considered as the huttomo. The real function of the Huttomo is to operate
as ―a formal and ritualized closing to the entire Husoyo.‖
110
By reiterating and
recapitulating what has been recited in proemion and sedro prayers it affirms the
remission of the sins as a grace from God and as a basic requirement for the celebration
of the sacrament. As in the Eucharistic celebration, thus, this prayer ―maps out to the
Early Church‘s liturgical practice, that is the common absolution‖
111
so that the liturgical
community is disposed for the worthy celebration of the sacrament.
3.4.1.5. Qolo-Quqoyo
The term qolo means ―voice, tune‖ and in the West Syrian liturgical tradition qolo
signifies a sequence of short anthems, each known as baito which means ―house, on a
framework of hemistiches (pethghom).‖
112
Generally, qolo is followed by hosoyo and the
verses are mostly taken from the psalms. Normally qolo consists of four anthems and
two clauses of the doxology, namely, ―[g]lory be to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Ghost‖ and ―[f]rom everlasting and unto the age of ages, Amen‖ (SMK, 114-117).
These two verses remain constant in qolo though the other verses change according to
the liturgical ceremonies. The word quqoyo means ―potter‖ and represents the particular
genre of the liturgical poems composed by Simeon the Potter which is sung in almost all
the liturgical services of the West Syrian liturgical tradition.
113
Since, the characteristics
of the hymn appeared in the liturgy of marriage is a mixture of qolo and quqoyo it is
known as qolo-quqoyo.
114
Quqoyo in the rite of marriage is a hymn with excerpts from the Old Testament, very
specifically, the book of Solomon‘s Song of Songs and the Psalms. It begins with the
109
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 21.
110
Vijayanand, ―Penitential Dimension in the Liturgy,‖ 345.
111
Vijayanand, ―Penitential Dimension in the Liturgy,‖ 345-346.
112
Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 14; Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity,
247.
113
Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 14. According to the tradition, Simeon the Potter composed
poems while working as a potter, which were later introduced into the liturgical services by Mar Jacob
of Sarug, a contemporary of Simon. Those poems were considered as models for a distinctive genre of
liturgical poems generally known as quqoye. Planthottathil, ―Evolution of the Liturgical Contents of the
West Syrian Tradition,‖ 285.
114
While some of the works only mention the term quqoyo, some other works use the term qolo.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 169
announcement that the king Solomon praises the Holy Church. The hymn uses many
attributes for the Church. It says that she is the daughter of the gentiles, the most
charming woman from whose lips flow the drops of sweet honey. The fragrance of her
robe is just like the spring roses. It also says that the Church is most chaste, lovely and
spotless. The reason for this spotlessness is that she worships the saving cross so that the
messiah, who is her king, safeguards her. The second stanza continues with the same
pattern of praising the Church by saying the Church as the sun that spreads light to the
whole cosmos. ―Christ the heavenly Bridegroom is betrothed to the Church of the
Nations, He purified, washed, and glorified His spouse.‖
115
Consequently, the gentile
daughter has become the bride of Christ by the seal of the blood. On the forehead of the
Church is the design of the cross and the tongue is holy with the songs of praise. The lips
are sealed with the blood of the Son of God, and the children of the Church sing the
hymns of praises day and night.
Following the sub‟ho, the doxology, the next stanza speaks about how the Church praises
God, who is almighty. Together with the sparrow, Davis‘s harp, vigilant angels, and with
a lyre of hundred and fifty strings, the Church praises God‘s glory. All these images are
taken from the Old Testament.
116
The purpose of praising God by the Church is to
bestow God‘s grace to the entire world. Following the Men‟Olam, the last stanza speaks
about the ―three citadels‖, which, in an allegorical way, refer to the Trinity. The Church
is protected by the Trinity and no evil ones enters the Church, for the Trinity is firm,
strong, deep footed, and united. The Church stands in their midst like a glorious bride.
Thus, the last part of quqoyo refers to the close relationship between the members of the
Trinity and the Church.
117
Shortly, by using various biblical and patristic images, quqoyo
reiterates the Christ-Church relationship and thereby presents Christ-Church relationship
as the model for the newly married couple.
3.4.1.6. Etro: Prayer of Incense
Having completed the quqoyo, the priest begins the prayer for the incensing ceremony.
The prayer for the incensing is known as etro which is a Syriac term meaning ―smoke.‖
Consequently, etro in the West Syrian liturgy implies “prayer of the smoke; prayer of the
pirmo, i.e. of the censer or incense; prayer of the qubbol primo, ‗acceptance of
115
Issac Parappallil, Ecclesial Dimension and Symbolism of Marriage (Trivandrum: Carmel International
Publishing House, 2012), 227.
116
Psalm 84:3 reads as follows: ―Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where
she may lay her young, at the altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.‖ There are also some more
references where the Church is identified as different birds. For Example, Ps 11: 1; Song of Solomon,
2:14; Jeremiah 48: 28; Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 70;
Parappallil, Ecclesial Dimension and Symbolism of Marriage, 204.
117
Parappallil, Ecclesial Dimension and Symbolism of Marriage, 244-5.
170 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
incense‘).‖
118
In the liturgy of marriage, etro addresses Christ as the Bridegroom of truth
and justice and recalls his presence at the wedding feast at Cana and asks to accept the
incense that is offered at the liturgy and to bless the new couple with the ―right hand full
of blessings (SMK, 114)
119
Meyendorff comments on the significane of the account of
the miracle of Cana in the celebration of marriage as follows:
―The story of the marriage in Cana in Galilee has been often invoked in
the past against puritanical, pseudo-monastic sectarian trends which
considered marriage as impure and recommended celibacy as the only
acceptable Christian ideal. This use of the passage is certainly fully
legitimate: if Jesus Himself and His Mother accepted the invitation to
wedding feast, marriage is certainly blameless.[…] While telling of a
real fact of Christ‘s life, it also points to a spiritual, sacramental
dimension, relevant to man‘s salvation. […] So also the change of
water into wine in Cana points to a transfiguration of the old into the
new, a passage from death to life. As the rest of the crowning service, it
announces the possibility of transforming the natural order of things
into a joyful celebration of God‘s presence among men.‖
120
In other words, the reference to the miracle at Cana has a great impact on the marriage
liturgy. Primarily Jesus‘ presence at the marriage ceremony shows the significance and
importance of marriage and reiterates that Christ has sublimated marriage and restored
marriage into a sacrament through his blessing and presence. It also underscores God‘s
continuing presence with the couple at the moments of joys and sorrows. Further, it
shows the intercession of the Mother of God at the moments of trials and tribulations. In
addition to it, etro prays to bless all the ecclesial community so that they will stand at the
right side and experience God‘s mercy. Standing at the right side of Christ signifies the
eschatological judgement as referred to in the Bible where the chosen people will stand
at the right side of Christ. Shortly, through this incensing prayer the couple and the
whole community are reminded of the significance of the sacrament of marriage and
their ultimate goal as reaching the right side of God in eschaton.
Concluding the introductory rites, we can affirm that the interpretation of the
introductory rites gave a framework on how the couple and the ecclesial community are
disposed to the celebration of the liturgy of marriage very intensively. Very briefly, we
can summarize them in two points. Firstly, in the introductory rites of the liturgy of the
crowning, we can observe a significant and thematic transition from the ceremony of
blessing of rings to the blessing of the crowning. While the prayers of the first service,
the blessing of the rings, affirm the significance of betrothal by narrating and illustrating
118
Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 14. Italics added to differentiate the languages.
119
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 114; Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of
the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 70; Pazhoor, ―Vivaham (Marriage),‖ 180. Based on the biblical references
the right hand of God is considered as the ―auspicious side‖. Cf. xlviii. 13-17; I Kings ii. 19; Ps. Xlv.9.
lxxxix.13.‖ Herbert E. Ryle, The Book of Genesis, 340.
120
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 40.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 171
in an allegorical way the betrothal of Christ with Church, the prayers of the service of
crowning takes the participants to an atmosphere where they understand and experience
the importance and significance of the Christ-Church mystical union in Christian
marriage. With this end in view, the couple and the ecclesial community are reminded of
the blessings that God rendered to the Patriarchs and their families and place the new
couple at the end of the salvation history informing them of their position and role in the
salvation history. Further, there are repeated references to the invitation to enter the
bridal chamber and experience the wedding banquet and direct reference to the miracle at
Cana where Christ has restored the dignity of marriage. Again, there are frequent
references that show the mystery of Christ-Church relationship as the basis and the
model of spousal relationship. Thus, the introductory rites make a significant shift from
betrothal to the marriage in and through various prayers and hymns condensed with
theology of marriage and a deep liturgical experience. Secondly, the introductory rites
invoke the participants to recognize the unworthiness to celebrate this mystery and
provide opportunities to ask pardon and forgiveness from God enabling them to celebrate
the mystery with worthiness. The propitiatory prayers, specially the sedro prayer serve a
significant role. Thus, the aforementioned discussions on the introductory rites provide
an understanding of how the bride and the bridegroom and the whole ecclesial
community are disposed to the ceremony of marriage.
Having concluded the introductory rites to the second service of marriage, in the next
section we will analyze the structure, rituals and the prayers of the Liturgy of the Word
peculiar to the liturgy of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church.
3.4.2. The Liturgy of the Word of God
After the preparatory service, a series of prayers, rituals and readings from the Bible take
place forming a single unit of the liturgical celebration, namely, the Liturgy of the
Word.
121
The general structure of the Liturgy of the Word is the same for the order of the
Eucharist and the liturgy of marriage.
122
Dividing into two parts, the Epistle and the
Gospel readings, the Liturgy of the Word is celebrated in a solemn manner. The
solemnity of the celebration of the liturgy of the Word of God consists in the procession
121
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 119-124; Antony Kakkanatt, Christological
Catechesis of the Liturgy: A Study of the Great Feasts of Our Lord in the Malankara Church (Rome:
Mar Thoma Yogam, 1996), 263; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 206.
122
Generally, three OT lessons and three NT lessons are read during the Eucharistic celebration of the
Malankara Church. However, presently the OT lessons are not read during the Eucharistic celebration,
rather they are read at Sapro,the canonical hours of the morning, mostly done just before the Eucharist.
Consequently, only the NT lessons are read during the Eucharist. Ninan Tharakan Anniyil, ―The
Malankara Liturgy and the Bible,‖ in The Eucharistic Liturgy in the Christian East, ed. John Madey,
Karapet Amatuni, and Emmanuel Khoury (Kottayam: Prakasam Publications, 1982), 384. Varghese, A
Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 92; Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy,
264; Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 258.
172 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
of the ministers with the lighted candles, incense, fans
123
and bells. Moreover, the hymns
and the prayers along with the bible readings add to the solemnity of the celebration.
124
The liturgy of the Word could be divided into two parts and in the following sections we
will analyze them in detail.
3.4.2.1. The Epistle Reading
The first section of the Liturgy of the Word consists of Zumoro and the reading from the
letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 5: 20-33. Differing only on the pericope of the
readings pertaining to each liturgical ceremony, the order of the Eucharist and the order
of all the other rites, in our context, the sacrament of marriage, follow a similar structure
for the Epistle reading.
a. Zumoro
The term zumoro means psalm, canticle or song.
125
In the liturgical celebration, the term
zumoro signifies the chant sung before the Epistle reading.
126
Moses Bār Kēphā
comments that the zumoro is like ―a horn or trumpeter‖ by which the ecclesial
community is prepared ―to hear the divine words, the spiritual food for their souls.‖
127
It
is identical with the hymn chanted during the celebration of the Eucharist before the
reading of the Epistle (SMK, 119).
The main theme is an exhortation by the Church that if anyone comes and preaches on
the word of God different from the preaching of the apostles, even if an angel from
heaven, they are to be banned from the Church. These verses apparently had taken
inspiration from the teaching of Paul as written on the Epistle to the Galatians: ―even if
123
In the Liturgical dictionary, Peter Day gives a detailed description on the liturgical fans used in the
West Syrian liturgy. ―These fans were originally made from feathers or linen veils, and according to the
Sahidic Ecclesiastical Canons, they were held by deacons standing at either side of the altar, who would
use them ―to drive away little flying creatures that they light not on the chalice. Only later did they
become staves with metal discs attached, which were decorated in repoussé with a seraph‘s face and
wings.‖ Since bells are attached to it when it is shaken during the liturgy is creates a solemn atmosphere.
Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 98; 185; 50.
124
In the Ordo of the rite of marriage these rituals are not directly mentioned. However, since it is a
general practice among the Malankarites, all these rituals are used also in the Liturgy of the Word of the
rite of marriage. Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 92; Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of
the Eastern Churches, 94.
125
Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 312. Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 206.
126
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 206. The East Syrian liturgical tradition also has zumoro,
though because of the difference in pronunciation of the syriac vowels, it is known as zummara. The
notable difference between zumoro used in Malankara Church and zummara of Syro-malabar Church is
that in Malankara the verses are taken from the Epistle and in Syro-malabar they are taken from the
Psalms. Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 312.
127
Moses Bār Kēphā, ―The Exposition of Moses Bār Kēphā,‖ 29; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 90; Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 265.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 173
we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a Gospel contrary to what we
proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed‖ (Gal:1-8). Further, zumoro recognizes that
many doctrines are spread on earth and those who stand firm in the teachings of God
proclaimed through the apostles will be blessed. Hence, before hearing the Word of God
from Paul‘s letters, the Church, through chanting the zumoro invites the faithful to
recollect the significance of the divine nature of the preaching of the apostles and thus,
the community is asked to keep away from false teachings.
128
b. The Reading from the Epistle
Having completed the chanting of zumoro, the reader introduces the reading by saying:
―A reading from the letter of the holy apostle Paul to the Ephesians. Barekmor‖ to which
the community responds, ―praise to the Lord of the apostle and may His mercy be on us
forever‖ (SMK, 121). Dionysius of Salibi elucidates that the deacon‘s frequent
exclamation barekh mor means ―master, bless‖ which implies that ―the deacon requests
the priest to bless and to pray.‖
129
Receiving the blessing from the priest, the reader
begins the reading of the Epistle. As we have already mentioned, the pericope for the
Epistle reading for the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church is Ephesians 5:20-
33. It emphasizes the mystery of the union of Christ and the Church as the basis of the
union of the bride and the bridegroom. As the prayers of the rite of marriage underscore,
the central idea of the reading once again affirms that the inseparableness of the head,
Christ, and body, the Church, binds the husband and wife indissolubly.
130
In other words,
the passage briefly explains the meaning of the whole ceremony of marriage of the Syro-
Malankara Church, that is, Christ-Church union as ―the model – the absolute model – of
the relationship between husband and wife‖ and ―marriage, as a sacrament, is the
introduction and the transposition of man-woman relationships into the already given
Kingdom of God, where Christ and the Church are one body.‖
131
Thus, it could be
considered as a legitimate rationale which motivated the Syro-Malankara Church to
integrate this particular passage in the liturgy of marriage where Paul compares the
relationship of husband and wife to the mystery of the Christ and the Church relationship
(Eph 5:22-33).
128
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 153; Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of
the Eastern Churches, 92.
129
Jean-Paul Deshler, ―Deacon‘s Part in the Liturgy of St. James: Role of the Diaconate and Retrieval of
the Lost Order in the Malankara Church,‖ in The Liturgy of St. James: Its Impact on Theologizing in
India, ed. John Berchmans and James Puthuparampil (Pune: BVP Publications, 2009), 243.
130
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 70; Varghese, A Contextual
Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 94-95.
131
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 39-40; Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the
Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 70.
174 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
3.4.2.2. The Gospel Reading
Moving to the rites for the reading of the Gospel, the Malankara Church has a peculiar
structure which includes the pethgomo, proclamation of the deacon, declaration of the
priest and the gospel reading with a prelude and concluding hymn.
a. Pethgomo
The hymn before the Gospel is called Pethgomo. The Syriac term Pethgomo means
―word, phrase or verse: the verses of an ecclesiastical composition.‖
132
In the liturgy,
pethgomo means ―the single verse of a Psalm, before and after, the chant of a twofold
Halleluya.‖
133
This chant is also called hulolo, meaning ‗sung‘ or ‗canticle‘,
134
as this
kind of chant is composed of one or more vesicles of a Psalm with three halleluyas.
Halleluya means a cry of joy and the hymn of halleluya with psalms in this context
serves a twofold function: Firstly, by singing the halleluyh the people express their joy
and secondly the hymn works as a prelude to the Gospel reading with psalms.
135
It may
also symbolize the canticle seen in the Gospels where the assembly sings ―Hosanna to
the Son of David‖ (Mt 21:1-11, Mk 11: 1-11, Lk 19:28-39; Jn 12:12-18). Again, hulolo
or pethgomo signifies what is written in the book of Revelation where the Church
expresses its gladness in welcoming Jesus Christ the savior: ―After this I heard what
seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, ‗Hallelujah! Salvation
and glory and power belong to our God‘‖ (Rev 19:1).
136
The theme of the hymn in the
liturgy of marriage is taken from Psalm 21: 1-4 and similar to the refrain used for the
quqilion at the beginning of the Service of Crowning, of the Syro-Malankara Church.
137
According to the general practice of the Syro-Malankara liturgical tradition, the Gospel
is brought forth to the front of the sanctuary in a solemn manner with lighted candles on
both sides, fans (seraphic disks), tingling bells and censer.
138
According to some
132
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 202; Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara
Church,‖ 153.
133
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 153; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 202. Hulolo: Canticle, hymn. Also a Psalm versicle sung with, both before and after, the chant
of a twofold Halleluya; it has its place before the Gospel reading.‖ Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara
Church, 201; Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 153. ―The divergence found
in the parallel texts with regard to this part, causes some confusion. […] The term petgomo which in the
printed text follows in the same line, applies to the verse‖ Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church,
131. ―An antiphon, the wording of which varies according to the Proper of the day and which is sung
before the Gospel. The verse is preceded and followed by the word ―Alleluia.‖ Day, The Liturgical
Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 123.
134
Brightman, Liturgies: Eastern and Western, 79.
135
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 92.
136
Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 265.
137
For a detailed discussion on the Quqilion and the meaning of the Psalm in relation to the rite of
marriage, see the first part of this chapter, number 3.3.1.4.
138
The two lights before the Gospel indicate the Evangelists, whom He sent two by two before him. Again,
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 175
commentators, these liturgical actions together with the canticle of halleluya express the
great joy in welcoming Jesus Christ coming through the Word of God. While others refer
this solemn setting of the Gospel reading to the descent of God on Mount Sinai in fire
and smoke, the whole mountain was being trembled while God spoke in thunder‖ (Ex
19:18-19). Precisely, integrating these meanings into the solemn ceremony of the Gospel
reading recognizes and reveals the significance of the Gospel readings by which Jesus
Christ Himself speaks through the celebrant, the priest.
b. The Announcement of the Deacon
Having completed the hymn, pethgomo, the deacon invites the community to listen to the
Gospel: ―Barekmor. With reverence and devotion, let us listen to the living words of
God, the holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is being proclaimed before us‖
(SMK, 121). This proclamation reminds the participants that a good disposition and good
manner are required to facilitate a good hearing of the Word of God. In other words, the
proclamation emphasizes ―firstly the need of silence both external and internal, secondly
the urgency of respect and reverence to the Word and finally the quality of serenity to
listen and to hear the Living Word.‖
139
In this context, silence is not simply the absence
of words; rather, it is the good disposition to listen to the words of God. In the words of
Mar Salibi, the exhortation of the deacon aims at three things: ―to stand well, to be still
and not to speak (and finally), to hear with attention the things that are read and not to
allow their thoughts to wander.‖
140
In other words, the deacon directly conveys that total
―constant vigilance‖ is expected from the worshippers to hear the Word since, as we read
in the Bible, ―the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow, it is able to judge the
thoughts and intentions of the heart‖ (Heb 4:12).
141
The ecclesial community responds to
the invitation of the deacon by a prayer asking the Lord to make them worthy of hearing
the word of God (SMK, 121).
142
It acknowledges God‘s grace to listen to the Word of
God and to integrate it to the life.
the lights in the whole of the Church symbolize the lamps of our souls.‖ The Malankara Academy, The
Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 73; Ponmelil Thomas, ―Catechetical Value of the West
Syrian Liturgy Used in the Syro-Malankara Rite‖ (Unpublished, Katholieke Universiteit Te Leuven,
1975), 36.
139
Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 96.
140
Dionysius Bar Salibi, Expositio Liturgiae, ed. J. B. Chabot et al., trans., Hieronymus Labourt, Corpus
Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (Louvain: Durbecq, 1903), 25; Deshler, ―Deacon‘s Part in the
Liturgy of St. James,‖ 243.
141
Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 96.
142
Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 266.
176 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
c. The Declaration of the Priest and the Gospel Reading
The priest wishes the community with the peace of the Lord saying ―peace be to you all‖
(SMK, 121). The commentary of Bar Salibi on the Eucharist explains the meaning of the
words of the priest as follows: ―this Gospel which I [the priest] read is (the message) of
the peace of Christ, which united those who are on earth with those who are in heaven
and the people with the gentiles, as said the angel to the shepherds: Behold I bring you
good news of (great) joy (Lk 2:10) and how beautiful are the feet of those who preach
good news of peace (Rom 10:15).‖
143
By picking up the general idea from this quotation,
we may affirm that integrating different pericopes from the Bible, Bar Salibi insists that
the Word of God is the message of Jesus Christ for the peace of the world by which He
united the people on earth and heaven without any division and separation. Additionally,
together with the Apostles, Salibi encourages the preachers of the word of God by
repeating that blessed are the feet of those who preach the Word of God. Further, the
commentators on the liturgy affirm that the greeting of the priest is similar to the greeting
of the Resurrected Christ by which He blessed and consoled the bereaved apostles.
144
Hearing the wish of the priest for peace the faithful respond that on the similar manner
wishing peace on the priest.
Differing from the other Eastern churches, the Syro-Malankara Church has inserted a set
of declarations following the blessing of the peace and the responses of the faithful.
145
The first declaration is: ―The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the life-giving
message from the Apostle Matthew, who preaches life and salvation to the World‖
(SMK, 122). Hearing the words of the priest the faithful respond: ―Blessed is He who has
come and is to come. Praise to the One who sent Him, and let His blessings be upon us
forever‖ (SMK, 122). In this prayer the Gospel is presented as life giving and
redemptive. The congregation thankfully remembers the fact of Incarnation and gives
thanks to the Father for sending Jesus to redeem the world. It is important to note that in
this prayer Jesus is addressed as ―the one who has come and is to come.‖ The
eschatological nature of the incarnational Word is beautifully presented here. By
accepting the historical Jesus who has already come, the congregation accepts Jesus as
the head of the eschatological family which is yet to be realized in the eschaton.
146
As a prelude to the Gospel, the priest makes the following announcement: ―In the time of
the Dispensation of our Lord, our God, and the Saviour, Jesus Christ, the living Word of
143
Dionysius Bar Salibi, Expositio Liturgiae, 25. A detailed commentary on the theme has been already
given when we analyzed the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage. See section 2.3.2.8
144
Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 266.
145
Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 266.
146
Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 98.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 177
God, who took flesh of the Holy Virgin Mary + these things came to pass.‖
147
The
response of the people is followed by a prayer by the celebrant. The question who is
Jesus for the worshipping community and the response of the community gives an
answer; simple but instilled with profound meaning: Jesus is our Lord; Jesus is our God;
Jesus is the living Word of God; Jesus has taken flesh from the Holy Virgin Mary. This
is the foundation of the Christian faith, and, as a result, the whole community proclaims
what they believe and confess. Thus, the whole dispensation, an integral understanding
of the divine and human role of Jesus in the history of salvation, is a simple and at the
same time a theological presentation in the small prayer before the Gospel proclamation.
The response of the people in a subtle manner presents a conscious profession of faith in
the divine economy of salvation and a reminder of the faith of the Church.
148
Having completed the introductory part, the celebrant proclaims the Gospel.
149
At the
end of the reading the priest blesses the congregation saying ―Peace be with you all‖ and
kisses the book of the Gospel. In the Malankara liturgy, as in most of the liturgical
tradition, the Gospel is placed in between two wishes of peace equating peace with Jesus
and presenting that the essential message of the Gospel is peace (Eph 6:15).
150
Generally,
the Gospel pericope is always in harmony with the liturgical cycle of the Syro-Malankara
tradition and also in accordance with the theological framework of the liturgical
celebration.
151
The gospel reading for the rite of marriage is from the Gospel of St.
Mathew where Jesus teaches on the indissolubility of marriage. ―The Church seals her
teaching of the unity and inseparability of Christian marriage with the words of her own
bridegroom as recorded in Mt. 19: 1-12 solemnly chanted in the Service: ‗What God has
united, man must not sunder‘.‖
152
Thus, through the Gospel reading the liturgy affirms
the union of man and woman as indissoluble, a ―constitutive value of Christian
marriage.‖
153
In other words, as underlined by various prayers of the liturgy of marriage,
Christian marriage demands a lifelong commitment, inclusive, indissoluble and
inseparable. It is the will of God as expressed in the account of Creation and it is the
mind of the Church as taught by the Fathers of the Church and the Magisterium. The
long sequence of the Liturgy of the Word is culminated with a hymn generally known as
ma‘nito. It is a Syriac term meaning ―responsory, antiphon‖ and usually consists of a
147
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 122.
148
Kakkanatt, Christological Catechesis of the Liturgy, 266-267.
149
According to the Malankara Tradition, the Gospel is read only by the celebrant of the liturgy. Paniker,
―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 153.
150
Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 98.
151
Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint James, 99.
152
Kurian Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony According to the Malankara
Syrian Church,‖ Christian Orient XI, no. 4 (December, 1990), 189.
153
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 179.
178 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
single stanza or hymn.
154
The hymn once again reminds the couple and the assembly that
when the Church saw Christ on the cross, she glorified Him and exalted His glory as the
king of the universe. Thus, it further points to the relationship between Christ and the
Church demanding the couple to be inspired by this intimate, mystic relationship.
The proclamation of the Word through the Scripture reading and its interpretation mainly
aims at making the community to listen to the word of God, reflect upon it and to be
transformed by the power of it. It opens the possibility for the believers to have an
encounter with Christ. In this section, we have been discussing the Liturgy of the Word
peculiar to the rite of marriage. We have investigated that the structure of the Liturgy of
the Word is similar to the Eucharistic celebration. However, there are notable differences
in relation to the readings and the liturgical theology brought out by the thematic analysis
of the hymns: firstly, the hymns are directly related to the various themes on marriage;
secondly, the readings are pertaining to the Christian view of marriage and teachings of
Christ and the Church on marriage and family. Thus, it disposes the couple and the
liturgical assembly closer for the rites of marriage. In the following part, we will discuss
the sacramental rites of marriage in detail.
3.4.3. The Proper Rites of Marriage
155
The whole analysis of the introductory services and the Liturgy of the Word necessarily
gives the impression that they prepare the couple and the ecclesial community for the
worthy celebration of the sacrament. Further, it triggers the idea that the rituals
distinctive of the sacrament have not been discussed in the aforementioned sections.
Now, we take up three questions to unveil the liturgical theology of the SMK: what are
the sacramental rites central to the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church; which
meaning and implications do the prayers and hymns accompanied by the different rituals
of the rite of marriage reveal to the spouses and the ecclesial community on marriage and
family; in other words, what are the liturgical gestures that elevate the bride and
bridegroom into the status of the marriage transforming them as couple in the Church?
154
A collection of anthems of this form, translated from the Greek, is attributed to Servus [sic] of Antioch
and others. Some are called by the Greek name antiphone, of which the Syriac title may be a translation.
It is also styled „enyono or „unoyo. Generally the hymn is sung during the procession of the gifts back to
the thronos and hence, the hymn is even known as the ―hymn for the entrance of the holy mysteries‖
Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 97; Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara
Church,‖ 153; Philip Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, Moran Etho
(Kottayam: St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, 2004), 145; Dionysius Bar Salibi, Expositio
Liturgiae, 24.
155
An article is published based on this part: Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny, ―Effective Gestures for an
Effective Liturgical Experience: The Significance of the Bodily Gestures in the Syro-Malankara Rite of
Marriage.‖ In Le Corps Humain Dans La Liturgie, edited by André Lossky, Goran Sekulovski, and
Thomas Pott, Semaines d‘Études liturgiques Saint-Serge, 65, (Münster: Aschendorff, 2019), 330-341.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 179
3.4.3.1. The Blessing of the Crown and the Ritual of Crowning
The first and foremost liturgical ceremony peculiar to the rite of marriage is the
crowning of the bridegroom and the bride. A number of points require a detailed analysis
in order to appreciate the richness of the ceremony of crowning. We have already
discussed that there are two services for the liturgy of marriage of which, the first is the
blessing of the rings and the second service is the blessing of the crowns. According to
the West Syrian liturgical tradition the rite of blessing and crowning of the couple is the
central ritual of the sacrament of marriage.
156
The Holy Scripture gives various
references to the symbolism of crowning in relation to the people of God in the Old
Testament and Christianity in New Testament.
157
Crowning was one of the customs in Jewish and Greco-Roman culture in relation to
various ceremonies, such as marriage and coronation.
158
However, it is documented that
in the early centuries of the developments of Christianity there was a general approach of
disapproving the liturgical gesture of crowning in various rituals of Christians
considering it as a pagan gesture.
159
Nevertheless, a positive approach had been
developed in the later period. John Chrysostom comments that ―[g]arlands are wont to be
worn on the heads of bridegrooms, as a symbol of victory, betokening that they approach
the marriage bed unconquered by pleasure.‖
160
In the Syrian tradition the metaphor of
crowning has received a wider range of usage and significance. For example, the Odes of
Solomon makes various references to crown to show the relationship between God and
the faithful: ―The Lord is on my head like a crown,‖ ―put on the crown in the true
covenant of the Lord, and those who have conquered will be inscribed in the book,‖ ―I
156
The New SCM Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship, s.v. ―Marriage: Eastern Churches,‖ 298; Harcus,
―The Case for Betrothal,‖ 47.
157
Some of the Old Testament references are: Eccl 47:7; Is 28:5 and 62: 3; Jeremiah 13:18; Ps 21:4. Some
of the New Testament references are: James 1:2, I Pet 5:4; I Cor 9:25, 2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2: 10; 3: 11; 4:4
and 9:7. According to Elenjikal, ―In the Old Testament the Christians found various references to the
crown as a sign of kingship, glory or victory – sometimes as a token of beauty as well. In the New
Testament the meanings are same, but always in connection with the glory of everlasting life as a reward
for the enduring of trials.‖ Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 165.
158
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 138-139;
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 193.
159
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 138.
160
St. John Chrysostom, ―Homily on Timothy, No.9,‖ in The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop
of Constantinople: On the Epistles of St. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, The Library
of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church: Anterior to the Division of the East and West (Oxford: John
Henry Parker, 1843), 73; Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara
Church,‖ 138-139; Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 193; Brown expresses his doubt about what type of crowns are
used in the Indian Churches in the following words: ―There is some doubt whether actual crowns were
used in Malabar. Now a gold chain with a cross is used instead, held out in the priest‘s fingers in the
form of a crown.‖ Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 258.
180 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
was crowned by God,‖ and ―make for thyself a crown from this tree‖ are a few of such
references.
161
The sacramental rites of the liturgy of marriage of the Malankara Church commence with
a blessing of the crowns and this liturgical act is considered as the prerogative of the
celebrant, the priest.
162
The priest ―waves‖ over the crowns by his right hand and
―blesses‖ it with a prayer to the Holy Trinity. The act of waving either over the symbolic
objects used in the liturgies or the divine mysteries during the celebration of the
Eucharist is a significant moment in the liturgies of the West Syrian liturgical tradition.
Baby Varghese explains how the ritual of waving had come to the West Syrian liturgical
tradition in a detailed manner as we see in the following:
―In the Syriac (Peshitta) New Testament, agen has been used to render
two key Greek verbs: episkiazein (Luke 1:35 – overshadow) and
skenoo (John 1:14 – tabernacle). […] Later West Syrian anaphoras
modelled on Saint James use rahef (= to hover: derived from Gen. 1:2;
Deu. 32:11) or its derivative nouns to describe the descent of the Spirit
in the epiclesis. In its Old Testament, use, rahef (hovering; brooding
over; overshadowing; indwelling; tabernacling) implies the life-giving
presence of the Spirit. […] Thus after the twelfth century, the use of the
verb rahef gave rise to a symbolic waving of the hands over the
Eucharist elements during the epiclesis.‖
163
As it is said, waving of the hand in the Syro-Malankara liturgy is a recurring liturgical
action symbolizing the consecration and descending of the Holy Spirit. Before the
Epiclesis or the invocation of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy of the Eucharist, the Deacon
announces that ―how dreadful is this time when the Holy and quickening Spirit descends
from heaven, […] and sanctifies it.‖
164
Following the diaconal announcement, the priest
waves over the sacred mysteries of bread and wine and prays that ―[h]ave mercy upon
us, O God the father and send forth upon these gifts before you, your Holy Spirit, the
Lord and the life-giver, […] who came down in the likeness of a dove upon our Lord
Jesus Christ in the river Jordan.‖
165
The commentators argue that the waving of the hands
161
Charlesworth, ed. The Odes of Solomon: The Syriac Texts, 17, 46, 74, 86; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian
Liturgy, 178.
162
Brown comments that the crown is a chain with a cross and the ceremony is as follows: ―Taking the
chain he [the priest] raises it three times above the bridegroom‘s head, waving it round as the crown and
signing a blessing. Finally he places the ‗crown‘ on the bridegroom‘s neck. Then he acts in a similar
manner for the bride.‖ Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 255.
163
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 83; Sebastian Brock, The Holy Spirit in the Syrian
Baptismal Tradition (Poona: Deepika, 1979), 5-8; The Balesius Church Digital Library, ―Holy Qurbana:
An Explanation‖, The Malankara World http://www.malankaraworld.com/library/Faith/Holy-Qurbana-
an-explanation.htm (accessed 2 May 2018).
164
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 30.
165
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 30. In some other
commentaries the waving symbolizes ―the breath of the Holy Spirit and the fluttering of the angel‘s
wings.‖ Liesel, The Eucharistic Liturgies of the Eastern Churches, 100.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 181
over the gifts is done in a ―fluttering motion, signifying the descent of the Holy
Spirit.‖
166
Consequently, the symbolic but invisible presence of the Holy Spirit is
referred with the visible gesture of waving of the hands by the priest during the
consecratory prayer in the liturgy of Eucharist.
The ritual action of waving is being extended to the other sacraments in the Malankara
Church, such as baptism, ordination, and the water for the benediction of the house. As a
result, waving has become a significant ritual action in the liturgy and we can affirm that
―the particular meaning of the Syrian verbs agen or rahef got its permanent ritual
expression in the West Syrian tradition‖
167
emphasizing the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Together with the liturgical action of waving over the crowns, the priest blesses them
with a prayer: ―These crowns and the heads upon which they are placed are blessed and
perfected in the name of the + Father and of the + Son and of the living + Holy Spirit
forever and ever‖ (SMK, 124). It reiterates that the crowns placed on the head of the
bride and the bridegroom are ―blessed and perfected‖ by the sign of the Cross in the
name of the Trinity. Hence, as argued at the Syriac Consultation on Sacraments in the
Syriac Tradition, with its Trinitarian dimension, the sign of the Cross is seen as ―the
Perfector and Seal of all the raze/roze, and without it no liturgical rite could be
complete.‖
168
Consequently, as in other mysteries of the Church, the reality of the natural
marriage is transformed into a sacramental marriage, where the bride and bridegroom are
changed into wife and husband in the Church through the action of the Trinity.
Correspondingly, the ritual expression of the descent of the Holy Spirit through the
action of the waving of the hands and the prayer for the blessing and perfection signifies
that in and through the ceremony of the crowning, the marriage of the new couples are
blessed by the Trinity and through the married life they are called to lead a life of
perfection by the power of the Holy Trinity.
169
Blessing of the crown is followed by the waving of the hands of the priest over the head
of the bridegroom accompanied by a chant of the hymn which proceeds to the crowning
of the bridegroom. Afterwards, the priest crowns the bride in a similar manner. The
hymns and the prayers during the crowning ceremony are rich in allusions and
166
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 76; The Balesius Church
Digital Library, ―Holy Qurbana: An Explanation‖. Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint
James, 132.
167
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 83; Brock, The Holy Spirit, 5-8; The Balesius Church
Digital Library, ―Holy Qurbana: An Explanation‖.
168
Peter Hofrichter and Gerhard Wilflinger, eds., Joint Communiqué of the Fifth Non-Official Syriac
Consultation: ―Sacraments in the Syriac Tradition - Part II,‖ Syriac Dialogue: Fifth Non-Official
Consultation on Dialogue within the Syriac Tradition (Vienna: Pro Oriente, 2003), 150; Brock, The Holy
Spirit, 74.
169
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 88.
182 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
symbolisms. In a general sense, the crown implies the victory and glory.
170
In a larger
perspective, the kings, athletes, and warriors receive the crowns as a fruit of their victory
or as a sign of their power or glory.
171
The most important terminologies in relation to
the crown, used in the hymns and prayers of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara
Church are: ―The heavenly crown‖, ―crown of glory and righteousness,‖ ―splendid crown
made by the Messiah,‖ ―crown similar to the Lord‘s crown of thorns and of chaste
spouses,‖ ―crown of justice‖ (SMK, 124-128). They point to the theological and
liturgical meaning of the crowning. In the following section we will try to unveil the
meaning of each phrase very briefly.
a. The Christological Dimension of the Mystery of Marriage
While waving the crown above the head of the groom and the bride the priest sings a
chant which emphasizes that the crown is a ―heavenly crown‖ and ―lowered down by the
Lord‘s hand‖ and adorns the heads of the bride and bridegroom by the hands of the priest
(SMK, 124). Further, the hymn refers that the crown is very splendid since it is created
by the Messiah. Again, it refers to the crown that is put on the bride and the groom as the
―crown similar to the Lord‘s crown of thorns‖ (SMK, 124-128). All these references
emphasize the Christological dimension in the marriage of man and woman. Presenting
the crown as being prepared by the Lord‘s hand and placed on the heads of the bride and
the bridegroom through the ministry of the priest crown in an allegoric way, the hymn
presents that the marriage is not by chance or unintended but the union is intentionally
brought out by the Lord. The Christological dimension of the Christian marriage is
further deepened by the reference that the crown that is put over the head of the spouses
refers to the crown of Jesus which further signifies His death on the cross: ―The
bridegroom‘s crown is similar to our Lord‘s crown of thorns‖ (SMK, 128). Comparing
the crown of the Lord with the crown of the Lord, the Church wants to bring out the self-
sacrificing love of Christ as the model for the Christian marital love relationship. Hence,
it points to the fact that:
―The self-sacrifice of Jesus was for the sake of the Church, to make her
His own Bride. Since the crown of the spouses is compared to the
crown of the Lord, it becomes explicit that it is this love that they have
170
According to the Dictionary meaning a crown means ―a garland or wreath worn on the head as a sign of
honor, victory‖ or ―a reward or honor given for merit; specifically the position or title of a champion in a
sport‖ or ―a circlet or headdress, often of golf and jewels, worn by a monarch as an emblem of
sovereignty.‖ Webster‟s New World Dictionary, s.v. ―Crown,‖ 332. ―To place a crown, wreath, or
garland upon the head of (a person), in token of victory or honour, or as a decoration, etc; to adorn with
the aureole of martyrdom, virginity, etc; To invest with the regal crown, and hence with the character
and dignity of a king or ruling prince.‖ ―invested with a crown or with royal dignity, surmounted by a
crown.‖ The Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. ―Crown,‖ 72.
171
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 135.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 183
to imitate, and in this imitation, their union becomes a symbol of the
spousal union between Christ and the Church.‖
172
Thus, the crowning of the couples reminds the bride and the bridegroom about the
mystical marriage of Christ and Church that takes place on the Cross by the crowning of
Christ. Syrian Fathers have well treated the theme of Christ wedding the Church at the
Cross where he purified the Church and married her as His own. Therefore, in and
through the liturgy of marriage, ―the bride and groom, who in their baptism were
betrothed by Christ, are married by the crucified Christ.‖
173
This Christological meaning
attributed to the Christian marriage that makes Christian marriage unique and essentially
different from the secular marriage.
Summarizing the Christological dimension put forward by the hymn we can affirm two
points: firstly, it points to the direct involvement of Christ the Messiah in preparing the
crown for them and making them united by crowning them through the ministry of the
priest. Thus, as the particular law of the Syro-Malankara Church teaches ―[b]y the
blessing with and the bestowal of the crown, a symbol of justice and an ornament of
eternal salvation, the spouses become the king and queen of the new family.‖
174
By
giving the crown at their wedding they are being appointed as the king and the queen of
the domestic Church of Christ the King. Secondly, it points that the perfect model for the
marital relationship is the life-giving love of Christ by which He married the Church and
the bride and the groom are advised to imitate the life-giving love of Jesus Christ in their
marital life. It also presupposes the thorns and trials that the bride and bridegroom will
encounter in their marital life and the strength and energy that they could draw from the
cross of Christ.
b. Justice and Righteousness
Some of the terminologies used in the SMK in relation to the crown are ―the crown of
justice‖ and the ―crown of righteousness.‖
175
Mostly both these terms are considered as
172
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 136.
173
Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, ―Marriage and Family: A Covenant with God in His Church, a Malankara
Perspective on Marriage and Family,‖ in Eleven Cardinals Speak on Marriage and the Family: Essays
from a Pastoral Viewpoint, ed. Winfried Aymans (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015), 14-15.
According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, the theological meaning of the ritual of crowning rooted
on the crowning of Jesus with thorns. Even though He was crowned ironically by the persecutors, for his
believers the crowning had been the symbolic act by which He was nominated as their King. New
Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: McGraw-Hill Book, 1967), s.v. ―Crowning with Thorns,‖ 484;
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 166.
174
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Can. 519. Aerath comments
on this saying ―[]he ceremony, called ‗the crowning‘, is a sign of their becoming rulers in a new
kingdom, the ‗king‘ and ‗queen‘ of their own home. Their home is then interpreted as an eschatological
sign of the kingdom of God. Their marriage then becomes a witnessed of the Kingdom already in the
world.‖ Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 136.
175
Righteousness or Justice, In the OT: ―The privileged sense is that of moral rectitude, of imitation of
184 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
synonyms.
176
The term ―the crown of righteousness‖ is one of the significant terms used
in the Scripture.
177
Bible commentators suggest that this term could be understood in two
ways: ―(a) a crown consisting of righteousness; it is ‗crown which will bring final
justification;‘ (b) a crown which is appropriate for a righteous person, or is, more
specifically, a reward for righteousness, […] The crown connotes righteousness but is
granted to those who are righteous.‖
178
It apparently reveals the different dimensions of
space and time: on the one hand, the life of righteousness here on earth and the
eschatological life in heaven, on the other. In the Old Testament, the righteousness of
God consists in His fidelity and goodness in relation to humanity, while righteousness of
a human person suggests multiple dimensions. Consequently, it includes ―conduct
toward God‖ to be expressed through the acts of worship and prayer; good behavior
toward oneself representing the distributive dimension of ethics; and good behavior
toward the neighbor showing the juridical and legal aspects.
179
Taking into consideration
the references to the crown in the New Testament, the crown is spoken in terms of a
metaphor of a reward given for a winner of athletics. In comparison to the metaphor of
the crown given to athletes, the crown of righteousness in relation to a Christian faithful
is referred to the crown that he/she is going to receive after a life of righteousness worthy
of his faith: ―the gift of eternal life.‖
180
Reading along with different explanations given in the Bible, the crown of righteousness
and the crown of justice that is promised to the married couple have two dimensions: the
reward they will receive during their married life and the reward promised to them as a
gift to be received eschatologically for their faithful and committed married life. Since
God in his multiple manifestations and in adherence to the law. Since this adherence is modeled on the
relationship between two people, it varies with the changes in the relationship, but presupposes equity as
indispensable (Lev 19:15; Dt 16:18, 20). ‗The typical formula, act according to righteousness and
justice‘ (Jer 22:3-4; Ez 45: 9-10; Jos 10:12) denounces a situation in which justice does not follow its
normal course and proposes an ideal of equity valid for all (Is 9:6; 11:4-5; 16:5, 22:1, Jer 23:5; 33:15).‖
Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity (Westmont, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2014), s.v. ―Righteousness,‖
414. The Webster‘s dictionary gives various meaning to the term justice: ―The quality of being
righteous, rectitude, impartiality, the quality of being right or correct.‖ Webster‟s New World Dictionary,
s.v. ―Justice,‖ 734. The term righteousness means: ―Acting in a just, upright manner; doing what is right;
virtuous. morally right, fair and just, morally justifiable.‖ Webster‟s New World Dictionary, s.v.
―Righteous,‖ 1156.
176
Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity, 414.
177
In the New Testament, 2 Timothy 4:8 speaks of ―the crown of righteousness.‖ cf. Wis 5:18; Bar 5:2;
Lev 19:15; Dt 16:18, 20.
178
I. Howard Marshall, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, ed. J. A. Emerton,
C. E. B. Cranfield, and G. N. Stanton, The International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of
the Old and New Testaments (New York: T & T Clark, 2006), 808-809.
179
Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity, 414. ―The search for the kingdom of God and his righteousness
(Mt 6:33) is an imperative for acquiring Christian perfection thanks to which the new community is
already configured as a real anticipation of the eschatological kingdom.‖ Encyclopedia of Ancient
Christianity, 415.
180
Benjamin Fiore, The Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus, ed. Daniel J. Harrington,
Sacra Pagina Series, vol. 12 (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2007), 181; 512.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 185
the crown that is placed on the heads of the spouses are descended from heaven by the
hands of the Lord, the couple is requested ―to ascend to heaven from where the crown
descends‖ to receive the imperishable crown promised for them.
181
The prayer at the
time of the crowning makes it clear and affirms how the spouses will be able to reach
heaven. While crowning the bridegroom, the prayer emphasizes on the petition to God to
decorate him with righteousness and victorious armor guarding the couples them from
the evils. Additionally, while crowning the bride the Church prays that the bride has to
be filled up with the ―imperishable beauty‖ since the crown is parallel to the ―crown of
the chaste spouses.‖
182
Further, it presents that the ultimate goal of their lifelong
commitment is to give praise to the Trinitarian God in the eternal chamber and
experience eternal joy and happiness. Thus, marriage as envisioned by the liturgy of
marriage of the Malankara Church is not a short term contract but it is indissoluble and
reaching the end of life and even reaching the heavenly chamber rejoicing with ―the Lord
of lasting banquet‖ (SMK, 126).
In short, the expressions crown of justice and crown of righteousness seen in the liturgy
of marriage unveils the co-relation between role of God in marriage and the human
endeavors to keep their lifelong commitment tactile and indissoluble. It merges the
theological dimension and the human dimension in Christian marriage by presenting
marriage is not only a divine invitation or gift but also human efforts are necessary for
the successful completion of marriage.
c. Glory and Joy: The Temporal and Eternal Rewards
Explicating various meaning and usage of the term crown in the liturgy of marriage, we
come across with the expression, ―the crown of glory‖ (SMK, 125, 127). The term
―crown of glory‖ has a biblical basis. In 1 Peter 5: 4, the apostle writes that ―[w]hen the
chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.‖
183
The context of
this biblical passage is the discussion on the eternal tribute that the elders of the Church
will receive from Christ at his return as a reward for their service. Even if they may
encounter various suffering and rejections on their earth life they will be honored by
Christ in heaven.
184
Further, comparing with the crowns or the honor given to the Greek
citizens, St. Peter through his writing affirm that those crowns would wither shortly, but
the crowns given for the heavenly citizens are ―the unfading crown of glory‖ (v. 4).
181
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 210.
182
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 128.
183
This image is also well known in the New Testament at various places: I Cor. 9: 25 speak of ―an
imperishable crown‖; 2 Tim. 4:8 writes about; Jas 1:12; Rev.2:10; 3:11; 4:4).
184
Peter H. Davids, The First Epistle of Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1990); Davids, The
First Epistle of Peter, 181-182; C. P Donald Senior, 1 & 2 Peter (Dublin: Veritas Publications, 1980),
88.
186 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Again, in the Bible, glory is seen as the ministry of the Holy Spirit and it also refer to the
glory of the God‘s Kingdom in heaven.
185
Reading along with the biblical meaning and implication of the crown, the crown of
glory referred to in the rite of marriage points to the two dimensions of glory. On the one
hand, the term crown of glory directly aims at the glory and the joy the spouses are going
to receive in their married life and the crown they are promised to receive after the death
by leading their marital commitment in its fullness. On the other hand, by affirming Holy
Spirit as the ―crown of glory‖ the liturgy also points to the role of the Holy Spirit at the
time of marriage. While discussing on the blessing of the crowns we have discussed the
significance of the ritual of waving by the priest before handing over the crown on the
head of the spouses and affirmed that this ritual action and the accompanied prayer
symbolizes the Epiclesis at the time of the liturgy of marriage. The accentuation that the
couple is receiving the crown of glory, thus, reiterates the role of the Holy Spirit in the
liturgy of marriage and His continuing influence in the life of the couple till the end of
their life. In brief, the prayers and rituals affirm that the rite of crowning during the
celebration of marriage ―can be seen as the moment of epiclesis in which the Lord pours
the Holy Spirit on the spouses and consecrates them as the spouses of the Kingdom.‖
186
In other words, blessing and placing the crown over the spouses signifies that the Holy
Spirit transforms the spouses as the King and Queen of the domestic Church, the family,
so that they will be crowned as the king and queen of God‘s kingdom in the eternal
life.
187
In the aforementioned discussion we dealt with the liturgical gesture of blessing the
crowns and the act of crowning the spouses. By explicating over the ritual along with the
analysis of the prayers and hymns we realized the significance of the ritual in the West
Syrian liturgical tradition. Firstly, it points to the crowning ceremony as the significant
moment in the rite of marriage since it is considered as the moment of epiclesis by which
the bride and bridegroom are transformed into spouses. Secondly, it unveils the
Christological dimension of the marriage that makes the Christian marriage unique.
Thirdly, it refers to the crown that they are receiving from the priest as descended from
the heaven and thereby affirms the divine dimension of their marital life and their
responsibility to ascend to heaven by a life of indissoluble and indivisible marital love
and receive the crown of glory here on earth and the life after the death. Thus, the rite of
185
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 163; https://bible.org/seriespage/36-ministry-holy-spirit-john-1612-33; John
16: 12-33.
186
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 163.
187
Cleemis, ―A Covenant with God in His Church,‖ 14-15; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 210; Panicker,
―Christian Life in the Malankara Tradition,‖ 345. Tovey discussing on the rite of Crowning comments
that ―[c]rowing is thus seen as the point when ‗the bride an dthe bridegroom are acclaimed Queen and
King of the family.‖ Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 178.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 187
crowning has an explicit theological and liturgical value in the life of the spouses and it
vividly communicates the meaning and the significance of the understanding of
marriage.
3.4.3.2. Adapted Symbolic Gestures: The Minnu and the Manthrakodi
Now we move on to the two significant features of the liturgy of marriage of the Syro-
Malankara Church: blessing of the minnu, the knot and the symbolic actions leading to
the ceremony of the spreading the manthrakodi, the outer garment over the head of the
bride. The term minnu is originally a Sanskrit, one of the dominant ancient Indian
languages. It is also known as thali. The bridegroom tying the minnu or thali around the
bride‘s neck is a Hindu custom which has been borrowed by the St. Thomas
Christians.
188
Having completed the rite of crowning, the priest blesses the minnu with a prayer: ―The
sign of the Cross is blessed in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy
Spirit + forever and ever‖ (SMK, 129).
189
Then the priest blesses the minnu and the
bridegroom ties the knot around the neck of the bride.
190
A hymn is chanted while the
bridegroom ties the minnu around the neck of the bride.
―The holy cross is blessing
The sign of our salvation
The Holy Cross redeems us
In the Cross we exult‖ (SMK, 129).
The whole salvation history, the cross as the sign of salvation and redemption, is
summed up in this hymn of Cross. The doctrine of the sign of the Cross could be
summarized in the following words:
―The sign of the Cross symbolizes the most elevated Christian
Doctrines, namely the faith in one God, the Trinity and the two
Sacraments of Incarnation and Redemption. When we make the sign of
the Cross we do ascertain our absolute possession that when God, the
Father wished to save Humanity, He sent His Son to the world; He was
188
These are the two rites incorporated into the original, ancient rite of order of marriage inherited from
the West Syrian Antiochene Church. A detailed description of the evolution of the rites of tying the
minnu and spreading Manthrakodi over the bride is given in the second chapter while dealing with the
Syro-Malabar rite of marriage, Chapter 2. Therefore, we won‘t repeat the evolution of these rites in this
section but focus only on the formula for the blessing and the hymn. Panicker, ―Christian Life in the
Malankara Tradition,‖ 345; Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 71;
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 136.
189
Though the rite of tying the minnu was present in the Malankara liturgy of marriage, there was no
prayer of blessing and it was later added to the order of marriage. Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human
Reality and Saving Mystery, 73.
190
Even though there is no specific rubrics on the role of the priest in tying the minnu, in general practice
of the Syro-Malankara Church, the priest places the minnu along with the thread around the neck of the
bride and then the bridegroom ties the minnu.
188 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
incarnated and became man. At the end of His mission He was
crucified on the wood of the Cross and was the redeeming sacrifice of
God, the Father.‖
191
It underscores that Cross being the most significant symbol of union of God and human
beings brought out by the death of Christ on the Cross, the sign of the Cross unveils the
faith in the mysteries taken place at the Cross. The ritual of blessing of the minnu, its
tying around the neck accompanied with the hymn on the Cross together work as a
framework to understand the theological and liturgical meaning of this rite. The
bridegroom and the bride ―are united by the precious bond of sacrificial love in the same
way as the Church is united to her bridegroom, Christ.‖
192
The emphasis through this
order of service is not only on man and woman as the ministers of their union in the rite
of marriage but also suggests that God is uniting them through the liturgy of marriage,
through the ministry of His Church, with whom He had been united at the time of his
death on the Cross. Moving further, the minnu has also the two phases of life: ―already‖
and ―not yet.‖ On the one hand it symbolizes the ―unity between Christ and the Church
already achieved by the cross‖ and on the other hand, ―the minnu helps the spouses to
look forward to the fullness, which is yet to come.‖
193
Both these dimensions are
revealed in the hymn: the cross as the sign of victory and redemption which is yet to be
realized in the eschatological life. It reminds the couple the lifelong commitment and the
indissoluble union that is required for married life. In short, the symbols, the prayers and
the rituals threading through the liturgy of the blessing and the tying of the minnu
explicate the meaning of the rite of marriage in a unique manner and presents the basis of
their spousal union as saturated around the mystic relationship between Christ and the
Church that He earned through the Cross. Consequently, it demands from the spouses an
indissoluble union till they achieve the goal of their life, the union with Christ, the
Bridegroom.
194
Followed by tying of the minnu, the bridegroom covers the bride‘s head with a
manthrakodi, the wedding garment. According to the rubrics of the Order of the
Marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church, there is neither a blessing nor a prayer unique
for the rite of the spreading of the Manthrakodi (SMK, 129). Emphasizing the
importance of manthrakodi, the wedding garment, Leslie Brown comments that ―the
191
Mar Yacub Daniel, ―Sign of the Cross,‖ in Syriac Dialogue, 5, ed. Peter Hofrichter and Gerhard
Wilflinger (Vienna: Pro Oriente, 2003), 124.
192
Panicker, ―Christian Life in the Malankara Tradition,‖ 345; Daniel, ―Sign of the Cross,‖ 126; Tovey,
Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 160.
193
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 168; Luke Tomothy Johnson, ―Cross and Crucifixion,‖ in The Oxford
Companion to Christian Thought, ed. Adrian Hastings et al. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000),
146.
194
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 168, 180; Daniel, ―Sign of the Cross,‖ 125; Valuparampil, ―The Theology
and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 139-140; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian
Liturgy, 160.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 189
special ornaments to be given to the bride by the bridegroom‘s party consisted of a cloth
which had to be of a quality that would last for the rest of her life (and indeed would be
used as her shroud) and the minnu or thali.‖
195
The hymn on the victory over the Cross,
sung during the tying of the minnu, is repeated while the bridegroom spreads the
wedding garment over the head of the head of the bride.
196
3.4.3.4. Prayer of Blessing
Having completed the most significant rituals of marriage, now the priest blesses the
couple with a prayer of felicitation. In the first part of this prayer we read: ―May the
Messiah, the heavenly bridegroom, seal your covenant as spouses‖ (SMK, 130). Moving
to the last part of the prayer we read: ―May the Most High, who descended upon Mount
Sinai in order to seal covenant with his bride whom He had brought out of Egypt, bless
you and this gathered assembly‖ (SMK, 131).
197
Sealing of the covenant, which is one of
the dominant themes, needs further discussion to bring out its meaning and relevance for
the liturgy of marriage. On the one hand, Christ the Messiah, who is the Bridegroom, has
already made the covenant at the Cross and it is he who is going to seal the covenant of
the new couple. On the other hand, the covenantal union between Yahweh and his people
made at Mount Sinai is being referred and reminds that it is the same God who is
invoked during the liturgy of marriage to bless the union of the new couple. Hence, it
emphasizes the fact that the marriage of the new couple is rooted in the image of the
covenantal union between Christ and the Church which is rooted in the covenantal union
between Yahweh and his people. In other words, the union of the new couple is ―one of
the covenants‖ rooted in and modelled after the covenant between God and His chosen
people, and Christ and the Church. Hence, by placing the covenantal union of the new
couple in lineage with the covenant of God and humanity, the bridegroom and the bride
are reminded on their unique identity in the Church and value of their marriage. It also
reiterates that ―the covenants between Yahweh and His people, and that with Christ and
Church are irrevocable, a sacramental marriage is intrinsically indissoluble.‖
198
Thus, as
the prayer mentions, the covenantal marriage is indissoluble and the couple should be
united as one flesh till they ―inherit the heavenly kingdom‖
199
signifying that even the
death does not keep them apart. Moving further, since the covenant that makes the bride
and bridegroom as spouses in the Church is sealed by the Messiah and blessed by God it
195
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 190;
196
For the detailed understanding of the ceremony, see chapter 2 on the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage,
section 3.1.2. See also, Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 70;
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 140.
197
Italics added for emphasis.
198
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 189.
199
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 131.
190 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
has further implications. On the one hand, this union has a vertical dimension
symbolizing the covenantal relationship between God and the spouses. On the other hand
it has a horizontal dimension demanding the bride and bridegroom to find ―delight in
each other‖ as Christ find delight in the Church. Emphasizing the significance of the
covenantal union the new couple is exhorted to keep away from the snares of life which
come across their married life aiming at destroying their marital covenant (SMK, 130)
200
Further, the prayer invites the couple to imbibe the joy of life by removing the sorrows of
life through trusting the love of God.
The second part of the prayer consists of the various blessings God has given to his
chosen people. Among the various blessings mentioned in the prayer, first is the blessing
of Noah and his children. In the liturgy we read: ―May the blessing that God gave to
Noah and his children, ‗fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth‘, remain with you‖ (SMK,
130). As written in Gen. 9: 12-14, Noah and his family are the ones who found favor
before the Lord, and after the destruction of all of the living beings, God makes a
covenant with Noah and his children which sets up a new beginning. Here, Noah stands
in a new phase in the salvation history. The reference to ―fruitful and multiply, and fill
the earth‖ (Gen. 9: 1) is the blessings given to Noah and by giving the same blessing to
the new couple, they are reminded of and exhorted to realize that ―progeny is a blessing
from God and a symbol of the covenant in which God and the couple are engaged in.‖
201
In other words, by reiterating the blessing given to Noah, the couple is requested to
deepen their covenantal union and to recognize their duty and privilege to accept
children as a gift from God and fill the earth with children who believe in God.
Requesting to bless the new couple with the blessing given to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, the liturgy continues to pray that God may grant the spouses ―dew and rain from
heaven and all the good fruits that the earth produces‖ (SMK, 130). It is really a blessing
Isaac gave to Jacob as seen in the Genesis account, chapter 27, verse 28. Here the
reference is to ―material prosperity‖, ―blessings, wealth and prosperity‖ (SMK, 130).
202
It
reminds that God is the author of creation, and the recognition of divine providence
throughout the life is an inevitable aspect for the success of their married life. God who
sealed and blessed their covenantal relationship through the sacramental rites will
200
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a snare as ―a contrivance often consisting of a noose for
entangling birds or mammals‖; ―Something by which one is entangled, involved in difficulties or
impeded‖; ―something deceptively attractive.‖ In the Bible several references are seen on the need of
beware on the snares: Exodus 10:7; 1 Samuel 18:21; 28:9; Psalms 11: 6; 18: 5. In some of the books the
reference is to the ―snares of death‖: Psalms 91:3; 124:7; 140:5; 141:9; Proverbs 7:23; 13:14; 18:7; 20:
25; 22:25; 29:25; Ecclesiastes 9:12. Further, the term is repeated in the books of the Prophets: Is 41:22;
Jeremiah 18:22; Hosea 9:8; Amos 3:5. In the NT also the term is appeared emphasizing the need to take
care of the snare: Luke 21:34; Romans 11:9; 1 Corinthians 7:35; 1 Timothy 3:7, 6:9.
201
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 200; Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony,
Malankara Church,‖ 191.
202
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 201.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 191
provide the basic necessities of their life. Subsequently, the priest prays for the blessing
which Jacob gave to his Son consisting of promise of God‘s assistance in couple‘s life.
―By invoking this blessing, the liturgy exhorts the new couple to understand the guiding
hand of God in their life. God has united the new couple.‖
203
Through these references of
the blessings, the couple is reminded that the blessings God has given to their Fathers
will accompany them at the moments of their trials and tribulations. In two instances, the
prayer explicitly says that God‘s blessing will be given to the couple till the end of their
life so that they may experience the blessings of God ―throughout their lives‖ that they
may ―inherit the heavenly kingdom‖ (SMK, 130-131). It further reiterates that unity and
indissolubility are rooted in the very nature of marriage as a sacrament. However, this
can be achieved only through the help and grace of God who blesses and unites them
through the ministry of the Church.
204
In brief, different phases of the salvation history are unveiled in the blessing prayer. It
recalls the covenant that God has made with Israel and the blessings Yahweh has given
to the Patriarchs. It reminds the couple that God of Old Testament is blessing their
wedlock and makes their union a covenant parallel to the covenant He has made with
Israel. Further, the prayer affirms that it is Christ, who made a covenant with Church,
sealing the covenant of love of the new couple and thus makes a domestic church. Thus,
the prayer makes a link between the Old Testament, New Testament and the new spouses
and underscores that the new couple become part of the salvation history together with
the Patriarchs of the Church and have a unique and intrinsic identity in the Church.
205
3.4.3.5. Soogitho
After the prayer of the blessing, a hymn called Soogitho is sung by the priest together
with the choir. The term soogitho is a Syriac term which means ―a soulful/lively
song.‖
206
Soogitho is one of the unique and remarkable genres of the Syro-Malankara
liturgy. The hymn is known as ―the most delicate and exquisite love poetry in all
literature‖
207
and as one of the ―remarkable compositions and the gems of the rite.‖
208
203
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 202.
204
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos,180; Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony,
Malankara Church,‖ 188.
205
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 201.
206
It is suggested that the style of soogitho is similar to Madroso, one of the musical compositions: ―The
etymological meaning of madrosho is not only ‗dispute‘ or ‗argument‖ but also ‗simplifying of a
teaching‘ or ‗making it graspable. They are long exhortations composed in such a style that the monks
could sing them and meditate on the theme of the poems. The main proponent of this form of hymns is
St. Ephrem. The tunes are very attractive and meditative. […] Normally the Madrosho hymns are long
and are intended to be sung for a long time.‖ Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy
Mystical, 145-145; Elenjikal, Baptism in the Malankara Church, 205.
207
G. Theckedath, ―Romantic Poetry in the Antiochene Marriage Rite,‖ The Harp V, no. 1, 2, 3 (1992),
229; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 159.
192 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Soogitho in the liturgy of marriage brings together a cluster of various themes expressing
the love and intimacy of the bride, the Church with her bridegroom, Christ.
The hymn begins with the mentioning of creator of the Garden of Eden as the ―youthful
bridegroom‖ of the singer, the Church. As a lover the bride asks her Bridegroom to
provide her with an experience of the gentle breeze of the garden to relieve her soul.
Then she admits that she is the humble bride of the Lord, who is her just and true
Bridegroom whose mercy should reign on her. Here, the penitential and mystical
dimensions blend together while the soul is looking for the ―uninterrupted unity‖ with
God, her spouse with a penitent heart. ―Repenting on one‘s sin he or she comes closer to
God. In the process of repentance, the real penitent does not brood over his or her sins
but ascends to the love of God.‖
209
Hence, the mystical union with God is the sole desire
of the bride and she is ready to withdraw from everything that distracts her union with
her bridegroom. Explicating on the intimate desire of the bride for her bridegroom in an
atmosphere of marriage, the hymn engages the participants to imbibe how ―[t]he
salvation economy of God is explained through the ‗bridal mysticism‘‖ where the
bridegroom comes down in search of his bride and the on the other side, the bride craves
after her bridegroom.
210
Soogitho, further, affirms the sealing of the mysterious union of Christ, the Bridegroom
and Church, the Bride through the death on the Cross and insists that an indissoluble
mystical relationship exists even in the Heavenly Chamber. Through the mouth of the
worshipper the Church sings:
By your Cross you sealed my share
Your passion did set me free
Heavenly chamber set for me
You bid me to be with you
Here, the emphasis is not only upon the salvation attained through the cross, rather ―in a
most delicate way upon the erotic side, the heavenly bridal chamber.‖
211
Vysanethu sees
it as the essence of the spirituality based on a ―Bridal model.‖
212
According to him, ―in
this model of salvation the blood of Christ is seen as a dowry, the payment necessary for
the espousal of the Church. It is a very corporate model of salvation linking salvation as
marriage with both the Cross and with the eschatological feast. […] The Bride may have
208
Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 160.
209
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 174. The analogy of Sun and Moon,
where Jesus is equated with the Sun of justice and the Church with the Moon, is also seen in the ma‘nito,
the hymn after the Gospel reading.
210
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 168.
211
Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 170.
212
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 170-171.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 193
once been unclean, but has been purified by the Bridegroom through his blood.‖
213
Thus,
by being purified and made His own, the Bride is called to be with the Bridegroom even
in the eternal marriage chamber. Recalling the unfaithfulness of Israel, the bride reasserts
her love for the bridegroom which helped her to regain freedom.
The next stanza is an expression of joy on account of His love for her and the delight she
has in the beauty of her bridegroom. She confesses her faith that her Bridegroom is the
Son of God and thereby, continues to pray to carry on His shoulders. She finds her total
refuge in the Love of the Lord and she is being inflamed by the same love.
I now dance with intense love
And delight in your beauty
You are Son of God, I know
Carry me on your Shoulders
In your love I find refuge,
By your love am I inflamed
In your left hand keep my head
Let your right hand caress me
Here, we could see the different expressions of intimate love relationship in the mystical
union of the bride and the bridegroom. Nevertheless, the bride is aware of the possibility
of going away from her bridegroom and she expresses her anxiety in being separated
from her husband. By using various metaphors and allegories, the bride expresses the
nature of her bridegroom. She sings that He is brighter than the sun and is like the
fragrance of the dew of rose. Life is flowing from His lips and she won‘t be tired of
kissing them. Expressing all her feeling, she is waiting at the entrance of the chamber to
get the permission of her bridegroom, so that she will gladly rest and sleep at the lap of
her bridegroom. The hymn ends with a direct reference to the confession of the Church
that she believes in the resurrection of her Bridegroom and says that the life-giving voice
of her resurrected bridegroom brought her out from the darkness of sin.
Soogitho, thus, is a love poem which, in a poetic and imaginative manner with images
and metaphors, expresses the intimate and romantic love relationship of the bridegroom
and the bride.
214
Through this hymn, the Church invites the couple to be with each other,
213
Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 161; According to Valuparampil, ―for the Malankara Church,
blessing of every matrimony is also renewed celebration of Church‘s own matrimony.‖ Valuparampil,
―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 187.
214
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 166; ―There are hymns in the liturgy
that create a sort of ‗indifference‘. In the liturgy of the Sacrament of marriage, the service of the
‗blessing of the crown‘ is concluded with a hymn of blessing. The theme of this hymn is the relation
between Christ and the Church, which is brought out in the bridal mysticism.‖ Vysanethu, Musicality
Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 208; Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 165.
194 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
to enjoy intense love between them, to carry each other‘s burdens, to find refuge in one
another, to experience the love and care in an intimate and romantic manner, and to enter
into their bridal chamber with charm, joy and intimacy. Consequently, the mystical
experience one receives through the hymn enforces the couple to keep their marital union
as indissoluble and intimate by expressing their love and care through words and actions.
It also engages the couple to look at Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, who gave up His
life on the Cross to make the Church His own.
3.4.3.6. Bo`utho of Mar Jacob
Bo`utho generally means ―petitions‖ and such literary genre in the liturgical celebration
is well accepted among the Malankara Christians.
215
According to their liturgical
tradition, Bo`uthos are attributed mainly to St. Ephrem and Mar Jacob. Bo`utho of Mar
Jacob in the liturgy of the marriage is a blessing hymn as a continuation of the blessing
prayer. While the choir sings the hymn, the celebrant blesses the couple with the sign of
the cross.
The opening stanza of Bo`utho begins with a supplication to open the door of mercy to
hear the prayers of the faithful so that he will bestow his mercy.
216
Next stanza,
addressing the Son of God, asks to extend the right hand on the head of the couple and
bless them and the crowns that have been placed on their heads. This prayer is similar to
the prayers at the time of crowning of the bride and bridegroom when the priest prays to
bless the crown that adorn the couple. Repeated emphasis on the crown and prayer to
bless the crown could trigger up the importance given to the rite of crowning in the Syro-
Malankara rite of marriage. Moving further, the hymn mentions to call the spouses by
their name and bless them. Calling by name suggests personal knowledge of the
individual and it alludes to the biblical passages where God has written the name of the
person on His palm.
217
Hence, calling the person by name show the individuality of the
person and in the context of the liturgy calling the spouses with their names generally
refer to the unique moments of the liturgy, very specially when they declare their consent
and when they are being crowned. Hence, the blessing given to the couple after being
called by the names in the liturgy of marriage points to the recognition of the unique
persons presented in the liturgy as the spouses and the importance given to them at the
liturgy.
215
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 144.
216
The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Malankara Church, 136.
217
In the Bible we see God calls some persons with their names: For example, God calls Abraham (Gen
22:11-13), Jacob (Gen 46:1-4), Moses (Ex 3:1-10), Samuel (I Sam 3:1-10), Martha (Lk 10: 38-42),
Simon (Lk 22: 31-32), Saul (Acts 9). In Isaiah we see the name as written on the palm of God: Is 49: 16.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 195
Explicating on various blessings given to the spouses, the hymn refers to the blessings
that they are promised to receive ―in the home of light.‖ The expression ―in the home of
light‖ suggests two dimensions of Christian marital life: the already and not yet. Looking
from the perspective of already, symbolizes the understanding that through the
sacramental rites of marriage, the couple is beginning a new home, blessed with the
virtues of the ―Light of the World‖, Christ the bridegroom. It underscores a blessed
marital life here on earth. Despite the fact that they are supposed to lead a life of virtues,
the expression ―home of light‖ also refers to the eternal bridal chamber where the couple
enjoys a perfect union with the ―Light of the World.‖ The hymn further suggests the
intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints so that the couple will be
blessed to keep their wedlock indissoluble and inseparable. The hymn additionally refers
to the joy of the couple in singing the praises of God throughout their lives with the harp
and asks God to bless them so that they may sing the hymn of joy till the end of their life.
During this hymn the priest blesses the couple four times with the sign of the cross.
Thus, the series of blessing prayers and the signs of the cross give the impression that the
hymn could be legitimately called as a hymn of blessing.
3.4.3.7. The Joining of the Hands and Exhortation
Having completed the prayer and hymns of blessing, the liturgy of marriage continues
with the exhortation and the joining of the hands of bride and bridegroom. This section
could be divided into three parts – joining of the hands, exhortation to all the
participants, and exhortation to the new spouses (SMK, 138).
218
This section begins with
the announcement by the priest that the admonition given to the new couple is a
―venerable custom, handed over by our holy fathers and revered ancestors‖ (SMK,
138).
219
As an introductory part, the prayer affirms that the exhortation should be given
to the couple ―to be solicitous in truth and justice and in good deeds, and enthusiastic in
performing all good things‖ (SMK, 138). Commenting on this prayer, Aerath suggests
that the exhortation at the liturgy of marriage ―puts forth constitutive values or ends and
habits or virtues which are supposed to constitute and guide the life of the couples that
their life may be true imitation of the spousal union.‖
220
In continuation with the previous
prayers, very specially, the prayers related to the crowning of the spouses, the priest
underscores that adherence to the virtues of truth, justice and goodness is important for
leading a life of virtues.
218
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 259; Joseph, Fontes Iuris Canonici Syro-
Malankarensium, 189.
219
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 259.
220
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 174.
196 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Reminding the couple that the moment of exhortation at the liturgy is an ancient custom,
the priest begins the liturgical action of entrusting the spouses to each other. By calling
the bride and bridegroom by their names, the priest exhorts them that they ―stand before
the very presence of God, before the altar which is the throne of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before the holy Cross, before the holy Gospel, and before this congregation‖ (SMK,
138). By calling the bride and bridegroom by their names, the new couple is reminded
that the entrusting ceremony is taking place in the presence of God, altar, Cross, Holy
Gospel, and before the ecclesial community.
221
Because of their significance in the life
of the spouses, they are considered as the pillars of their marital union, not only at the
time of the sacramental rites of marriage but also throughout their married life. Again, he
affirms that they are standing in front of the One who understands their ―innermost
thoughts.‖ Then he entrusts the bride and the bridegroom to one another other by saying:
―Behold, from this time forward, I entrust you to one another‖ and then he joins their
hands and continues with the prayer that ―God be the mediator‖ (SMK, 139) between the
new couple and the priest. He instructs them that he will be free of any offences that the
spouses will do in their married life against the law of God. Then the priest prays for the
whole community gathered at the Church that the ―right hand of Jesus Christ be upon
[their] heads and remain there forever‖ (SMK, 139). While the spouses separating their
hands, the priest gives an instruction to all the participants of the liturgy.
The meaning and significance of the liturgical ritual of joining the hands is reiterated and
detailed through this instruction. It explains the manner with which each one should treat
each other. Being separated from their own families, now the husband and wife are
united to form a new family, a new domestic Church, within the Church.
222
Thus, the
priest instructs the husband to please the wife and to be kind to her. He also has the
responsibility to provide the material goods needed for her welfare, including food. The
priest, then, instructs the wife that she should lead a life that ―befits her state of life‖ as a
wife and she should also be a person of ―love and concordance‖ (SMK, 138-139). The
priest concludes the prayer with the blessing that the grace of Christ will accompany
them throughout their lives. ―The unity in marriage is a unity in Christ. Through baptism,
each individual Christian is a spouse of Christ. The marriage between two spouses of
Christ becomes a unity of their life in Christ. Their life begins from a common source,
221
According to the rubrics given in the Order of marriage, only two times the priest calls the couple by
their names: firstly, when he asks the consent of the spouses for the marriage and this is the second time
the priest calls the bride and the bridegroom by name signifying a more concrete personal involvement
of the couple. Referring back to the hymn of the blessing, Bo`utho of Mar Jacob we have seen a petition
to God to call the spouses by their name to bless them. And now, the priest calls the spouses with their
names thus makes it explicit that he is acting on behalf of God and a ministry of the Church, entrusted to
him through the power of ordination. Joseph, Fontes Iuris Canonici Syro-Malankarensium, 189.
222
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 188.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 197
Christ; they become rooted in Christ; they became nourished from their sources who is
Christ, and their life as one in Christ.‖
223
The aforementioned discussion on the act of joining of the hands accompanied with the
exhortation and the entrusting prayer emphasizes that God is the mediator between the
spouses and each person has a lifelong commitment to take care of the other. Again, it
affirms a tri-dimensional relationship: the relationship between the spouses, the
relationship between and God and the couples, and further, the relationship between the
couple and the ecclesial community which is represented by the priest and the assembly
during the liturgy of marriage.
3.4.4. Concluding Ceremonies
Having completed the rites proper to marriage, the liturgy proceeds to the concluding
ceremonies. It consists of the prayer Our Father, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed,
and the Quqlion of the Mother of God and the Quqlion of the saints ending with the
blessing of the new couple and the congregation by the priest.
3.4.4.1. Commemoration of the Mother of God and the Saints
The commemoration of the Mother of God and the saints is common to most of the
liturgies of the West Syrian liturgical tradition.
224
There are different moments when
Mary and the saints are commemorated in the liturgy of marriage: in the prelude to the
Gospel, during the bo`utho prayer, and in the quqlion at the end of the ceremony. The
quqlion to Mary and the saints at the end of the liturgy of marriage is similar to the
quqlion to Mary and the saints at the end of the Eucharist. The first part of the hymn is
taken from the Psalm 45 where ―princess referred to in the Psalm is understood as a
prophecy concerning the Mother of God for the Church.‖
225
The second part directly
refers to the annunciation and the intercessory role of Mary in the life of the Christian.
―A deeply Biblical and theological devotion to the Virgin Mary grew up in the Syrian
223
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 176; See also Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 189-190; Aerath, ―The Sacrament
of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 71.
224
Codrington, Studies of the Syrian Liturgies, 38; ―When we remember Mary, we recall to our mind her
courageous reply to the divine messenger, her act of bringing forth the Redeemer and the journey of
faith that helped her to be with her Son even unto the moment of his death on the Cross. The act of
remembering the salvific events is not simply and intellectual exercise; the worshipping community
realizes its own vocation to the atmosphere of prayer, the community expresses her desire to
contemplated more on the mystery of Christ and to love Him, in order to live for ever with Him.‖ James
Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary in the Holy Qurbono,‖ in Liturgy of St. James: Its Impact
on Theologizing in India, ed. John Berchmans and James Puthuparampil (Pune: BVP Publications,
2009), 315-316.
225
Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 314.
198 Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Marriage Rite
Church as direct consequence of its belief in the Incarnation. Mary is addressed as the
―Mother of God‖ more literally, as ―she who brought forth God.‖
226
As the Blessed Virgin Mary is commemorated and revered in the liturgy, the saints of the
Church are also revered on account of spreading out the message of the Gospel.
227
Anniyil further comments that the ―cult of the saints is deeply rooted in a Biblical view
of life and springs from the authentic message of the Gospel.‖
228
―The just shall flourish
like oil palms‖ and ―Like cedars of Lebanon they shall grow‖ (SMK, 144).
Remembering and commemorating the Mother of God and the saints, the Church is
expressing her intense desire to inculcate their faith in God, lifelong commitment,
perseverance to the end of life even at the moments of great trials and tribulations.
229
In
the quqlion of Mary the Church sings that by the Cross of Jesus Christ and by the prayer
of Mother of Jesus, may the rod of wrath and the scourges of life pass away (SMK, 144).
―In this prayer, the Syrian Church is reiterating the faith that Mary who heard the Word
of God and acted according to the will of God, will continue to intercede for the
humanity.‖
230
In similar vein, the quqlion to the saints sings, ―[m]ay your prayers be a
source of grace to us‖ (SMK, 144).
In short, the veneration of the Mother of God and the saints would demand a positive
response to the way of life that a believer has to emulate in his/her life and the deification
that is demanded from one‘s life.
231
3.4.4.2. The Final Blessing: Huttomo
The priest, facing the couple and the ecclesial community, blesses them thrice with the
sign of the Cross and prayers, of which one is the affirmation that they are blessed by the
Lord, the second one is a prayer that may God bless and sanctify all the participants of
the liturgy. The third one is for the departed souls so that they may receive ―consolation
and forgiveness of sins‖ (SMK, 147-148). Afterwards, a prayer to the Trinity is recited
226
Anniyil, ―The Malankara Liturgy and the Bible,‖ 385. ―The West Syrian Church believes that the
Mother of God was the most pleasing to God in all generations, and commemorates her solemnly in the
liturgy.‖ Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 311.
227
In the West Syrian liturgical tradition there was a custom of reading from the Book of Life in the
liturgies. The names of the significant personalities of the Old Testament and New Testament were
written in the Book of Life. Moses Bār Kēphā, ―The Exposition of Moses Bār Kēphā,‖ 112-127. Anniyil,
―The Malankara Liturgy and the Bible,‖ 385; Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the Malankara
Catholic Church, 122.
228
Anniyil, ―The Malankara Liturgy and the Bible,‖ 386.
229
Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 315.
230
Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 329. ―The Blessed Virgin‘s salutary influence on men
originates not in any inner necessity by in the disposition of God. Her motherhood in the order of grace
continues form the consent which she gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without
wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of the elect. Taken up to heaven, she continues
to bring us the gifts of salvation.‖ Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 315-316.
231
Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 331.
Analysis of the Syro-Malankara Rite of Marriage 199
requesting to grant the grace to make the prayers offered during the liturgy acceptable
and pleasing to God. Concluding the blessing prayers, there is a huttomo. The Syriac
term huttomo means ―the seal‖ and ―it is the final prayer at the close of the Liturgy and
the Office.‖
232
This short formula for the closing of liturgies is seen in both the East and
West Syrian liturgical traditions. It consists of a series of penitential prayers and
doxology leading to the dismissal of the worshipping community.
Concluding Remarks
Being the third primary source of our dissertation, we have been analysing the liturgy of
marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church. We carried out the research of this chapter
saturated around some of the basic questions as explained in the introduction and they
were focussing on the manner the sacrament of marriage is being celebrated and
practiced today in the Syro-Malankara Church. We further tried to draw out the liturgical
theology of marriage from the wedding liturgy by discovering the symbolic richness and
meaning of the textual prayers as well as the rituals and actions of the SMK.
Thus, we have analysed the SMK and unveiled the meaning and significance of the
textual and structural components of the rite of marriage together with the symbolic
representations of the liturgical actions. It has contributed to our research in such a way
to deepen our knowledge on the sacrament of marriage in the Syro-Malankara Church
and subjected the rite to a detailed analysis drawing out the liturgical theology of this
particular rite of marriage. It will, further, contribute to our major research question:
What are the similarities and differences between the official rites of marriage currently
in use in different liturgical traditions of the Catholic Church in India? What is the
understanding of marriage and family reflected in different rites of marriage?
This chapter was divided mainly into four parts. The first part provided an overall view
of the history and the general structure of the rite which was important to situate the
chapter within a general framework. The second part was a short discussion on the
beginning of the service and the declaration of the consent by the spouses and the
witnesses. Since the liturgy of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church is a cluster of two
services consisting of the blessing of the rings and the blessing of the crowns we have
discussed the blessing of the rings very shortly in the third part. In the fourth part we
have analyzed the service of crowning in a detailed manner.
From the perspective of the structural analysis, the rite of marriage of the Syro-
Malankara Church is similar to the two rites we have already discussed: The introductory
rites, the Liturgy of the Word, rites proper to the liturgy of marriage and the concluding
ceremonies ending with the prayer of sealing.
232
Day, The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 124.
CHAPTER 4
A LITURGICAL THEOLOGY OF MARRIAGE:
A SYNTHESIS OF MARRIAGE RITES
Introduction
The previous chapters investigated prayers, symbols and liturgical actions particular to
the liturgies of marriage representing three different liturgical traditions of the Catholic
Church, namely, Roman, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara. They provided an overall
view of the structure of three different marriage rites, their uniqueness, identifying styles,
prominent themes of the prayers, and the meanings of different symbolic corporeal
actions and their significance. The analysis of the rites, further, sheds light on the fact
that even though each liturgy is formulated at different stages, following different
liturgical traditions, they are not to be compartmentalized or totally separated from each
other. Rather, they have many points of similarities and differences with specific
particularities. The analytical and investigative first part of the dissertation, chapters one
to three on the textual and structural analysis of the rites, provided a framework to
understand the converging and diverging factors of different liturgies existing in different
traditions. The aim of the present chapter, then, is to unveil the liturgical theology of
marriage drawn from the rites of marriage and to reflect how the liturgies of marriage
can contribute concretely to a deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of
marriage in the Church. In other words, it prompts a discussion of what theological
inferences can be drawn from the liturgies of marriage that contribute to a liturgical
theology of marriage. Accordingly, the leading thought of this chapter is that
synthesizing the ritual and textual elements of the rite of marriage within the framework
of different liturgical traditions will broaden and enrich the theological vision of the
sacrament of marriage within the Catholic Church.
In this effort to present a liturgical theology of marriage, this chapter will explore
different dimensions of marriage that are repeatedly present in Roman, Syro-Malabar
and Syro-Malankara marriage rites. Consequently, this chapter is developed in three
parts. The first part explores the divine dimension of the rites of marriage by explicating
how the marital life is effected, nurtured and sustained by the Trinity. The second is an
endeavor to bring out the human nature of marriage reflected in the rites. The third part
discusses the spiritual dimension, exploring the ecclesial, religious and social character
of matrimony. It is assumed that by synthesizing the textual and structural elements of
the rites of marriage from this perspective will broaden and enrich the theological vision
of marriage as a divine-human-spiritual reality, providing a coherent vision of married
life in the Catholic Church.
202 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
4.1. The Divine Dimension of the Rites of Marriage
As indicated in the textual and structural analysis of the rites of marriage, one of the
dominating themes is the affirmation in Christian matrimony of the divine dimension in
the human marriage, as is clear in the various references to the divine dimension of
marriage in the three liturgical rites. For example, among the eleven articles of the first
section of the Introduction of the ROCM which concerns the Importance and dignity of
the sacrament of marriage, eight of them express the role of the Trinity in the Christian
marriage (ROCM, nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11). Realizing the significance of the
divine dimension, the first section will explore the Trinitarian participation in marriage
as reflected in the rites of marriage and its implication for couples.
4.1.1. The Marriage: A Divinely Willed Institution
The rites of marriage situate matrimony in the divine design for human beings. This
aspect is clearly expressed in stating that ―[t]he intimate community of life and love, by
which spouses ‗are no longer two but one flesh,‘ has been established by God the
Creator‖ (ROCM, no. 4).
1
Here, marriage and its effects are presented in such a way that
they have their origin in the will of God, the Creator. On the same line, the Syro-Malabar
Church compares the moment of marriage to the moment of blessing of the first marriage
in Eden by the Heavenly Father and, thus, presents God as the author or marriage (SMB,
126). Further, the enyono of the Syro-Malankara Church is viewed as a supplication that
God, who blessed the Old Testament patriarchs, would bless the new couple, as He is the
originator of the marriage (SMK, 104-105).
2
How the nuptial blessing of the Roman rite
epitomizes the divine origin of marriage is well expressed in the following words:
―O God, who by your mighty power created all things out of nothing,
and, when you had set in place the beginnings of the universe, formed
man and woman in your own image, making the woman an inseparable
helpmate to the man, that they might no longer be two, but one flesh,
and taught that you were pleased to make one must never be divided‖
(ROCM, no. 74).
3
This blessing clearly and explicitly recognizes and declares that the state of marriage is
willed by God, and that those who enter into it are blessed by Him, and He accompanies
them in their life. Because of this divine origin, marriage is recognized as ―sacred‖ and
thereby ―raised up to a higher dignity‖ (ROCM, no. 1). The reference to the account of
1
Italics added for emphasis. See also, Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 8; Louis Edakalathoor, ―The
Theology of Marriage in the East Syriac Tradition,‖ in Mar Thoma Maragam: The Ecclesial Heritage of
the St Thomas Christians, ed. Andrews George Mekkattukunnel, Mar Thoma Margam (Kottayam:
OIRSI Publications, 2012), 682.
2
See Chapter 3, section 3.3.1.3 for detailed analysis of the hymn.
3
Referring to its effects, D.W. Antonio calls marriage a coup de grace: ―Embracing the notion that
marriage is intrinsically good, insofar it was God who willed it, should be the coup de grace to the idea
that marriage is, in our present state, a remedy for concupiscence.‖ Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 8.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 203
creation as expressed in the Book of Genesis in the three rites affirms that God blessed
man with a life partner in the beginning and thus, He is the author of marriage from the
theological perspective (SMB, 143; SMK, 130; ROCM, no. 74). The rites of marriage
therefore underscore that God is ―the author of marriage‖ who joins the spouses in the
marital bond.
4
Further, the rites of marriage confirm that God is not only the author of marriage, but He
is also the God who joined and blessed the marriages of the patriarchs throughout
salvation history. On the same line, the rites recall the covenant that God made with
Israel and recognize that the same God who descended upon Mount Sinai to seal the
covenant is blessing the union of the new couple at the moment of the marriage (SMB,
126).
5
The alternative form for the reception of consent of the Roman Rite presents the
One who joins the bond as the God of salvation history. This becomes clear in the prayer
that the ―God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who joined
together our first parents in paradise, [may] strengthen and bless in Christ the consent
you have declared before the Church, so that what God joins together, no one may put
asunder‖ (ROCM, no. 64).
6
Eventually, God, being the author of marriage, effects the
indissolubility of marriage that is joined by Himself. In other words, the rites of marriage
present this union as an indissoluble bond of man and woman because they have been
joined by God, their creator. This is stated most explicitly as a condition when it is
specified unequivocally that ―[t]his sacred bond …does not depend on human decision,
but on the author of Marriage, who willed that it be endowed with special benefits and
purposes‖ (ROCM, no. 4). It could be considered as the reflection of the idea of marriage
as presented in Gaudium et Spes: ―For the good of the spouses and their off-spring as
well as of society, the existence of the sacred bond no longer depends on human
decisions alone. For, God Himself is the author of matrimony, endowed as it is with
various benefits and purposes.‖
7
In this way, Christian marriage and the conjugal
4
This conviction is repeated in different ways throughout the rites: ―O God, who in creating the human
race willed that man and wife should be one, join, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love‖ (ROCM, no.
224); ―Lord God, You have called these servants to be united in holy matrimony and to live in union of
hearts. Graciously enrich this bride and the groom with Your heavenly gifts, and help them form an ideal
family that observes Your commandments‖ (SMB, 129); ―May the Lord, who delights in human life, be
pleased with your life and bless your union‖ (SMK, 130).
5
The same idea resonates in different references in the rites: ―May the Most High, who descended upon
Mount Sinai in order to seal the covenant with His bride, whom He has brought out of Egypt, bless you
and this gathered assembly‖ (SMK, 131; SMB, 149).
6
The idea that because God joins man and woman in marriage no one has the right to separate that union,
is repeated all throughout the ceremonies (ROCM, nos. 5, 53; SMB, 145; SMK, 104-105).
7
Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Referring to the divine institution of marriage,
Edward Schillebeeckx says, ―It was God himself who, in this first marriage, and thus in every marriage
in Israel, gave the woman to the man ‗he [...] brought her to the man.‘ Marriage was thus a good and
holy undertaking, bearing God‘s blessing in the structure that God intended it to have.‖ Schillebeeckx,
Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 16-17.
204 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
relationship are made to assume a greater significance, as God is recognized as the
author of marriage.
Aptly recalling God‘s authorship of marriage, the priest addresses the couples, reminding
them that it is ―in the presence of God our Father [they] establish between [themselves] a
partnership for the whole of life‖ (ROCM, no. 53). Later, the priest invites the couples to
―declare [their] consent before God and his Church‖ (ROCM, no. 61).
8
Thus, the rites
affirm that the spouses are establishing their marital life in the presence of God by
declaring their consent in His presence. It explicitly reminds the couples that they are
partaking in the divine will to institute a bond of love and communion through the
celebration of matrimony. Mark Searle suggests: ―In marrying before God, the couple
take[s] up what is their divine vocation, a way of life ordained by God and sanctified by
its submission to God‘s plan for creation.‖
9
The rites in turn pledge the protection of
God, the author of marriage, throughout the life of the couples: ―Keep [the couple] in the
shade of Your protection. O, God, Who blessed Abraham and Sarah, we thank You for
the providence that bound them in indivisible unity‖ (SMB, 149).
Based on the insights that have been gained from the above discussion, it may be
concluded that marriage is a divinely willed institution for human beings and for their
good. Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions affirms that
―[m]arried life evokes the entire act of creation of the universe, which finds its
culmination in man created in the image and likeness of his Creator, and underscored the
relational dimension: the person is not made to be alone.‖
10
This awareness that marriage
is a divine institution means that the couple, by entering into marriage through their free
choice and deliberate consent, is joined by God in their mutual commitment and effort to
live out a lifelong bond of love and life.
4.1.2. The Marriage: Restored by Christ to a Sacrament
The Christian character of marriage as reflected in the rites of marriage becomes explicit
when the Christological character of marriage is being discussed in its depth. It is by
Christ that the divinely willed dignity of marriage is restored, and it is in Christ that
marriage becomes a sacrament. This deep conviction is expressed unequivocally when
the rite affirms:
―Indeed Christ the Lord, making a new creation and making all things
new, has willed that Marriage be restored to its primordial form and
holiness in such a way that what God has joined together, no one may
8
The same idea resonates in SMK, 138 where the rite affirms that the entrusting ceremony of bride and
bridegroom is taking place in the presence of God.
9
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 263.
10
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 79.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 205
put asunder, and raised this indissoluble conjugal contract to the
dignity of a Sacrament so that it might signify more clearly and
represent more easily the model of his own nuptial covenant with the
Church‖ (ROCM, 5).
It points to the two dimensions of the Christological character of the sacrament of
marriage. Firstly, what the rites affirm is that with the blessing of the covenantal love of
man and woman by Christ, their spousal love relationship becomes a sign of the mystical
relationship of Christ and the Church.
11
Among the suggested readings for the
celebration of these three rites, the most often used is the letter to the Ephesians 5:2a, 21-
33, where St. Paul uses the analogy of the Christ-Church relationship to explicate the
nature of the conjugal relationship (ROCM, 194).
12
This is a fundamental vision that is
prevalent throughout the rites of marriage. For instance, when the Syro-Malabar rite
states Christ as the heavenly Bridegroom who offered his life on the Cross for His Bride
Church (SMB, 140; 143; 145), the Syro-Malankara Church situates Christ as the just and
true bridegroom and the Church as the humble bride (SMK, 134-135). Further, those
rites reiterate that His flesh and blood, broken and shed on the Cross, is a precious
dowry; thereby he earned the Church and purified all the dark spots in the children of the
Church. Additionally, the rituals of clothing, the manthrakodi, and consequent prayers
reaffirm that Christ, the Messiah, clothed His Bride, the Church, with the mantle of
glory. Hence, placed within this mystery of Christ-Church relationship, a Christian
marriage is raised ―to the dignity of sacrament‖ (ROCM, no. 5).
13
It is well expressed in
11
―The highest wisdom in marriage is shown by giving full freedom to the person you love: for our human
marriage is the counterpart of the marriage in heaven between Christ and the Church, where there is
absolute freedom.‖ Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 97-98. International Theological
Commission, ―Propositions on the Doctrine of Christian Marriage‖, Libreria Editrice Vaticana
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_1977_sacramento-
matrimonio_en.html (accessed 20 March 2020).
12
Second Vatican Council affirms a Christological basis of marriage when it states ―Christ the Lord
abundantly blessed this many-faceted love, welling up as it does from the fountain of divine love and
structured as it is on the model of His union with His Church. For as God of old made Himself present to
His people through a covenant of love and fidelity, so now the Savior of men and the Spouse of the
Church comes into the lives of married Christians through the sacrament of matrimony. He abides with
them thereafter so that just as He loved the Church and handed Himself over on her behalf, the spouses
may love each other with perpetual fidelity through mutual self-bestowal.‖ Second Vatican Council,
―Gaudium et Spes,‖ 48. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the prefect of the Congregation of the bishops,
comments on it in the following manner: ―The Council‘s novelty was in fact to reformulate the
traditional doctrine of marriage and the family on the basis of a Christology of marriage articulated in
the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes.‖ Cardinal Marc Ouellet, ―Marriage and the Family within the
Sacramentality of the Church: Challenges and Perspectives,‖ Communio: International Catholic Review,
no. 41 (Summer 2014), 231.
13
While exploring the theological implications of the celebration of marriage, Rocchetta comments on the
sacramental nature of marriage within the framework Christ-Church relationship: ―The sacramentality of
marriage takes up and fulfills the love of the two spouses, and is not simply superimposed upon it. It is,
in fact, from within that love and its dynamism that God brings about greater love, similar to which He
has for His Church. It is therefore the actual love relationship between the two spouses in the fullness of
their persons, and of their gender-identified physical nature and of their giving themselves in a mutual
pledge that the ‗marriage covenant‘ becomes a sacramental mystery of grace.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a
Sacrament,‖ 7.
206 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
one of the emphatic expressions: ―O God, who consecrated the bond of Marriage by so
great a mystery that in the wedding covenant you foreshadowed the Sacrament of Christ
and his Church‖ (ROCM, nos. 6, 74, 223). The Christological character of the rite of
marriage is given a deeper dimension when it affirms that the Christian spouses are
―married in Christ‖ (ROCM, nos. 73) to the effect that it makes their married life ―an
efficacious sign of Christ‘s presence.‖
14
Moreover, the couples who are ―married in
Christ‖ are enabled to celebrate the union of Christ and the Church through their marital
life in a symbolic way and to be a witness to this relationship publicly (ROCM, nos. 73,
11). Thus, we can avow that Christian marriage is modeled after Christ‘s covenantal
relation with the Church: ―Christian spouses signify and participate in the mystery of
unity and fruitful love between Christ and the Church‖ (ROCM, no. 8).
15
In other words,
by entering into the sacrament of marriage, the love of spouses is taken up into the
―nuptial covenant‖ which Christ has established with the Church. This is well expressed
in Amoris Laetitia when it states: ―Jesus, who reconciled all things in himself and
redeemed us from sin, not only returned marriage and the family to their original form,
but also raised marriage to the sacramental sign of his love for the church (cf. Mt 19:1-
12; Mk 10:1-12; Eph 5:21-32).‖
16
Secondly, the rites affirm that it is Christ who blesses the loving union of the spouses.
This is the conviction that the Church repeatedly announces to the spouses during the
celebrations. When the Malankara Church prays that the marital covenant between the
spouses is sealed by Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, Roman Rite prays that the love
that binds the couple in the matrimony is blessed by Christ. Parallel to it, the Syro-
Malabar Church underscores that it is Christ who binds the couple to a life of love and
oneness in the sacrament of marriage. Numbers of references related to the same theme
are seen in all these rites.
17
They affirm the uniqueness of Christian marriage, that their
union is blessed by Christ, and that they are married in Christ.
The Christological character of the rite of marriage further recounts the continuing
presence of Christ in the marital life of the spouses. It is evoked in the prayers which
wish that Christ will be the Sovereign and protector of the spouses, their intimate friend
14
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 9.
15
―It is rather the concrete, testimonial, historical, and visible incarnation of the ‗great mystery‘ of the
relationship between Christ and the Church in this particular couple.‖ Andrea Grillo, ―Towards a
Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ in Companion to Marital Spirituality, ed. Thomas Knieps-Port
le Roi and Monica Sandor (Louvain-Paris-Dudley (MA): Peeters, 2008), 253.
16
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 71.
17
SMK, 130; ―May our Lord, Jesus Christ, bind you in holy matrimony to a family life of love and
oneness of minds‖ (SMB, 145); ―Christ abundantly blesses the love that binds you‖ (ROCM, no. 59); ―O
Lord, You, by Your death on the Cross, have earned the Church as Your bride, bless this thali that
unites‖ (SMB, 145); ―O Son of God extend your right hand on the heads of these spouses and bless them
and the crowns that adorn them‖ (SMK, 136).
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 207
to help them in the various responsibilities of life. All the three rites integrate the
wedding at Cana, where Christ blessed the couple with his presence. The Roman Rite
specifically mentions that Christ‘s presence brought ―blessing and joy to the wedding at
Cana, where he changed water into wine and foreshadowed the hour of the new and
eternal covenant‖ (ROCM, no. 6). The Syro-Malankara Church adds an adjective –
―superior wine‖ (SMK, 118). Thus, the occurrence of this biblical passage in the three
rites shows the importance that the Church gives to this biblical account in the life of the
spouses.
As already discussed, according to the interpretation of the Syrian Fathers, new wine at
Cana is a symbol of the Eucharist.
18
For the Syrian Fathers, the sacramental union
between Christ and the Church had taken place with Christ‘s death on the Cross. For
them, the miracle at Cana symbolizes the beginning of the mystery of Christ-Church
union. Further, they affirm that the wedding at Cana also has an eschatological
dimension, as the new wine points to the eschatological wedding feast and the fullness of
joy that is to come at the heavenly banquet. Hence, ―the reference to Cana in the liturgy
of marriage can be seen as drawing the spouses in its sacred space and time to the
beginning of the spousal union of the conjugal typos on the Cross and the perfection or
fulfillment which is to come in the Kingdom.‖
19
Directly connecting the first ―epiphany‖
of Christ‘s glory, as explained in the Gospel of John, the presence of Christ at the
marriage feast of Cana ―has been seen in the ritual tradition as indicating the assumption
of marriage into Christ‘s work of redemption‖ and further still recounts that ―the Lord
manifests his glory in those who invite his presence in their lives.‖
20
Thus, the inclusion
of the wedding at Cana in the rites of marriage serves as a catalyst nurturing the
Christian vision of marriage, which Christ established as a sacrament. Additionally, it
reminds the couple of the involvement of Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, in their
everyday life as their friend and protector.
To sum up the Christological character of the rites of marriage, we can affirm that the
rites of marriage unanimously express the vision that Christ-Church covenantal
relationship is the foundation upon which Christian marriage is developed and
flourished. Thus, as explicated in Amoris Laetitia, ―[C]hristian marriage is a sign of how
much Christ loved his Church in the covenant sealed on the cross, yet it also makes that
love present in the communion of the spouses.‖
21
The spouses who are married in Christ
are called to symbolize this relationship in their union, and Christ continues to bless them
in their married life.
18
Saint Ephrem, Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns, 329-330; Hymns on Virginity, 16:1-2.
19
Aerath, Liturgy and Ethos, 162.
20
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 263.
21
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 73.
208 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
4.1.3. The Marriage: Sealed and Empowered by the Presence of the Holy Spirit
In the nuptial blessing of the Roman Rite, we find a call to the Holy Spirit to ―[s]end
down on them the grace of the Holy Spirit and pour [his] love into their hearts, that they
may remain faithful in the Marriage covenant‖ (ROCM, no. 74). Through this epiclesis,
the Holy Spirit is called upon as an active agent in the sacrament of marriage who effects
and realizes the grace of this sacrament. The subsequent prayer presents the Holy Spirit
as the source of love, faithfulness and peace which would be handed down to the spouses
at the moment of the celebration of marriage and throughout their married life. When we
explore the rite of the Syro-Malabar Church, we see that the imposition of the hands and
the nuptial blessing takes place after the pledge of the spouses. During the blessing, the
priest prays that God may enrich the couples ―with internal beauty and the gifts of the
Holy Spirit‖ (SMB, 148). Further, the prayers wish that the blessings shall be showered
on them in and through the sacrament of marriage so that they may be able to make their
bodies into temples of the Holy Spirit (SMB, 149-50).
22
When we move to the Syro-Malankara rite of marriage, the invocation of the Holy Spirit
is seen during the crowing of the spouses (SMK, 125-127). As seen earlier, in the
sacrament of Eucharist, the priest waves over the heads of the spouses with the crowns.
23
The symbolic but invisible presence of the Holy Spirit is referenced by the visible
gesture of waving of the hands by the priest during the consecratory prayer in the liturgy
of Eucharist. The symbolic gesture of waving and its meaning in the sacrament of
Eucharist also unveil the significance of the waving over the heads of the spouses with
the crown in the liturgy of marriage. Hence, it emphasizes that as the mystery of the
Eucharist completed and perfected by the action of the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the
Sacrament of Marriage is also completed and perfected by the Holy Spirit. Moving
further, in the Introduction of the Roman Rite of Marriage, we see how the rite of
marriage envisions the concrete operation of the Spirit in the rite as well as in the life of
the spouses:
―Through this Sacrament the Holy Spirit brings it about that, just as
Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, Christian spouses
also strive to nurture and foster their union in equal dignity, mutual
giving, and the undivided love that flows from the divine font of
charity‖ (ROCM, 9).
24
22
Temples of the Holy Spirit is the term from the Scripture, I Corinthians 6: 15-20.
23
The Malankara Academy, The Holy Qurbono of Syro-Malankara Church, 76; The Balesius Church
Digital Library, ―Holy Qurbana: An Explanation‖. Varghese, A Contextual Study on the Liturgy of Saint
James, 132.
24
Elliot makes a comparison between the Church and marriage: ―As the Church was raised into the loving
embrace of her Bridegroom at Pentecost, so men and women called to Marriage in the Church are
granted the presence of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.‖ Peter J. Elliott, What God Has Joined ... :
The Sacramentality of Marriage (New York: Alba House, 1990), 70.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 209
It is through the grace of the Holy Spirit that the spouses are enabled to live their mutual
commitment of love in their marital life. Following the example of Christ‘s love for the
Church and strengthened by the Spirit, the spouses commit themselves totally to each
other in a love that mutually helps them to grow in mutual commitment and unity.
We have seen above that marriage is willed and designed by divine will for the good of
man and woman and that God, the author of marriage, joins them in the conjugal bond
of love. Marriage is also presented as a covenant in the rites, which express that God
―willed that the love of spouses for each other should foreshadow the covenant you
[God] graciously made with your [His] people‖ (ROCM, no. 242). Every covenant
demands to be signed and sealed in order to take effect. In the same manner, marriage,
which is the covenant of love, is ―signed with the seal of the Spirit‖ (ROCM, no. 59).
25
It
is through this ‗seal of the Spirit‘ that God joins the spouses together for their life. The
effect of this seal lasts throughout their life, for in this sacrament, we read, ―the Holy
Spirit brings it about that, […] they [the spouses] persevere in good times and in bad,
faithful in body and mind, remaining complete strangers to any adultery and divorce‖
(ROCM, no. 9). The repeated references and prayers to the Holy Spirit reiterate that the
role and presence of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of marriage are requisite and
indispensable. Due to this irreplaceable presence, the Holy Spirit is called ―the invisible
protagonist‖ of the sacrament of marriage.
26
Thus, Amoris Laetitia endorses the couple
―can always invoke the assistance of the Holy Spirit who consecrated their union, so that
his grace may be felt in every new situation that they encounter.‖
27
Apart from the active role of the Holy Spirit during the celebration of the liturgy, the
rites pronounce that the couples should be blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For
instance, we read in the prayers the request to be filled with the heavenly gifts,
28
and ―the
25
John Paul II teaches the need of the Holy Spirit in the act of becoming one body in marriage: ―Those two
who – according to the oldest expression in the Bible – ‗become one body‘ (Gen 2: 24), cannot bring
about this union on the proper level of persons (communion personarum) except through the powers
coming from the spirit, and precisely from the Holy Spirit who purifies, enlives, strengthens, and
perfects the powers of the human spirit.‖ Pope John Paul II, ―Christian Spirituality of Marriage Possible
Only by Living According to the Spirit,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 861, no. 47 (19 November 1984), 1.
26
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 174; Julie McCarty, ―Nuptial Pentecost: Theological Reflections
on the Presence and Action of the Holy Spirit in Christian Marriage,‖ New Theology Review February,
(2003), 63. Rocchetta, further states: ―The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of the love of the Father and of the
Son, brings about the supernatural transformation of the love of man and woman, making it part of the
Trinitarian Love which constitutes the very being of God. It is not just a matter of an image of the
Trinity in the order of creation, as is the case with every human marriage. In the Christian marriage, the
Trinity is present and lives in the ‗I-you‘ of the spouses as manifestation of grace.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage
as a Sacrament,‖ 17
27
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 74.
28
SMB, 129; ROCM, no. 34; ―Pour your love into their hearts, that they may remain faithful in the
marriage covenant. May the grace of love and peace abide in your daughter and let her always follow the
example of those holy women whose praises are sung in the Scriptures‖, ―life of grace‖, ―hold fast to the
faith‖ (ROCM, no. 37).
210 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
unity of love, which is the bond of perfection, obtained through the fullness of the Holy
Spirit‖ (SMB, 141). Further, we could see the various references to the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Among them direct references could be seen for the following gifts of the Holy
Spirit: ―Eternal joy‖
29
, ―chastity‖
30
, ―charity‖
31
, ―goodness‖,
32
faithfulness,
33
and
kindness. Among them, the most repeated one is the joy received as a gift from God. In
the scripture, wine is associated with the joy of the kingdom of God.
34
The rites of
marriage maintain a double dimension in the joy of the couples: the joy that results from
their orientation towards the heavenly things and the joy that proceeds from the mutual
delight of the spouses.
35
It further shows that the blessing of joy can come to the spouses
through the Holy Spirit through a life akin to the gifts of the Spirit.
36
Further, the Holy
Spirit, who is present in the sacrament of matrimony as an active agent, by signing and
sealing the covenant of matrimony, becomes a permanent presence in the life of the
spouses as an empowering presence, because ―the grace of the Sacrament will be
renewed by the Holy Spirit in all married persons‖ (ROCM, no. 251). Briefly,
explicating the role of the Holy Spirit during the celebration of marriage and the life of
married couples, we accentuate that the role of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of
marriage is essential for sealing the marriage covenant and leading a life of gifts of the
Holy Spirit.
From the above discussions on the role of each person of the Trinity in marriage, we are
led to an understanding of how the rites of marriage explicitly present a theology of the
Trinity in relation to marriage. The rite presents how the Trinity is involved in marriage
from the beginning of creation, all throughout salvation history, at the moment of
celebration of marriage, and continuing in the marital life of the spouses. In synthesizing
the findings of this discussion, consequently, we can say that marriage is a divine
institution, willed by God the Creator, that Christ has embued the dignity of marriage by
29
―Eternal joy‖ (SMK, 103); ―make them rejoice‖ (SMK, 107); ―joyful in your presence‖ (SMK, 107); ―In
Your strength the king rejoices‖ (SMK, 107); ―To Him, who bestows crowns of joy‖ (SMK, 111); ―your
joy in love‖ (SMK, 126); ―with you we shall rejoice‖ (SMK, 126); ―We have come rejoicing‖ (ROCM,
no. 22); ―Church shares your joy‖ (ROCM, no. 22); ―sing joyfully to God our strength‖ (ROCM, no.
27).
30
SMK, 114; ―she [Church] might be holy and without blemish‖ (SMK, 120); ―Faithful in body and mind,
remaining complete strangers to any adultery and divorce‖; ―may the almighty God, help us to live in
accord with this promise‖ (SMB, 148).
31
―[I]n your love I find refuge, by your love am I inflamed‖ (SMK, 132); ―May you witness in the world
to God‘s charity‖ (ROCM, no. 38); ―So that the afflicted and needy who have known your kindness‖
(ROCM, no. 38); ―Grant them a share in your eternal charity‖ (ROCM, no. 123).
32
―[E]nthusiastic in performing all good things‖ (SMK, 138).
33
―[T]hat they may be faithful to each other for ever‖ (ROCM, no. 28); ―Ring as the sign of love and
fidelity‖ (ROCM, no. 33).
34
Amos 5: 11; 9: 13-14; Jer: 31:12; 2 Bar. 29:5; Mic. 6:15, Hos 2:24, Is. 25:6; Joel 2:19; Zech. 9:17.
35
A discussion on the theme joy of the spouses will be generated in the section, 3.3.3.1.c.
36
William MacDonald, ―Joy, the Fruit of the Spirit,‖ The Quiver 29, no. 361 (1894), 461.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 211
raising it to the status of a sacrament, and that the Holy Spirit seals this sacrament of the
covenant of love and accompanies the spouses throughout their life together. Thus, in the
rite of marriage, the Trinity and each of its persons play a unique role, assuring the
empowering presence of the Trinity in the life of the spouses. As one of the prayers of
the Malankara Church expresses, the Trinity as a fortress protects the Church, thus the
spouses are also guided and blessed by the continuing presence of the Trinity. Thus, ―[i]n
the human family, gathered by Christ, ‗the image and likeness‘ of the Most Holy Trinity
(cf. Gen 1:26) has been restored, the mystery from which all true love flows.‖
37
Thereby,
they are taught to love and share by the Trinitarian loving communion.
4.2. The Human Dimension of the Rite of Marriage
The structural and textual analysis of the rites of marriage in the preceding chapters are
convincing that one of the dominating themes in the rites of marriage is its recognition of
basic human nature and its indispensable significance in marriage. This nature includes
the most basic fact of being created as man and woman, with a natural capacity to love
and make free choices as well. Since ―divine and human realities‖ (ROCM, no. 9) are
united in Christian marriage, we cannot overlook this human dimension. Based upon this
conviction, in this section, we will explore the human dimension of Christian marriage as
it is reflected in the rites of marriage.
4.2.1. Marriage: The Partnership between Man and Woman
The Introduction of the Roman Rite of Marriage begins with the affirmation that ―[t]he
matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a
partnership of the whole of life, derive[s] its force and strength from creation‖ (ROCM,
no. 1). We can see this created nature of human beings and their responsibilities, which
stem from their created status, being echoed and re-echoed in different ways throughout
the rites. We also find in the liturgy statements such as ―formed man and woman in
[God‘s] own image‖ (ROCM, no. 74), ―the human race, created by the gift of your
goodness‖ (ROCM, no. 50), and ―male and female you created them‖ (ROCM, no. 242).
This repeated emphasis is a clear indication of the importance that the rites of marriage
give to the Genesis account of creation: ―God created man and woman in his own image
and likeness‖ (Genesis 1.27).
38
We could see the similar expressions in the rite of Syro-
37
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 71.
38
The teaching of John Paul II on the unique relationship of man and woman seems relevant here: ―The
Bible calls the first human being ‗man‘ („adam), but from the moment of the creation of the first woman,
it begins to call him ‗man‘ (ish), in relation to ishshah (‗woman,‘ because she was taken from the man—
ish).‖ Pope John Paul II, ―The Second Account of Creation: The Subjective Definition of Man,‖
L‟Osservatore Romano (1979), 1. The same theological vision is affirmed in the writings of many
authors. For example, see Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 17; Michael G.
Lawler, ―The Mutual Love and Personal Faith of the Spouses as the Matrix of the Sacrament of
212 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
Malabar. For instance, the euchological prayers of Syro-Malabar rite of marriage
underscore that the sacrament of marriage is a sacrament which ―binds the bride and
groom in love‖ (SMB, 143).
39
Further, it affirms that the union of the bride and groom is
taking place in the rite of marriage (SMB, 142). The binding dimension of matrimony is
well expressed in the rites of binding – the thali – a symbol of unity both in the SMB and
SMK (SMB, 145; SMK, 129). Moving to the final blessing, the idea that humans are
created as male and female is explicitly presented (SMB, 149). In the same vein, the
Syro-Malankara rite of marriage emphasizes that God created human beings as man and
woman (SMK, 123). Going further, the rite affirms that groom has to behave with his
wife ―as if [with] his own self‖ (SMK, 139).
All of these affirm that the celebration of marriage unites the polarity of two sexes,
masculine and feminine, and makes them one in love and flesh, leading to a partnership
based on mutual relationship.
40
Thus, the rite of marriage expresses itself not as ―a reality
divorced from the human reality,‖
41
but as ―a vocation rooted in the anthropological
structure of their existence of man and of woman, in the mutual giving and receiving of
one to the other.‖
42
Hence, the liturgical theology of marriage, realizing the equal status
of man and woman as created being, further upholds the complementarity between the
two sexes. It avers that ―the meaning of male and female is given in the revelation, in the
fuller offer of redemption given in Christ, the New Covenant. In this order, what it
means to be male and female is derived from the symbolism of each sex in the order of
creation and redemption. What is assumed is that in salvation history, maleness and
femaleness have a ‗meaning‘ and significance that is unique and irreplaceable.‖
43
As a
Marriage,‖ Worship 65, no. 4 (1991), 356. By contemplating Gen 1:27, that the human being is created
as male and female, Anthony Hoekema draws attention to the relational aspect of the human person.
Emphasizing this dimension, he writes that ―to be a human being is directed toward one‘s fellow men
[...] what is being said in this verse (Gen. 1.27) is that the human person is not an isolated being who is
complete in himself or herself, but that he or she is a being who needs the fellowship of others, who is
not complete apart from others.‖ Anthony A. Hoekema, Created in God‟s Image (Grand Rapids, Mich:
William B. Eerdmans, 1978), 76.
39
The same idea is repeated in the rite: ―May our Lord, Jesus Christ, bind you in holy matrimony to a
family life of love and oneness of minds‖ (SMB, 145; 148).
40
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 6. The same idea is reflected in the Catechism of the Catholic
Church (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 1996), § 1605. Pope John Paul II continues this
line of thought when he states that ―[t]heir [man‘s and woman‘s] unity denotes above all the identity of
human nature; their duality, on the other hand, manifests what, on the basis of this identity, constitutes
the masculinity and femininity of created man.‖ Pope John Paul II, ―Man Becomes the Image of God by
Communion of Persons,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano (1979), 1.
41
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 20.
42
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 7; Second Vatican Council, ―Constitution on the Church in the
Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 7 December, 1965,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to
Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington: Georgetown University Press,
1990), § 49.
43
Daniel Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life: A Theology of Christian Marriage (Lanham, Maryland:
University Press of America, 2005), 135.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 213
result, by integrating the order of creation as man and woman, the rites of marriage
indicates that they are not reducible to one identity, either man or woman. Rather, ―[t]hey
represent different, unique, irreducible dimensions of the covenantal economy of
salvation.‖
44
The creation of man and woman and their ―dialogic nature‖
45
is the basis for ―the equal
partnership‖ between them. It serves as the foundation for marriage, in which they share
―one life.‖
46
The oneness of the couple is consistently expressed throughout the
celebration of marriage through the use of expressions like ―make them always one‖,
47
―make of one heart in love‖ (ROCM, nos. 73, 77), ―acknowledging her as his equal and
his joint heir to the life of grace‖ (ROCM, no. 74), ―made one in the flesh‖, or ―bound
together‖ (ROCM, no. 228). Additionally, the creation of human beings as male and
female has a universal dimension and does not mean that this relation only concerns the
relationship of marriage. The man-woman relationship does not imply any kind of
exclusion from other relations.
48
In the introductory rites of the liturgies, we find the
procession of the couple along with the priest and the ecclesial community. This also
rightly demonstrates the mutuality of man and woman as understood in the context of
Christian marriage.
49
Moreover, it also indicates a remarkable understanding which
regards man and woman as being of equal status, such that both ―mutually bestow and
accept each other.‖
50
All these emphases on the equal created status of man and woman
help us to posit that the rite of marriage affirms and upholds the created nature and status
of human beings. The nuptial rite thus presents the partners as human beings created in
44
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 147.
45
The expression ―dialogic nature‖ in relation to the marriage is first used by Edward Schillebeeckx to
explain the complementarity between man and woman. Underlining this dialogical nature of man and
woman, Schillebeeckx presents ―woman as complementary to man, woman as man‘s life companion –
man was not complete without woman, and both complemented each other in their humanity.‖
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 20.
46
Pope John Paul II, ―Letter to Families, Gratissimam Sane,‖ L‟Osservatore Romano 1329, no. 8 (1994),
§8; Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 163; Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 9.
47
ROCM, no. 52; ―God who blessed Adam and Eve‖ (SMK, 104); ―who have been united‖ (SMK, 107);
―united their hearts together‖ (SMK, 107). The reading from the Gospel also affirms the idea that God
made the human persons as male and female (SMK, 123).
48
This theme will be further discussed in Section: 4.3.3.
49
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 219. The same idea is communicated in Weiss,
―Marriage Rites,‖ 1. The comment made by Schillebeeckx is significant in this context. ―She [woman] is
a human being as he [man] is, a partner at the same level of life.‖ Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human
Reality and Saving Mystery, 17.
50
This expression is mainly used by Second Vatican Council and it implies that the bride and bridegroom
―render mutual help and service to each other through an intimate union of their persons and of their
actions.‖ Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Lawler puts it in other words, writing that
in the ―new-covenant marriage, contrary to the established cultural norms, a wife is not an outsider or
her husband‘s property‖ rather, ―she is an insider and her husband‘s equal.‖ Lawler, ―The Mutual Love
and Personal Faith of the Spouses,‖ 346. It also signals, as Rocchetta presents, a proclamation of ―their
intention to be mutually bound as husband and wife with specific reference to their being ‗in the Lord.‘‖
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 12.
214 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
the image and likeness of God, of equal status before God and before each other.
Integrating the complementarity and the equality of the sexes, a liturgical theology of
marriage unveils the idea that what is essential for the conjugal life is not one‘s power
over another, but the union of two into one, in flesh and mind, accepting the uniqueness
of each sex and complementing one another.
4.2.2. Marriage: Constituted by Mutual Human Consent
Emphasizing the ―importance and dignity of the sacrament of Matrimony,‖
51
the
Introduction of the Roman rite of marriage makes it clear that ―marriage is established
by the conjugal covenant, that is, the irrevocable consent of both spouses‖ (ROCM, no.
2). Again, it underscores that the ―consent of the contracting parties, which the person
assisting asks for and receives‖ (ROCM, no. 35) is one of the main elements of the
wedding ceremony. The fact that the part of the rite which includes the declaration of the
consent is entitled ―the Celebration of Marriage‖ is expressive of the constituting
element of marriage, the consent. The CIC declares that ―[m]atrimonial consent is an act
of will by which a man and woman by an irrevocable covenant mutually give and accept
one another for the purpose of establishing marriage.‖
52
The expression of the consent in
the three rites is taking place at different times during the liturgy of marriage. In the
Syro-Malankara marriage rite, the declaration of consent is at the very beginning of the
order of the Holy Matrimony, before the first service of betrothal (SMK, 73-74).
53
However, in the Syro-Malabar and Roman rite of marriage, the expression of consent
begins the proper rites of marriage. Emphasizing the constitutive character of human
consent, the Roman Rite of Marriage explicitly demands that when there is more than
one couple, ―the reception of the consent‖ has to be made individually (ROCM, no. 58).
It is through this ―human act,‖ expressed in individual and mutual consent, that the
couple ―mutually give themselves to each other‖ constituting the sacrament of
marriage.
54
The Syro-Malankara and Syro-Malabar rites of marriage demand the presence of witness
for the public declaration of the consent of the spouses (SMK, 73-74; SMB, 144).
Additionally, in the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage, the declaration and the promises of
51
This is the title given to the first part of the Introduction of the Roman Rite of Marriage.
52
CIC, 1057 § 2; The same norm is repeated in CCEO, can. 817 § 1. The Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches also affirms that ―[a]n indispensable element for constituting a Marriage is the consent with
which a man and a woman mutually give and receive each other (Can. 817).‖ It further adds that ―[t]he
internal consent of the mind is presumed to be in agreement with the words and signs employed in
celebrating the Matrimony.‖ Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of
the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 81.
53
See section 3.2 for details.
54
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1627; Second Vatican Council, ―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Antonio,
An Inculturation Model, 9.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 215
consent are made by placing their hands on the Gospel. The rites of marriage, therefore,
explicitly demand that this expression of consent be made in the presence of God and the
ecclesial community as the manifest expression of their free will to establish a marriage.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church unambiguously upholds this aspect in teaching
that ―the exchange of consent between the spouses to be the indispensable element that
‗makes the marriage.‘ If consent is lacking, there is no marriage.‖
55
In other words, the
rite of marriage is designed in such a way that the declaration of consent takes the central
place in the whole of celebration.
Moreover, throughout the liturgies we see the term covenant
56
, calling to mind the
various covenants in salvation history and placing the marriage between the particular
spouses as the prolongation of the covenant between God and Israel in the Old
Testament, and Christ and the Church in the New Testament.
57
Further, it views marriage
as ―the conjugal covenant‖ that implies the ―irrevocable consent of both spouses,‖ which
in turn demands the ―complete fidelity of the spouses and the indissoluble unity of the
bond‖ (ROCM, no. 2). In this account of marriage as a covenant, the rite of marriage
solemnizes the conviction that the spouses are entering into marriage of their own free
and voluntary consent, with a readiness to keep their promise till the end of their life, and
with faith that the Lord may strengthen their consent (ROCM, no. 61, 62, 64).
Apart from this, in the covenant of matrimony, the contracting parties share an ―equal‖
status and are ―joint heir[s] to the life of grace‖ through a bond ―of inseparable love‖ that
grows to perfection in ―mutual affection,‖ ―likeness of mind‖ and ―shared holiness‖
(ROCM, nos. 74, 193). Consequently, this covenant is ―sacred‖ and ―sacramental‖ and
―holy‖ (ROCM, no. 196, 197, 198). By making the covenant, they express their readiness
to live a life of mutual love and indivisible fidelity (SMB, 148). Further, through this
nuptial covenant a new family is born in the Church taking the covenant between Christ
and the Church as the perfect model for their marital covenant (SMB, 126).
―The faithfulness of love, the holiness of the bond, and the fertility of
the relationship, scrutinized from this perspective, appear given over to
the couple‘s ‗yes‘ from a ‗yes‘ that precedes it and institutes it, that
instructs and promotes it, that consoles it and that ‗speaks‘ above all in
the unforgettable solemnity of a ritual symbol. It is their consensual
‗yes‘ that makes possible, almost in the second place, the great ‗yes‘
55
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1626; Code of Canon Law, § 1057, 1; Second Vatican Council,
―Gaudium et Spes,‖ § 48; Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 7; Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 9.
56
ROCM, no. 61, 73, 74, 224 and 234; SMB, 126, 145; SMK, 130 and 131.
57
Michael Lawler‘s comment is relevant here: ―Spouses create their marriages, in cooperation with the gift
of God, by committing to one another in a covenant in which they give and accept mutually gifts of love
to found a partnership of love for the whole of their lives. It is this self-giving love, expressed ritually in
the exchange of vows at the wedding ceremony and expressed in a thousand actions of mutual service
throughout their lives that provides the human matrix which is taken and made into the sacrament of
marriage.‖ Lawler, ―The Mutual Love and Personal Faith of the Spouses,‖ 343.
216 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
with which God first faithfully shows, indissolubly and in a happily
fertile way, his gratuitous love for humans, male and female, in the
New Adam who takes care of the Church, his Bride.‖
58
The rites of marriage, hence, represent the covenantal dimension of matrimony and are
structured in such a way that the spouses get a clear perception of their responsibilities as
the parties of the covenant. They amply attest that the free choice and consent of the
spouses is a ―human act‖, and it has a significant role in their marriage. Briefly, the
consent being the constitutive element of the sacrament of marriage is given a prime
position in the rites of marriage. They provide an ample opportunity for the spouses to
express their consent at the presence of the witness and the ecclesial community.
4.2.3. Marriage: A Bond of Indissoluble Conjugal Love
The understanding of marriage expressed in the rites of marriage consists of the
recognition that it is mutual love that binds the man and the woman in their marital
relationship (ROCM, no. 59). The rites of marriage present marriage as the intimate
community of love and life constituted by the love of the spouses and their readiness to
honor each other.
59
Further, this is expressed in a ritual form through the mutual
exchange of rings as ―a sign of love and fidelity‖ in all the three rites of marriage (SMB,
146; SMK, 93-94; ROCM, no. 67). In the Roman rite, the ecclesial community is
repeatedly exhorted to pray to the Lord so that He may make them ―of one heart in love‖
(ROCM, nos. 73, 77). In a special way, the grace of the Holy Spirit is called upon to
―pour love into their hearts‖ so the couple may be joined ―in a bond of inseparable love‖
which ―consecrate[s] the love of man and woman‖ (ROCM, no. 74, 201). The Syro-
Malabar rite of marriage calls the sacrament of marriage as the ―sacrament of love‖
which keeps them ―in pure love and perfect dedication‖ (SMB, 126; 149). Further, the
different symbolic rituals used in the rites of marriage such as the thali, the manthrakodi
and the rings, and the subsequent prayers symbolically presents that the holy Matrimony
binds the spouses ―to a family life of love and oneness of minds.‖
60
This indissoluble bond of love is a commitment to the ―whole of life‖ in such a way that
―what God joins together, let no one put asunder‖ (ROCM, nos. 1, 53, 64): a
commitment by the spouses to love and honor each other all the days of their life. From
this, we can see how the rite of marriage clearly presents and upholds the indissoluble
bond of love as the characteristic feature of conjugal love in a lifelong commitment of
58
Grillo, ―Towards a Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ 250.
59
ROCM, nos. 4, 60, 62; SMB, 146 and 145; SMK, 107, 139.
60
SMB, 145-147; Thali is ―the very symbol of unity, bind them to invisible love and fullness of fidelity‖
(SMB, 145); Rings are presented as the symbol of ―mutual love and fidelity‖ (SMB, 146); Manthrakodi
represents that the spouses ―through their mutual love and self-giving‖ put on Christ in their lives (SMB,
146); The Pledge signifies the promise ―to live in love and fidelity and with oneness of mind‖ (SMB,
148).
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 217
the spouses. The vision of life that the rite of marriage envisages for the spouses is a
partnership that commits them for the whole of their life. In the context of the rite of
marriage, the notion of the ―whole of life‖ can be understood from two perspectives.
Firstly, it can mean ―as long as both shall live‖ implying that marriage is indissoluble.
61
Secondly, it can signify that ―nothing is left unshared between them‖
62
as they pledge to
be faithful throughout their life together, ―in good times and in bad, in sickness and in
health‖ (ROCM, no. 62, 63; SMB, 148; SMK, 139). Thus, it is this indissoluble bond of
love, the binding force of the marital covenant, which keeps the spouses as ―one flesh‖
and ―the union of the hearts‖ (ROCM, no. 4; SMB, 129; SMK, 113).
―The communion of love between God and people, a fundamental part
of the Revelation and faith experience of Israel, finds a meaningful
expression in the marriage covenant which is established between a
man and a woman. For this reason the central word of Revelation,
―God loves His people‖, is likewise proclaimed through the living and
concrete word whereby a man and a woman express their conjugal
love. Their bond of love becomes the image and the symbol of the
covenant which unites God and His people.‖
63
As we have seen, the repeated affirmation of the goodness of creating man and woman
and joining them ―into one‖ as seen in the creation account provide the basis for the rites
of marriage affirming the conjugal love and human sexuality. Nevertheless, in and
through the attesting of the creation of human beings as male and female, the rites of
marriage further reinstate that being created in the image of God as male and female,
they, human beings, ―image God in and through their sexuality.‖
64
It is well expressed in
the following words:
―Sexual union, lovingly experienced and sanctified by the sacrament, is
in turn a path of growth in the life of grace for the couple. It is the
‗nuptial mystery‘. The meaning and value of their physical union is
expressed in the words of consent, in which they accepted and offered
themselves each to the other, in order to share their lives completely.‖
65
61
ROCM, no. 62; SMB, 140-141; 142; SMK, 128.
62
Michael G. Lawler, Marriage and Sacrament: A Theology of Christian Marriage (Collegeville: The
Liturgical Press, 1993), 9. In relation to it we can refer the words of Pope John Paul II. He states:
―marital love involves a totality, embracing all the components of the person – the drives of body and
instinct, the power of sense and emotion, the longings of mind and will. That love is bent on a deeply
personal unity that, surpassing the union in one flesh, leads to the formation of one heart and one soul.
That love demands its being unbreakable and faithful in an absolute, mutual self-giving.‖ International
commission on English in the Liturgy, Documents on the Liturgy, 1963-1979: Conciliar, Papal, and
Curial Texts (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1982), 926.
63
John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 12.
64
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 127; Christopher Kiesling, ―The Liturgy of Christian Marriage:
Introduction to Marital Spirituality,‖ Spirituality Today, (2015), 4.
65
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 71; According to Daniel Hauser [i]n and through our
sexuality, we stand in relation to each other in the midst of the created order as male and female, and by
means of this relationship, we image God. What is significant is that the meaning of our bodies then,
from the beginning, is associated with this marital union and ordering.‖ Daniel Hauser, Marriage and
Christian Life, 127.
218 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
Here the emphasis is on their call to become one through their sexuality, in other words,
in their flesh, so the conjugal love and its expressions as experienced through the sexual
act is not something destructive or perverted. Precisely, the rites of marriage strongly
affirm the Christian ideal of marriage, a covenantal relationship that provides a
framework that allows mutual conjugal relationship to be begun and to be nurtured.
Seeing Christian marriage as the reflection of the covenantal relationship between God
and His people, Israel and, further, mystical marriage between Christ and His church,
sexuality ―becomes now a potential source of liveliness and joy: for it is an outworking
of grace – a being present to another for the sake of the other, as God is present to us.‖
66
Further, it puts sexuality in a proper place, ―namely, how [they] build one another up as
embodied selves, called to be members of the body of Christ, in relationships of love, to
the glory of God.‖
67
Briefly, the rites of marriage recognize the human dimensions of polarities of masculine
and feminine characters. It further underscores the significance of individual consent to
enter into the sacrament of marriage, and the role of human love, which is open to
oneness of heart and flesh and life. Consequently, the rites of marriage do not proclaim
marriage as a sort of mystic reality deprived of the natural inclinations and qualities of a
human person. Rather, the sacrament of marriage merges the totalities of man and
woman with his or her human capacities and uniqueness.
4.3. The Spiritual Dimension of the Rite of Marriage
The previous sections were discussing the divine and human dimensions of the rites of
marriage. They provided the specific identity of the married couple in the Catholic
Church. The next section will discuss the intrinsic relationship between the liturgical
celebration and the real life which is one of the emerging questions in the life of the
worshippers. Emerging liturgical theological branches affirms that ―the two foci of lex
orandi and lex credendi yield a third part of the equation: lex vivendi, or life relation of
the liturgy.‖
68
The equation of lex vivendi emphasizes ―a proper understanding of liturgy
that is concerned with Christian conversion understood as a response to the challenge of
the gospel, ratified in cult and reflected in life.‖
69
It focuses on how the liturgy is related
to real life. The forthcoming section thus focuses on the spiritual dimension of married
life as envisaged by the liturgies of marriage. The prime motif of this analysis is to
66
Stephen C. Barton, ―‗Glorify God in Your Body‘ (I Corinthians 6.20): Thinking Theologically About
Sexuality,‖ in Religion and Sexuality, ed. Michael A. Hayes, Wendy Porter, and David Tombs
(Sheffield: Academic Press, 1998), 375-376.
67
Barton, ―Glorify God in Your Body,‖ 379.
68
Irwin, Context and Text, 92.
69
Irwin, Context and Text, 92.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 219
explore and identify the essential correlation between the liturgy of marriage and the way
of life of the married couple.
4.3.1. Religious Dimension of the Rite of Marriage
This section looks from the perspective of married life that transverses around the ethical
framework of the humanity. Eventually, it urges us to ask what ethical framework the
rites of marriage set out for the married couple in and through different prayers uttered
and symbols used in the rites of marriage. Hence, in the following section, we attempt to
expound and identify the way of life of the married couple in the society as reminded and
prayed for in the rite of marriage.
4.3.1.1. A Life Based on God‟s Commandments
Along with the responsibility of praising God, the couples are called to be faithful to the
words of God and obedient to His commandments. We cannot find any direct reference
to the Ten Commandments of God; nevertheless all the three rites of marriage repeat the
significance of observing the laws of God. Again, the rites of marriage do not offer any
logical hermeneutics of each and every commandment. The Syro-Malabar rite of
marriage prays to the Lord to ―illumine our hearts and minds to hear and understand the
sweet voice of Your life-giving and divine commandments‖ (SMB, 136-137). Whereas
the Malankara Church pleads that the newly joined may be filled with the joy that comes
from the observance of the law of God, the Latin rite implores that the spouses may
―hold fast to the faith and keep the commandments‖ (SMB, 139; SMK, 107; ROCM, no.
22).
Thus, the reference to the commandments in the liturgical prayers affirms the
significance of the Commandments of God in the family life of the couple. The rites take
into account the fact that the observance of the commandments is essential to the couple
in their process of ―becoming‖ an ideal family in the society. By keeping the
commandments, they will be ―blameless in all they do‖, and by the strength yielded from
the Gospel, the spouses may bear ―true witness‖ and become ―virtuous parents‖ (ROCM,
no. 37). The rites further show a list of couples who led a virtuous marital life as
presented in the Old Testament and New Testament. Further, the Syro-Malabar rite
implores that the ―life giving‖ commandments may produce ―the fruits of love, hope, and
salvation beneficial to [the] body and soul‖ that may further help them to praise God in
all their life situations, ―constantly and continually‖ (SMB,136-137). All these references
lead to the impression that besides listing the don‟ts of the Ten Commandments, as it is
given in the scripture, the focus of the liturgy is to impart the spirit of the Decalogue very
positively, leading the spouses and the worshippers to imbibe the values that are yielded
from the Decalogue-formed life. In other words, as envisioned by the liturgies, the spirit
220 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
of the commandments are indivisible love, the hope and salvation of the person to the
end that enables the person ultimately praise God, which could be further summarized as
the nuptial love of the spouses, the love towards the other and the love of God. Thus, the
rites of marriage would agree that the Commandments are related to the interior life of
the couple, their attitudes and good dispositions in their relationship with God,
themselves and the other. Hence, observing the commandments becomes a commitment
for the spouses, which further forms the nuptial character of the spouses, as ―the
Decalogue is useful in the formation of Christian character.‖
70
In the words of Miller, the
Ten Commandments are like ―policy statements‖ that provide a clear understanding of
―what is the shape of life within our community.‖
71
In the particular context of the
marriage and family life, the main focus is on love, and the relationship that is based on
the spirit of the Commandments. And it is through this covenant of love that they
practice and perfect a Decalogue-al life.
Since the sacrament of marriage is considered to be the covenant of love, the moral
obligations of the spouses are to be understood in the context of Old Testament and New
Testament covenants. The reference to the Commandments of the Lord, as seen in the
liturgies, immediately reminds the participants the Decalogue given by the Lord and the
Old Testament Covenant. In other words, ―the Decalogue is not simply law but also
covenantal obligations.‖
72
It demands the observance of commandments, laws and
ordinances given by Yahweh for the sake of the people. It signifies the divine
intervention, and protection in providing a framework that leads the humanity, very
particularly, Israel to a life of blessedness.
73
70
Yiu Sing Lucas Chan, The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes: Biblical Studies and Ethics for Real
Life (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2012), 29. ―the Commandments as marking the ‗boundaries‘ of
life under God, providing ―fenceposts‖ for direction, marking out the ―area‖ of freedom and
responsibility, giving much ―latitude‖ in the moral life.‖ Patrick D. Miller, ―The Good Neighbourhood:
Identity and Community through the Ten Commandments,‖ in Character and Scripture, ed. William P.
Brown (Grand Rapids (MI): Eerdmans, 2002), 56; ―The norms emerging from the Decalogue are much
more akin to statements about the character of life in community than they are to cases of violation of
the law of the community and what punishment is to be dealt out when the violations occur.‖ Walter J.
Harrelson, The Ten Commandments and Human Rights (Philadelphia (PA): Fortress, 1980), 13; Chan,
The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, 29.
71
Harrelson, The Ten Commandments and Human Rights, 13.
72
Chan, The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, 28; Thomas W. Ogletree notes that the moral
obligations of Israel are ―inseparably linked to the covenant with Yahweh on Mt. Sinai.‖ When Yahweh
reveals himself in a ―theophany on Mt. Sinai‖ the Israel ―the people accept the covenant and bind
themselves to its obligations in a solemn act of covenant making.‖ As a result ―Yahweh promises the
people the blessing if they are faithful to the covenant and fulfill its requirements; he assures them curses
if they are not. This complex set of actions and themes establishes an essential link between the
commandments which express the obligations of the people and the covenant at Sinai. These obligations,
that is to say, are covenant obligations.‖ Thomas W. Ogletree, The Use of the Bible in Christian Ethics:
A Constructive Essay (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), 49.
73
Ogletree, The Use of the Bible in Christian Ethics, 51. ―The Pontifical Biblical Commission has also
offered its brief reading of the text for contemporary moral living. It claims that the Decalogue reflects a
twofold ethic: As a primitive ethic, it emphasis exteriority, communal identity, and prohibitions. As a
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 221
Moving further, one of the scriptural readings of all the three rites of marriage is
Ephesians 5. It is one among the New Testament texts ―that best reveals the nature of
marriage under the New Covenant.‖
74
It basically explains the nature of the Christ-
church relationship and compares it to a nuptial relationship. By emphasising the reading
in the liturgies of marriage, it underscores that ―He [Christ] loves the Church as His own
body, giving Himself up for her so that she might have life. The result of this covenantal
act of love is the one flesh unity of Christ and His Church, the unity of the New
Covenant.‖
75
As a result, through the new covenant of love, that is marriage, the Bride
and the bridegroom stand in unity with each other, considering each other as the source
of their conjugal existence and identity. To express it as Daniel Hauser does,
―marriage is not some natural state to which a blessing is added, but
that in the love of the husband and wife for each other, they enter into
the very redemptive reality toward which the whole of the created
order strains. The mutual submission of husband and wife in love
forms the man and woman in that self-sacrificial love which alone
make us human and frees man from all that prohibits him from the
fullness of grace for which human life is intended. In marriage the self-
sacrificial love, which is the heart of the bridal relationship between
Christ and His Church, is made concrete in human life. In this love, the
believers achieve the unity, wholeness, and integrity for which they
were intended in the order of creation.‖
76
Hence, taking into account the two covenants in the background of the liturgies of
marriage, we assume that they provide a moral matrix for the spouses. On the one hand,
they uphold the responsibilities to keep the spirit of the commandments provided by
Yahweh, on the other hand, the spouses are urged to imbibe the spirit of the Christ-
Church relationship based on the self-sacrificial love so that they may able to achieve the
wholeness of their existence.
As seen, the rites of marriage also point out the positive dimensions that could be
experienced by the observance of the Decalogue. The Syro-Malankara rite states that the
spouses will be filled with ―the joy that comes from the observance of God‘s
commandments‖ (SMK, 107).
77
It further affirms that the couple has to achieve the
―everlasting crown‖ through a virtuous life (SMB, 142). It is well expressed in the prayer
that the couple may ―learn to love that which leads to eternal life and to avoid that which
leads to sin and death. Unite their hearts, that together they may draw nearer to your
potentially rich ethic, it expresses universal values, is set in the framework of covenant, and is rooted in
the context of liberation.‖ Chan, The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, 27.
74
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 96.
75
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 97.
76
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 98.
77
Patrick D. Miller, for instance, insists that the Decalogue ―cannot be perceived and appropriated fully
without the positive formulations complementing the negative and demonstrating how expansive and
total and full the response to this directive is.‖ Patrick D. Miller, The Ten Commandments (Louisville:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 2009), 21; Chan, The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, 28.
222 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
holiness and be freed from the slavery of Satan‖ (SMK, 113). In this process of keeping
away from sin and death and moving towards holiness, the couples are encouraged to
help each other ―reaching at last together the fullness of years for which they hope, they
may come to the life of the blessed in the Kingdom of Heaven‖ (ROCM, no. 74). East
Syrian liturgies refer it as entering the eternal Bridal chamber. ―In this way, a certain
eschatological note enters into the marriage liturgy and qualifies the joy of the occasion
by subordinating it to the final goal and purpose of human life: eternal life with God in
the kingdom of heaven.‖
78
The metaphors that are used in the rites of marriage are the
crowning with the ―crown of justice‖, adorning with the ―ornaments of imperishable
beauty‖, and clothing ―with the victorious armor‖ (SMK, 126-128). It also instructs the
spouses in the responsibility to hand over this framework to the next generation through
their children.
From a theological point of view, every person is inserted into a specific identity of the
Church through baptism, to the community of the people of God who affirms that the
commandments of God have great impact of their way of life. Marriage, being a ―special
sacrament,‖ as expressed in the Roman rite, emphasizes that they continue to uphold a
life based on the Decalogue throughout their married life with the specific identity that
they are married in the Lord through the covenant of love. The rites of marriage in the
particular context of the married people therefore become the particular source of moral
identity for the spouses, and the community in a wider perspective. By forming a family
of their own, the spouse is being grafted into a different social and familial nexus which
demand certainties and uncertainties, ambiguities and difficulties, and makes them to
discover a new vision for life, relationships and actions as they begin a new family. So,
the rites provide a framework for the married couple, to form an ideal family based on
the spirit of the Decalogue and on the law of love, sacrificial love as Christ has shown to
the Church, and to experience joy of love in their life.
4.3.1.2. Undivided Faithfulness to the End
One of the prominent aspects of liturgies of marriage is the demand for the fidelity
between the spouses. The term fidelity is derived from the Latin term fides, meaning
faith, thus fidelis means faithful.
79
―Through a special sacrament, [God] enriches and
strengthens those he has already consecrated by Holy Baptism, that they may be faithful
to each other for ever and assume all the responsibilities of married life‖ (ROCM, no.
15). Being faithful to each other creates a fertile context for the spouses so that they will
grow in faithfulness more and more, eschewing the dangers of infidelity and disloyalty.
Fidelity also makes them deepen in love forming them into ―one heart and one mind.‖
78
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 268.
79
The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, s.v. ―Fidelity,‖ 406.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 223
The rites of marriage also indicate that fidelity provides a fertile ground for faith to grow
and mature in their marital life: ―sanctify our souls with Your truth so that we may be
faithful to your words and obedient to Your commandments‖ (SMB, 136). Human
fidelity corresponds to the Truth, from a theological perspective, that God joined man
and woman, and what God joins together no one can separate. As a result, the
commitment of one person to their spouse based on this Truth becomes the basis of the
indissoluble and indivisible love between the spouses.
To give oneself to another on this basis of the Truth makes their commitment ultimately
productive and positive – productive in the sense that their spousal fidelity becomes the
seeds of faith to grow in the fertile field of their marital life; positive means the
commitment to each other is neither something destructive nor a matter of reinforcement
or power but contains the seeds of lasting love and fidelity. As we see in the Roman Rite,
―this singular union of man and a woman requires, and the good of the children demands,
the complete fidelity of the spouses and the indissoluble unity of bond‖ (ROCM, no. 11;
SMB, 126). Additionally, the rites pray that God may bless the couple so that they may
be able to live a life of chastity and fidelity. It further affirms that faithfulness involves a
total giving of oneself to the other through the everyday responsibilities and activities of
intimacy and love, to the ongoing process of deepening the marital bond that will
eventually keep the unity between the spouses indissoluble and indivisible. Hence it is
important that ―[t]hey live chastity through their exclusive relationship with one another
by rejecting all sexual activity apart from their spouse.‖
80
At the time of their declaration
of consent, in the rites the couple promises ―to live in love and fidelity, and with oneness
of mind‖ (SMB, 148), and they ask for God‘s constant assistance to unconditionally keep
this promise in the certainties and uncertainties, facing both the difficulties and joys of
life.
Exploring the three traditions‘ rites of marriage further gives the impression that we
could find a common element of placing the new spouses in the history of salvation by
mentioning different personalities of the Biblical history. There are prayers which plead
to God that the blessing God has given to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob
and Rachel, Joseph and Aseneth, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joachim and Anna is to be
given to the new spouses too. It signifies that ―marriage implies faithfulness, and the
Biblical personalities and episodes enumerated in the prayers affirm the first and
foremost truth: that God remains faithful to His people in spite of all historical
80
Donna Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ in Companion to Marital Spirituality, ed. Thomas Knieps-Port
le Roi and Monica Sandor (Louvain-Paris-Dudley (MA): Peeters, 2008), 173; William P. Roberts,
―Christian Marriage: A Divine Calling,‖ in Marriage in the Catholic Tradition: Scripture, Tradition and
Experience, ed. Thomas M. Kelly, John J. O‘Keefe, and Todd A. Salzman (New York: Crossroad,
2004), 105-106.
224 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
vicissitudes and human sins, as long as man has faith in God.‖
81
As the rite of marriage
affirms, God is faithful to humanity, and God‘s faithfulness teaches to be faithful to one
another and to protect their covenantal relationship (ROCM, no. 125).
82
In other words,
the rite of marriage invites the spouses to the anamnesis whereby they recollect God‘s
special intervention in the life of the biblical ancestors. Hence, anamnesis is also a
constitutive element of the celebration of the marriage. As Kenneth Stevenson writes,
―Marriage in general, and now this marriage in particular, is
contextualized in the economy of divine salvation, seen as a long,
continuous history of God‘s presence and assistance as generation after
generation of believers have tried to live in marriage a life of faith. This
anamnesis has the effect of relating the present couple to the ancestors:
to Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sarah, Issac and Rebeccah, Jacob
and Rachael, Tobit and Sarah, Joachim and Anna, Zachary and
Elizabeth, and the anonymous couple at Cana. […]. The whole
succession of generations is somehow summed up in this bridal pair: in
a certain sense, they become Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah and
the rest. They become more than themselves, assuming a role which
transcends their individual lives and loves and faith: they become
Everyman and Everywoman (…), icons of the holy nation wedded to
its God. In Christian usage, the image of the couple representing Israel
yields, of course, to the image of the couple as living icons of Christ
and the Church, based on Ephesians 5.‖
83
Hence, the empowering divine intervention is always needed to strengthen the bond of
love in faithfulness and fidelity. The different symbols used in the rites of marriage
further affirm the mutual fidelity is one of the essential features of marital life. During
the blessing of the Thali, it is prayed: ―may this thali, the very symbol of unity, bind
them to indivisible love and fullness of fidelity. May the cross, embossed on it, give
them strength to bear cheerfully the sorrows of life, and to lead a life pleasing to You.
May this also be a symbol of their fidelity‖ (SMB, 145). Further, rings are understood as
the ―symbol of their mutual love and fidelity‖ (SMB, 146; ROCM, no. 19), as a reminder
that ―those who wear them may remain entirely faithful to each other, abide in peace and
in your will, and live always in mutual charity‖ (SMB, 146; ROCM, no. 19). Hence, the
total fidelity removes the desire to replace it with immediate gratification and
81
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 36; The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, 406.
82
―[U]nder your protection they may always be faithful in their lives to the covenant they have sealed in
your presence‖ and ―bless this couple to live a happy married life of chastity and fidelity‖ (SMB, 126;
141).
83
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 262. ―Remembering salvific events in liturgy
has great significance. Pope John Paul II explains the biblical meaning of remembering as ‗a making
present‘ of the works brought about by God in the history of salvation. The saving events which
culminated in Christ are events that not only belong to the past; they are also part of the ―today‖ of
salvation. The Pope continues to explain the connection between what took place in history and in the
life of the Church. ―This making present comes about above all in Liturgy; what God accomplished
centuries ago did not only affect the direct witnesses of those events; it continues to affect people in
every age with its gift of grace.‖ Puthuparampil, ―The Commemoration of Mary,‖ 315-316.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 225
impermanence and demands from the couple a conjugal life of permanence till their
death.
4.3.1.3. A Call to Holiness
The Praenotanda or General Introduction of the Roman Rite of Marriage affirms that
God invites the couples to marriage and continuing the invitation in the married life of
the couples (ROCM, no. 11). Here, the emphasis is on the ongoing process of marriage;
as it is said, ―wedding is an event, the marriage is a process.‖
84
As the nuptial liturgy
acknowledges, by celebrating the sacrament of marriage, the spouses are blessed with the
grace to live what they celebrate in the sacrament. It also witnesses the mystery of the
union of Christ with the Church through ―their relationship with one another and in
welcoming and educating their children, they help one another grow in holiness.‖
85
As a
result, in the sacrament of marriage the spouses begin a new state of life, taking into
account their own individual capabilities and particularities. And in this union of
marriage, they bind together all these specificities and establish a shared holiness in a
special way (ROCM, no. 119). The liturgies of marriage emphasize their responsibility to
assist each other in walking ―in the path of holiness.‖ Consequently, the path of conjugal
life is a one of shared holiness, leading to the redemption of the spouse, because ―if
marital love is to touch upon the whole of another‘s life, touching the most profound
depths of one‘s spouse, that love cannot but be redemptive.‖
86
Moving further, we see that the prayers of the liturgies of marriage relate the sacrament
of marriage with the sacrament of baptism by presenting baptism as the beginning of a
new life of faith, and ―the font and foundation of every vocation.‖
87
Thus, the liturgy of
marriage asks God that the gift of marriage would reawaken the gift of holiness received
at in the sacrament of baptism in those who are present for the celebration of marriage.
88
It is well expressed in Amoris Laetitia: ―Mutual self-giving in the sacrament of
matrimony is grounded in the grace of baptism which establishes the foundational
covenant of every person with Christ in the Church.‖
89
We see a direct link between the
84
Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 176.
85
Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 177. ―Thus, the Italian Bishop‘s Conference, in adapting the text of
the Ordo, makes explicit an important dimension of the sacrament, thus enriching through the liturgy
itself the theological understanding of marriage which impacts also marital spirituality. On the theme of
marriage as a way of living the fullness of the baptismal vocation,‖ Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖
177
86
Daniel C. Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life: A Theology of Christian Marriage (Lanham: University
press of America, 2005), 115.
87
Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 177.
88
Orsuto suggests that the Italian Bishop‘s Conference, in adapting the text of the Roman Rite of
Marraige, made explicit an important dimension of the sacrament that ―marriage as a way of living the
fullness of the baptismal vocation,‖ Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 177.
89
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 73
226 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of marriage in the liturgies of marriage (ROCM,
no. 7).
90
The rite of blessing and putting on the manthrakodi is also one of the significant
moments which show an explicit relationship between these two sacraments. The bridal
robe, manthrakodi, signifies the robe of glory as received in the sacrament of baptism. It
also referred to the robe of glory that the couples are expected to receive in the bridal
chamber after a sanctified life here on earth (SMB, 146). It is in this context that it is
affirmed that ―[g]lory is manifestation of divinity and holiness. Thus, the mantrakodi is
also a sign of growth in divinity and holiness from baptism, and the divine and holy
context before the Fall into which the couple is drawn.‖
91
Receiving the blessed cloak
from the hands of her betrothed, the woman accepts the man and his readiness to protect
and lead her on the path of holiness. Additionally, putting on the cloak on the bride, the
bridegroom is taking up his responsibility of leading his wife to the path of holiness and
protecting her with sanctity and divinity. The liturgies of marriage also points to their
way of holiness through their conjugal love they have for one another.
92
Moving further, the liturgies of marriage affirm that married life is not a way of total
detachment from their sexual or conjugal love. Reasonably, it is related to the
responsible use of their sexuality leading to the sanctity of their married life. ―The bond
of marriage, then, also serves a social good; it stands for the right order of human
sexuality against those forces of human sexuality that are destructive and fragmenting. It
was precisely this bond, this giving to each other, that came to define the bond and
redemptive nature of conjugal love.‖
93
In other words, marriage is also a dignified
vocation in the path of shared holiness. ―Marriage is a vocation, inasmuch as it is a
response to a specific call to experience conjugal love as an imperfect sign of the love
between Christ and the Church. Consequently, the decision to marry and to have a family
ought to be the fruit of a process of vocational discernment.‖
94
It implies that through the
marriage, the spouses are specifically invited to the fullest expression of their Christian
life through a way of life proper to their own marital status.
It further affirms that their spirituality is not of a lesser order than that of any other
particular states of life in the church. ―While married people incorporate into their
90
SMK and SMB underscores that the significance of Baptism in the marriage rites: SMK, 96; SMB, 146.
91
Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 141.
92
Thatcher, ―Nuptial Imagery in Christian Doctrine,‖ 207.
93
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 113.
94
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 72. Orsuto affirms that marriage is ―to be lived out in
the context of baptism and the Eucharist as a gift of the Spirit and is complementary to other vocations in
the Church.‖ Donna Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ in Companion to Marital Spirituality, ed.
Thomas Knieps-Port le Roi and Monica Sandor (Louvain-Paris-Dudley (MA): Peeters, 2008), 170;
Andrea Grillo, ―Towards a Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ in Companion to Marital
Spirituality, ed. Thomas Knieps-Port le Roi and Monica Sandor (Louvain-Paris-Dudley (MA): Peeters,
2008), 253. ―Sexuality is a powerful force and passion in human life.‖ Daniel C. Hauser, Marriage and
Christian Life: A Theology of Christian Marriage (Lanham: University press of America, 2005), 113.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 227
spiritual life many of the traditional disciplines of spiritual growth, e.g., fasting, prayer,
and almsgiving, they also strive to embody within their conjugal relationship special
emphases that contribute to their particular spirituality.‖
95
The Dogmatic Constitution on
the Church makes it explicit by saying, ―Married couples and Christian parents should
follow their own proper path to holiness by faithful love, sustaining one another in grace
throughout the entire length of their lives.‖
96
The liturgies of marriage exhort the spouses that there may be moments of difficulties,
wants and influence of evil in their marital life. Hence, it encourages the spouses to
receive blessings from the Lord so that they may become holy: ―loving one another and
renouncing the evil one, obedient to your divine majesty, and blessing our enemies‖
(SMK, 146; 113). It further pleads that God may clothe the spouses ―with the victorious
armor which guards […] from the power of the enemy‖ (SMK, 146, 126). It recognizes
that a union of the hearts is an essential element to draw nearer to the holiness of God
and to free from the slavery of Satan.
97
Briefly, the rites of marriage recognize that there
will be moments of trials and tribulations in marriage. Those moments will question the
unity of the spouses, their promise to being for one another in every moment of their life
that makes their life indissoluble and causes the commitment itself to disappear.
However, the liturgies exhort the couple to prosper ―in a communion of prayers‖ (SMB,
150), to receive the strength from the Gospel, and to follow the Christian virtues in and
through their marital life (ROCM, no. 22).
They are also asked to lead a sanctified life like the Holy Family, who lived ―a life of
penance and peace‖, and to follow the good examples of the holy ones (ROCM, no. 22).
Additionally, they should struggle to keep their pledge to ―live in love and fidelity and
with oneness of mind‖ (SMB, 148) and ―remain faithful in the marriage covenant‖, to
receive the blessing of God which keeps them ―in pure love and perfect dedication‖
(ROCM, no. 22).
98
In this section we have been dealing with how the liturgies of marriage portray the
spouses‘ revival and deepening of their baptismal vocation in order to grow in holiness.
It includes moments of joy and moments of sorrow, and this allows each to depend on
the other in the path of shared holiness. It further calls them to recognize the need to rely
95
The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, s.v. ―Marriage ‖ 624.
96
Second Vatican Council, ―Lumen Gentium,‖ 41. Referring to the Familiaris consortio Pope Francis
reminds that ―by treating conjugal love (cf. No. 13), he [Pope John Paul II] described how spouses, in
their mutual love, receive the gift of the Spirit of Christ and live their call to holiness.‖ Pope Francis,
Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, §, 69.
97
Syro Malankara Rite of Marriage, 113. Daniel W. Hardy, ―Sermon at a Marriage,‖ in God‟s Ways with
the World: Thinking and Practising Christian Faith, ed. Daniel W. Hardy (Edinburgh: Clark, 1997),
398.
98
The couple are invited through the sacrament to recognize that ―dying and rising is the law of Christian
love.‖ Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 178.
228 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
on God; thereby they discover the uniqueness of marriage as a life of holiness emerging
from their conjugal love and life.
4.3.2. The Ecclesial Dimension of the Rite of Marriage
Most of the rituals and prayers in marriage rites recognize the baptismal basis of
Christian marriage and the active presence of the ecclesial community in the celebration
of the marriage rite. It further prompts us to analyze the ecclesial significance of
Christian marriage as revealed by the liturgies of marriage.
99
4.3.2.1. Marriage: The Entrance into the Domestic Church
The rites of marriage make it clear that one of the basic requirements for Christian
marriage is the sacrament of baptism, because it is ―[t]hrough baptism, which is the
Sacrament of faith, [that] a man and woman are once and for all incorporated into the
covenant of Christ with the Church.‖
100
The sacrament of baptism thus marks one‘s entry
into the Church. Every individual is born into the Church by the sacrament of baptism by
which he or she becomes a Christian, and thus his or her Christian identity is the
extension of the identity of the ecclesial community.
101
Thus, the man and woman, who
have become members of the Church through the sacrament of baptism, begin a conjugal
community and ―form a home of their own‖ (ROCM, no. 52) through the ―special
sacrament‖ (ROCM, no. 59) of marriage. The Syro-Malabar rite of marriage very
99
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 8; International Theological Commission, ―Propositions on the
Doctrine of Christian Marriage‖.
100
ROCM, no. 7; The Syro-Malankara rite put it in the following words, ―[t]hrough the holy Baptism he
gave me spiritual shield and he put on my fingers rings of His Body and Blood‖ (SMK, 96). Code of
Canon Law, § 1124 states the condition if one partner is not baptized. ―Without the express permission
of the competent authority, marriage is prohibited between two baptized persons, one of whom was
baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it after baptism and has not defected from it by a formal
act, the other of whom belongs to a Church or ecclesial community not in full communion with the
Catholic Church.‖ However, the following canon express that permission can be given for reasonable
cause. Code of Canon Law, § 1125 ―The local Ordinary can grant this permission if there is a just and
reasonable cause. He is not to grant it unless the following conditions are fulfilled: 1° the Catholic party
is to declare that he or she is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith, and is to make a
sincere promise to do all in his or her power in order that all the children be baptized and brought up in
the Catholic Church; 2° the other party is to be informed in good time of these promises to be made by
the Catholic party, so that it is certain that he or she is truly aware of the promise and of the obligation of
the Catholic party. 3° both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of
marriage, which are not to be excluded by either contactant.‖
101
―The entrance of the baptized into the new people of God through Baptism is a communion with a
saved, worshipping and consecrated congregation.‖ Patros Yousif, ―An Introduction to East Syrian
Spirituality: Liturgical, Ecclesial and Theological Dimensions,‖ in East Syrian Spirituality, ed. Agustine
Thottakara (Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 1990), 42. The sacrament of baptism of each Church
confirms the rebirth of every individual in the ecclesial community. For instances in the sacraments of
Malankara Church we read the following: ―The Holy Spirit gave new birth through this holy Baptism‖
(SMK, 49); ―O Lord God, who sent the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and sanctified the waters of
Jordan, perfect this, your servant who receives baptism, making him (her) pure through this salvific
washing and make him (her) a partaker with Christ‖ (SMK, 46).
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 229
particularly affirms that a marriage is a beginning of a ―[n]ew family in Church through
Covenant with Christ by Sacrament of Love‖ (SMB, 127).
102
In the same vein, the Syro-
Malankara rite makes it clear that a new family is formed by making them spouses
through the seal of covenant by Christ (SMK, 130). In other words, the rites of marriage
place the sacrament of baptism as the foundation for the sacrament of marriage,
―marrying in Christ.‖ It further affirms that the theology of sacrament of marriage begins
with the theology of the sacrament of baptism, dying and rising with Christ.
103
All three traditions‘ rites place the new spouses in the long chain of families represented
in the history of salvation (ROCM, no. 33, 37; SMB, 147; SMK, 104-105). Further, it
affirms that the spouses signify and participate in the covenantal union between Christ
and the Church (ROCM, no. 3, 14). ―In Christian usage, the image of the couple
representing Israel yields, of course, to the image of the couple as living icons of Christ
and the Church, based on Ephesians 5. […]. Properly understood, this could provide a
starting point for a theology of the household as a domestic Church constituted by
marriage.‖
104
Hence, the new home formed by the spouses is a reflection of the union of
Christ and the Church. In this context, the ―home of their own‖ is a ―domestic Church‖,
the basic unit of the Church at large.
105
This understanding presents the idea that the
sacramental union of the spouses and forming of a new home is taking place within the
wedding ceremonies, and thus that the sacrament of marriage is a doorway into the
domestic church.
106
In becoming the primary unit of the Church, the spouses take up the
102
Antony Chundelikkat, ―Role of Family in the Transmission of Faith and Morality,‖ in Mar Thoma
Maragam: The Ecclesial Heritage of the St Thomas Christians, ed. Andrews George Mekkattukunnel
(Kottayam: OIRSI Publications, 2012), 697-698.
103
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 271.
104
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 263; Stevenson affirms that ―the role of
remembering or anamnesis is to situate this marriage in a larger context of God‘s creative and
redemptive work, to identify these two people with the couples to flit across the history of that work as
recorded in the Scriptures, and to turn them into icons of the redeeming Christ and redeemed humanity.‖
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 262-264.
105
It was Bishop Pietro Fiordelli who introduced the idea that ―the family is the domestic Church‖ into
mainstream Catholic theological thought during the Second Vatican II. When Bishop Pietro Fiordelli
used the term ―family as the domestic Church‖ he focuses, as translated by Basilio Petrà that ―the
sacrament brings into being a stable community of persons who are endowed with a ministry and with a
corresponding grace, a community that has specific mission in the Church and hence possesses a
structural dignity in the Church. Indeed, it is the first organic structural level of the Church from the
bottom up.‖ Basilio Petrà, ―Bishop Pietro Fiordelli (1916-2004) at the Council: The Bishop of Prato and
the Strange Origin of the Theology of the Family as a ‗Domestic Church‘,‖ INTAMS review 19, no. 1
(2013), 21. A similar reference to the idea that family is the domestic church is stated in Familiaris
Consortio: ―Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion,
and for this reason too it can and should be called ‗the domestic Church.‘‖ Pope John Paul II, Familiaris
Consortio, § 51. For a detailed description of the evolution of the concept that family is a domestic
church see also Florence Caffrey Bourg, Where Two or Three Are Gathered: Christian Families as
Domestic Churches (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2004), 8-14. Cardinal Marc Ouellet
affirms that ―the relationship between Baptism and marriage, which is the foundation of the ecclesial
status of the family.‖ Ouellet, ―Marriage and the Family within the Sacramentality of the Church,‖ 233.
106
The dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium states that ―[f]rom the wedlock of Christians there comes the
230 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
responsibility ―to celebrate fruitfully the mystery of the union of Christ and the Church,
to live it rightly, and to bear witness to it publicly before all‖ (ROCM, no. 11).
Additionally, these newly formed domestic Churches, as the Introduction to the Roman
Rite of marriage specifies, ―have their own place and particular gift among the People of
God‖ (ROCM, no. 8). Further, the Roman rite of marriage asserts that the forming of the
new home is done through the declaration of their consent, by which they ―enter into the
covenant of Holy Matrimony‖ and ―the Lord strengthens the consent [they] have
declared before the Church‖ (ROCM, no. 61, 64).
107
Referring to the conciliar document
Lumen Gentium, Amoris Laetitia reiterates this idea:
―Christ the Lord ‗makes himself present to the Christian spouses in the
sacrament of marriage‘ (48) and remains with them. In the incarnation, he
assumes human love, purifies it and brings it to fulfillment. By his Spirit, he
gives spouses the capacity to live that love permeating every part of their lives of
faith, hope and charity. In this way, the spouses are consecrated and by means of
a special grace build up the body of Christ and form a domestic Church (cf.
Lumen Gentium, 11), so that the Church, in order fully to understand her
mystery, looks to the Christian family which manifests her in a real way.‖
108
The couple is reminded that they are ―in the presence of the Church‖ (no. 59) and invited
to declare their intention and consent ―before God and his Church‖ (no. 61).
109
All the
three liturgies make sure that the ecclesial community and the particular persons as the
witness to the proclamation of the consent by the spouses (SMB, 144). The Syro-
Malankara Church makes it explicit by saying ―that you now stand before the very
presence of God, before the altar which is the throne of our Lord Jesus Christ, before the
holy Cross, before the holy Gospel, and before this congregation‖ (SMK, 138). Thus,
marriage is recognized as an ecclesial act. It demands that the consent the spouses
declare be recognized in the ecclesial community and assures them of the support of this
community throughout their marital life. This assurance of support is well expressed in
family […]. The family is, so to speak, the domestic Church.‖ Second Vatican Council, ―Lumen
Gentium,‖ §11. Liam Kelly also states in the same line of thought: ―It is a sacrament whereby the couple
reflect the love of Christ for the Church, they make it visible in their own lives, and in this way they
form the ‗domestic Church.‘‖ Kelly, ―Matrimony,‖ 167. The expression marriage as a door is used by
Joseph Martos when he speaks about the transforming power of marriage during and after the
celebration of marriage: ―Its [celebration of marriage] words and gestures, even the bearing and
expressions of its participants, symbolize to the bride and groom and the others who are present the
meaning and importance of what is happening and what is about to happen to this couple. They are being
transformed, and they are going to be transformed even further. And the wedding is a door through
which they enter into that sacred transformation.‖ Martos, Doors to the Sacred, 395.
107
Pope John Paul II affirms this, stating that ―[t]he sign which they constitute by the words of
matrimonial consent is not a mere immediate and passing sign, but a sign looking to the future which
produces a lasting effect, namely, the marriage bond, one and indissoluble (‗all the days of my life‘, that
is, until death.‖ Pople John Paul II, ―The Sacramental Covenant in the Dimension of sign,‖
L‟osservatore Romano 767, no. 3 (1983), 9.
108
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 67.
109
Peter J. Elliot states that the ―baptismal character [of the spouses] makes their matrimonial consent the
consent of Christ and his Church, an ecclesial consent.‖ Elliott, What God has Joined, 67.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 231
the priest‘s exhortation to the community: ―let us support them with our affection, with
our friendship, and with our prayer as their brothers and sisters‖ (ROCM, no. 52).
110
The
significance of the ecclesial community in the life of the spouses before their marriage,
during its celebration, and ever after in their family life is made explicit in the rites of
marriage.
111
Also emphasizing the ecclesial character of the rite of marriage is the liturgical
procession of the bride and the bridegroom together with the priest and assembly, which
becomes uniquely significant (SMB, 125; ROCM, no. 45-50). This procession is a
remarkable adaptation in the rites, replacing the bridal procession of earlier periods. It
rightly focuses on the ecclesial character of marriage by making it a procession of the
ecclesial community. It further denotes that the ecclesial community recognizes the
decision of the man and the woman to form a home of their own. The ecclesial
community is accompanying the spouses throughout the sacrament of marriage and their
active participation implies their joy in the formation of this new domestic Church
(ROCM, nos. 45-54, 65). Furthermore, the presence of the community also ensures the
new couples that the ecclesial community will accompany them in the new journey they
begin.
The rites of marriage also envision marriage as a responsibility of the ecclesial
community, and thus the community is looked upon to help prepare the spouses for this
sacrament. Since ―the Sacrament of Matrimony presupposes and demands faith,‖ the
pastors and the ―entire ecclesial community‖ are instructed to prepare the engaged
couples and ―nourish their faith‖, so that they are helped to preserve ―a Christian spirit
and advance in perfection‖ (ROCM, no. 16). Again, the rites emphasize that for the
reception of the sacrament of matrimony, the spouses must have already received the
other sacraments, namely, baptism, confirmation, penance, and Eucharist (ROCM, no.
18; 29). Through the nuptial sacrament, the sacramental grace prevalent in the Church is
given to the spouses. Consequently, the rites emphasize that marriage is not ―under the
regime of sin.‖
112
In huttomo prayer, the Syro-Malankara Church represents the prayer
110
Syro-Malabar rite also prays for the spouses that they may have sincere friends throughout their lives
especially in the times of need (SMB, 150).
111
Antonio, An Inculturation Model, 40.
112
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explores the concept ―marriage [is] under the regime of sin‖ in a
broad manner when it deals with marriage. ―Every man experiences evil around him and within himself.
This experience makes itself felt in the relationships between man and woman. Their union has always
been threatened by discord, a spirit of domination, infidelity, jealousy, and conflicts that can escalate
into hatred and separation. This disorder can manifest itself more or less acutely, and can be more or less
overcome according to the circumstances of cultures, eras, and individuals, but it does seem to have a
universal character. According to faith the disorder we notice so painfully does not stem from the nature
of man and woman, nor from the nature of their relations, but from sin. As a break with God, the first sin
had for its first consequence the rupture of the original communion between man and woman. Their
relations were distorted by mutual recriminations; their mutual attraction, the Creator‘s own gift,
changed into a relationship of domination and lust; and the beautiful vocation of man and woman to be
232 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
for the remission of the sins same as the one used in the Eucharist referring that the
spouses should receive the sacrament of marriage in a worthy and graceful manner
(SMK, 110-113). Recognizing the possibility of the sinfulness of a human person, the
rites of marriage are constructed within the framework of receiving the grace of
sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and penance. Hence, the Christian is offered the
possibility of receiving the sacrament of marriage under the order of grace and not sin.
The SMK preserves several features of the Eucharist in the structure and the text of the
rite of marriage as seen in the ROCM and the SMB. Nevertheless, Syro-Malankara
Church does not provide any option to celebrate the rite of marriage together with the
Eucharist. Thus, it is important that the connection between marriage and Eucharist in
the Syro-Malankara Church has to be affirmed: ―What better way does the Church have
to show to its children the true sacramental meaning of the act they are
accomplishing.‖
113
In other words, the ecclesial dimension of marriage is stressed throughout the liturgies of
marriage: ―It is a vocation celebrated by the Church, it is a vocation to be lived in the
Church, and most importantly it is a vocation that is supported by the Church.‖
114
This is
the reason that the sacrament of marriage is not just a family affair, but a community
celebration, very particularly an ecclesial celebration. It is a sign that ―the local Church
will be there to support the couple in ‗good times and in bad, in sickness and in health,‘
as they strive to live out their vocation.‖
115
Hence, the liturgical theology indicated by
the marriage rites specifies that marriage is rooted and oriented towards God, the
ecclesial community and the world at large. As a result, the union of man and woman in
the sacrament of marriage is not only a beginning of a small family but also a new
Christian community with particular responsibilities in the Church and in the society.
4.3.2.2. Marriage: Undertaking the Three-fold Functions of the Faithful
The aforementioned section discussed that through the celebration of the rites of
marriage, the spouses form a home of their own in the Body of Christ, the Church. In
marriage, thus, the couple takes up the responsibility to be the ―fundamental cell of the
Church.‖
116
By becoming the ―fundamental cell in the Church,‖ the newborn family
becomes the ―cradle of love and life‖
117
in the Church. The rites of marriage also points
fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth was burdened by the pain of childbirth and the toil of work.‖ The
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1606 and 1607.
113
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 32.
114
Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 181.
115
Orsuto, ―Marriage as a Vocation,‖ 181.
116
Pope John Paul II, ―Marriage and the Family Linked to the Paschal Mystery of Jesus,‖ L‟Osservatore
Romano 805, no. 42 (1983), 11, § 2.
117
Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
(Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vatican, 2005), § 209.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 233
out that this newly formed domestic church participates in ―the threefold functions of the
faithful‖, namely the priestly, prophetic and kingly. The decree on the Apostolate of
Laity of the Second Vatican Council states that the families ―share in the priestly,
prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of
the whole people of God in the Church and in the world.‖
118
They fulfill their priestly
ministry by accepting ―in faith‖ whatever comes to their life and ―grow in faith‖ through
their daily activities (ROCM, no. 223; 226). Their prophetic ministry is exercised in
bearing ―faithful witness to the name of Christian‖ (ROCM, no. 251). Together with
these functions, they administer their kingly role so that ―united in body and heart, they
might fulfill their calling in the world‖ (ROCM, no. 242).
119
It implies that they will be
the ―witnesses in the world to God‘s charity‖ and especially to ―the afflicted and needy‖
(ROCM, no. 77). Thus, the rite clearly expresses that the apostolate given to the spouses
is challenging and demands a constant faithful commitment on the part of the spouses.
The rite of marriage thus guarantees that the spouses can fulfill their responsibilities by
the grace of God, through the growth in their conjugal communion and by the continued
support of the ecclesial community (ROCM, nos. 10, 11, 26, 35, 52, 53, 59, 73 and 77).
In other words, as part of their vocation, the spouses confer a specific mission in the
Church ―to build up the people of God.‖
120
As Thomas Knieps suggests, it implies that
married couples are to be treated not as objects of the ―saving care located predominantly
in the hierarchy, but as full subjects of a saving mission whose bearer is the whole people
of God.‖
121
As a result, the spouses are entrusted with a unique mission of enriching the
Church through their love and life.
118
Second Vatican Council, ―Degree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 18
November, 1965,‖ in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, ed. Norman Tanner and
Giuseppe Alberigo (Washington: Georgetown University Press, 1990), §2; Catechism of the Catholic
Church, § 871; Code of Canon Law, 204 § 1. In relation to the threefold functions of the family,
Familiaris Consortio specifies them in an explicit manner: ―The spouses exercise their priestly ministry
through transforming their everyday experiences.‖ Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 59. The
spouses put into effect their prophetic mission ―by bearing witness to the Kingdom and peace of Christ,
towards which the whole world is journeying.‖ Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 48. As the
kingly people of God, the spouses are ―called to exercise its ‗service‘ of love towards God and towards
its fellow human beings.‖ Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 63.
119
The decree of the Second Vatican Council on the Apostolate of Laity stresses that the spouses are called
to ―manifest and prove by their own way of life the indissolubility and sacredness of the marriage bond‖
so that they will be able to exercise ―the right and duty of parents and guardians to educate children in a
Christian manner, and to defend the dignity and lawful autonomy of the family.‖ Second Vatican
Council, ―Apostolicam Actuositatem,‖ § 11.
120
Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1534; ―The Church earnestly enjoins on husband and wife, the duty
of attachment, of mutual fidelity, of mutual love, the duty of bearing one another‘s faults with patience,
of sacrificing their selfish desires for their common good, the duty of leading their children in such a
manner that the latter shall grow up in their turn good soldiers of Christ and good citizens of society.‖
Ayyar, Anthropology of the Syrian Christians, 110.
121
Adrian Thatcher, Celebrating Christian Marriage (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 2001), 105-118; Kiesling,
―The Liturgy of Christian Marriage: Introduction to Marital Spirituality,‖ 7.
234 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
Consequently, one of the major responsibilities undertaken by the new couple in the
Church is that they should creatively contribute to building up the Church. The
Introduction to the Roman Rite of Marriage makes it explicit that ―the institution of
Marriage itself and conjugal love are, by their very nature, ordered to the procreation and
formation of children and find in them, as it were, their ultimate crown‖ (ROCM, no. 2;
SMB, 148; 150). The procreation and formation of children is a responsibility given in
marital life. One of the questions asked of the spouses in the course of examining their
preparedness to enter into the sacrament of matrimony is whether they are willing and
ready to ―accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law
of Christ and his Church‖ (ROCM, no. 60). Further, in the nuptial blessing and in the
final prayer of the rite, there is an explicit petition made for the new family: to be
―blessed with children‖ (ROCM, nos. 74, 77). However, the rites also recognize that
marriage is not directly aimed only at procreation, open to life. Consequently, the
fatherhood and motherhood is not simply a mere function that the man and woman
perform, but they become means of participating in the creative love of God wherein the
total sharing and union shapes their identity as spouses.
In accepting children into their life, the spouses fulfill their responsibility to be
collaborators with God, their creator, so it may be that ―the creator and Savior […]
through them increases and enriches his family day to day‖ (ROCM, no. 10). The
spouses, thus, in marriage, by ―living out together the gift of Matrimony […] may [adorn
their family with children and] enrich the Church‖ (ROCM, no. 244).‖
122
In relation to
children, the Church looks upon the spouses with hope in the formation of their children
by handing down the Christian faith they believe and live. In procreation and in bringing
up the children in the ―law of Christ and his Church,‖ the spouses partake in the
expansion of the Body of Christ, the Church (ROCM, no. 60). One of the prayers
presents this idea:
―For you [God] have forged the covenant of Marriage as a sweet yoke
of harmony and an unbreakable bond of peace, so that the chaste and
fruitful love of holy Matrimony may serve to increase the children you
adopt as your own. By your providence and grace, O Lord, you
accomplish the wonder of this twofold design: that, while the birth of
children brings beauty to the world, their rebirth in Baptism gives
increase to the Church, through Christ our Lord‖ (ROCM, no. 199).
123
122
Italics added for emphasis. Roman Rite of Marriage, 244
123
Basilio Petrà affirms these procreative and formative responsibilities of the married couples as
―ecclesial functions to the spouses‖ because, in and through these functions, they are participating in
―the external growth of the Christian body (the ordered procreation of children) and the first religious
education of the children.‖ Petrà, ―Origin of the Theology of the Family as a ‗Domestic Church‘,‖ 21.
Along the same lines, Pope John Paul II teaches that ―[t]he Christian family is grafted into the mystery
of the Church in such a way as to become a sharer, in its own way, of the saving mission proper to the
Church.‖ Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 49.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 235
In this prayer, the responsibilities of the spouses are noted, and two dimensions are
apparent: firstly, that their conjugal love could be open to life; and secondly, that it is
only through the ―rebirth in Baptism‖ that the ―increase to the Church‖ might take place.
This clearly highlights the fact that it is not only in giving birth but also in baptizing and
forming their children in the faith that the spouses share in the building up of the Church.
4.3.2.3. Liturgy of Marriage during Mixed Marriages
Discussing the ecclesial dimension of marriage also ushers in the need to discuss mixed
marriages from an ecumenical perspective. Mixed marriage denotes ―any marriage
between a Catholic and a baptized Christian who is not in full communion with the
Catholic Church.‖
124
Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches recognize that
mixed marriages are forbidden without the prior permission of the competent
authority.
125
They, the CIC and CCEO and the particular laws of Syro-Malabar and Syro-
Malankara Churches, further affirm that only for ―just and reasonable cause‖ may a
mixed marriage be celebrated.
126
The CIC declares that the permission is to be granted if
the following conditions are fulfilled:
―1° The Catholic party declares that he or she is prepared to remove dangers of
falling away from the faith and makes a sincere promise to do all in his or her
power to have all the offspring baptized and educated in the Catholic Church;
2° The other party is to be informed at an appropriate time of these promises
which the Catholic party has to make, so that it is clear that the other party is
truly aware of the promise and obligation of the Catholic party;
3° Both parties are to be instructed on the essential ends and properties of
marriage, which are not to be excluded by either spouse‖ (CIC, can. 1125).
These conditions are also affirmed in the CCEO, can. 814 and reiterated in the particular
Law of the Syro-Malabar Church can. 183, which specifies that the permission for the
mixed marriage is given ―with due regard for all provisions of common law‖ (can. 548).
However, when it details the conditions for the mixed marriages, it does not mention the
third condition, that the couples are to be ―instructed on the essential ends and properties
of marriage.‖ With regard to the form of marriage, the Syro-Malabar Church affirms that
the form of the celebration of marriage prescribed by the law has to be followed when
marriage is celebrated between two baptized individuals, where at least one of the parties
celebrating is baptized in the Catholic Church. Dispensation from the form for the
124
Pope John Paul II, Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (Vatican:
Vatican City, 1993), 143.
125
CIC can. 1124; CCEO can. 813; The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic
Church (Trivandrm: Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2012), can. 548; Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds.,
Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 182.
126
CIC can. 1125; CCEO can. 814; Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-
Malabar Church, can. 182 § 2; The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,
can. 548.
236 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
celebration is permitted only for grave reason either by the Apostolic See or the Major
Archbishop.
127
Further, the consent of the bride and bridegroom has to be asked either by the Catholic
priest or by the non-Catholic minister in mixed marriages. However, ―avoiding scandal,
the officiating Catholic priest may invite a non-Catholic minister to read a scriptural
passage and to give a brief exhortation and to bless the couple. In like manner, the
Catholic priest may participate in a mixed marriage with the dispensation from the form
of the celebration of marriage.‖
128
The Syro-Malankara Church endorses that mixed marriage has to be ―celebrated only in
a Catholic Church.‖
129
However, when marriage between members of the Syro-
Malankara Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church takes place, ―the bride or
bridegroom, after mutual consultation, may select the Church in which the marriage is to
be celebrated.‖
130
With regard to the celebration of marriage within or without the
Eucharist, the Syro-Malabar Church affirms that a mixed marriage normally has to take
place outside the Eucharistic liturgy. However, for a just cause, the local hierarch may
permit the celebration of the Eucharist, if it is a marriage with a non-Catholic Oriental.
During such Ritual Mass, the members of the families of bride and bridegroom are
permitted to receive the Eucharist ―in the Church where the sacrament of matrimony is
being celebrated.‖
131
127
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 187. This is one
of the norms of CCEO can. 834 § 1. Further, Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on
Ecumenism states that ―Canonical form is required for the validity of marriages between Catholics and
Christians of Churches and ecclesial communities.‖ John Paul II, ―Directory for the Application of
Principles and Norms on Ecumenism,‖ § 153. However, the Local Ordinary of the Catholic partner may
dispense him/her from the observance of the canonical form of marriage for grave reasons. Such
situations include for ―maintain of family harmony, obtaining parental consent to the marriage, the
recognition of the particular religious commitment of the non-Catholic partner or hisher blood
relationship with a minister of another Church or ecclesial Community.‖ Nevertheless, ―some public
form of celebration is still required for validity.‖ John Paul II, ―Directory for the Application of
Principles and Norms on Ecumenism,‖ §§ 154, 156.
128
CCEO can. 839; CIC can. 1127 § 3; Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-
Malabar Church, can. 189 § 1; There is no direct canon for the minister of the ceremony in the particular
canons of the Syro-Malankara Church for mixed marriages. However, it specifies that ―a mixed marriage
shall be celebrated only in a Catholic Church‖, taking into account particular laws that are laid down for
marriage between Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. In such
marriages, it declares that there should not be a joint celebration by the ministers of both Churches (can.
554, 2.). John Paul II, ―Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism,‖ § 156;
The Congregation for the Eastern Churches, ―Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches‖, Libreria Editrice Vaticana
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=5123# (accessed 16 March 2020).
129
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 550.
130
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 553.
131
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 190 § 1.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 237
Pastoral guidelines are agreed upon by the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian
Orthodox Church for marriage between their members. Among them the norms for the
celebration of the inter-Church marriage are the following:
―1. The liturgical minister should be the parish priest of the church where the
marriage is celebrated or his delegate from the same ecclesiastical communion.
2. There is to be no joint celebration of marriage by the ministers of both
Churches. The marriage is to be blessed either by the Catholic or by the Syrian
Orthodox minister. However, there could be some kind of participation at the
liturgical service by the other minister who could read a scriptural passage or
preach a sermon.
3. On the occasion of these celebrations the couple, and any members of their
families who belong to these Churches, are allowed to participate in the Holy
Eucharist in the church where the sacrament of matrimony is being celebrated.
4. Proper entries must be made in the church registers and marriage certificates
should be issued for a record to be made in the register of the other Church.‖
132
In brief, the rite of marriage envisages that the spouses are the real ministers of the
sacrament of marriage, and it is confirmed through the ritual and textual elements of the
rite. The ecclesial context and the active role of the ecclesial community further affirm
this ecclesial dimension of marriage. Through the wedding ceremony, the spouses are
initiated to form a new home and this new home is a domestic church. Being the primary
unit of the Church, the spouses have a particular mission to build up the Church and to
participate in the universal mission of the Church.
4.3.3. The Social Dimension of the Rites of Marriage
Evaluating the contemporary social scenario, Werner G. Jeanrond observes that ―our
postmodern culture has concentrated on the love of the individual and neglected the
communal dimension of love, a larger work of body building.‖
133
Reading against this
background, however, we can see the rites of marriage maintaining the communitarian
dimension of love within the conjugal love relationships. Thus, in this section we
examine how the rites of marriage present the innate nature of the spouses as open to the
other and how they actualize their call for the relationship.
132
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 191 § 3. See
also, The Congregation for the Eastern Churches, ―Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions
of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches,‖ § 83. It states that ―In the case of mixed marriages
between Eastern Catholics and Orthodox, the obligation to observe the form, that is, the norm of
celebrating the Marriage in the presence of the local Hierarch or local parish priest or one delegated by
them, is required only for liceity. For their validity, however, only the blessing of a priest is required.‖
The Congregation for the Eastern Churches, ―Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches,‖ 83; CCEO can. 834 § 2.
133
Werner G. Jeanrond, A Theology of Love (London: T & T Clark, 2010), 258.
238 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
4.3.3.1. Widening the Horizon of the Matrimonial Relationship
The rites of marriage declare the divine assistance for the couple in their various ―just
and righteous‖ endeavors (SMB, 112). They portray Christ as ―the Bridegroom of truth
and justice‖ and ―the great Sun of Justice‖ (SMK, 118, 124), further affirming that the
spouses are ―to be witness in the world to God‘s charity, so that the afflicted and needy
who have known your kindness may one day receive you thankfully into the eternal
dwelling of God‖ (ROCM, no. 23). Further, the rites aver that they are called to witness
to charity through their friendship and love with others by the grace of God (ROCM, no.
189; SMB, 150; SMK, 138). Taking into account all these references, we tend to assume
that the rites of marriage affirm the idea that the sacrament of marriage is a sacrament of
service, ―directed towards the salvation of others.‖
134
As we have explained in Part three,
the ecclesial dimension of the rite of marriage, the emphasis on the participation of the
community during the celebration of the sacrament of marriage, underscores the idea that
marriage is not only a private task, but it also makes more sense when it celebrated in the
context of the community.
135
We see a greater attention to the participation of the
community given in the ROCM which thus ―underscore[s] the idea that all who attend
the wedding witness to it and are involved in the sealing of the couple‘s bond.‖
136
As a
result, the marriage is considered not only a union of two persons; rather, the couple is
opened to a community, and they are inserted into a community with a particular status
of the basic unit of the society. And in turn, the community is to hold and support them
in various moments of their life journey. Hence, the wedding liturgies and the related
guidelines recommend that ―marriage gives relation to society and thus gives what
constitutes society itself. Marriage gives society (as community, as relationality), nothing
less!‖
137
It involves a give and take dimension for the couple and the community. And
further, it affirms that charity and justice are two springs of love that emerge from the
conjugal love of the spouses.
Though love and charity are used as synonyms in everyday language, in modern
theological discussions, the term ‗charity‘ has often been used for ―works of love in
response to all kinds of need.‖
138
Werner G. Jeanrond distinguishes between charity in a
‗secularized context‘ and in a ‗Christian context‘. For him, from a secular viewpoint,
134
Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1534
135
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 187.
136
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 187.
137
Stijn Van Den Bossche, ―On the Gift of (the Sacrament of) Marriage,‖ Questions Liturgiques/Studies in
Liturgy 89, no. 4 (2008), 249.
138
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 234. Some of the ideas in relation to charity and love have been taken
from my Research Master Thesis. Jolly Vasupurathukaran Pavunny, ―The Politics of Love: An
Anthropological Analysis of Christian Love in Dialogue with Werner G. Jeanrond.‖ [Unpublished
Research Master Thesis, Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven, 2014), 39-41.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 239
―charity refers to benevolent actions and attitudes in general, i.e. to philanthropy,
compassion, care, almsgiving, solidarity, aid to the developing world etc.‖
139
When it
assumes a Christian perspective, ―charity is used as a summary term for the complex
network of individual and corporate social services within Christian Churches and
groups‖.
140
Basically, however, charity is oriented towards the well-being of the person
and the society at large. Pope Benedict XVI underlines this fact in Deus Caritas Est, and
presents the works of charity as ―an indispensable expression of her [the Church‘s] very
being.‖
141
Being part of the ecclesial community, the rites of marriage, show that the
spouses are also called to extend their nuptial love to the others in and through their life
and actions. Responding to the demands of love, spouses are called to practice charity in
their everyday life. The priest exhorts the spouses that they become like the holy ones of
the Lord by ―loving one another‖ (SMK, 113) and being ―enthusiastic in performing all
good things‖ (SMK, 138). This admonition is considered to be a ―venerable custom,
handed over by [their] holy fathers and revered ancestors‖ (SMK, 126), and it points to
the significance that is given to the performance of the good deeds by the spouses in their
life.
The Syro-Malabar Church mentions that the life-giving and divine commandments of
God have to bear ―the fruits of love‖ (SMB, 136) in the life of the participants. It also
wishes that the couple may lead a life of witness like the virtuous couple Sarah and
Tobias, who ―offered a life of justice and love‖ (SMB, 147). The call to bear the fruits of
love in the life of the spouses provides an opportunity to put their love into action,
making them loving agents; in the words of Grillo, ―[t]he gift that the other is for me and
that I am for the other becomes flesh and blood in the daily spousal life of the couple-
family. It thus can open itself to novelty, to a child as well as to a stranger, to the
neighbor as well as to the passerby.‖
142
This opening up to the other further leads to the
practical aspects of the conjugal love. It reminds the couple of their responsibility to
139
Werner G. Jeanrond, ―Charity,‖ in The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, ed. Adrian Hastings,
Alistair Mason, and Hugh Pyper (Oxford: University Press, 2000), 108. See also Jeanrond, A Theology
of Love, 234.
140
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 234. See also Jeanrond, ―Charity,‖ 108.
141
Benedict XVI, ―Deus Caritas Est ‖, Vatican
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-
xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html (accessed 12 May 2014). § 25a. This idea is taken from the
Motu Proprio on the service of charity promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI, where he clearly states that
―the service of charity is also a constituent element of the Church‘s mission and an indispensable
expression of her very being.‖ Benedict XVI, ―On the Service of Charity‖, Vatican
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-
proprio_20121111_caritas_en.html (accessed 21 May 2020).
142
Grillo, ―Towards a Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ 249.
240 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
cultivate their conjugal love in performing good works and extending their love to the
other, thereby contributing to establishing the kingdom of God here on earth.
143
In this sense, the spousal love is not only an exclusive relationship of the spouses; rather,
it includes a wider perspective by spilling out their spousal love into the giving of life
through children and to serve humanity by working for the common good. We see here
the emphasis on the practical aspects of love that inspires the spouses to put their love in
actions. In Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict emphasizes the need to put the ―fundamental
ecclesial principle into practice‖ and declares that ―as a community, the church must
practice love.‖
144
Being the smallest unit of the church, the domestic church, the rites of
marriage remind the couple to put their love into practice. Hence, when love becomes
fruitful, it opens up to the other and leads to the praxis of love. Thus, rites of marriage
ensure and sustain the flourishing of nuptial love through the actions of charity, aimed at
the welfare of others.
The rite of marriage of the Malankara Church places particular emphasis on this aspect.
In the beginning of the ceremony, we see the prayer mentioning Christ as the
Bridegroom of the truth and justice. During the crowning, the priest prays that God may
crown the newlyweds ―with the crown of justice‖ (SMK, 126). And at the end of the rites
of marriage, the prayer that the couples may ―be solicitous in truth and justice and in
good deeds, and enthusiastic in performing all good things‖ (SMK, 138) are being
expressed.
The theme that the couples must practice the virtues of justice and righteousness, in
nutshell, is one of the significant themes seen in the liturgy of marriage. The Syro-
Malabar rite of marriage puts forward the life of the Old Testament couples Tobias and
Sarah as an exemplary couple, who offered a life of love and justice as a prototype for
the new spouses (SMB, 147). It further shows the importance of this virtue in the life of
the spouses. In the most basic and popular understanding, justice is that which ―renders
to others what is due to them‖
145
and thus ensures ―the maintenance or administration of
what is just.‖
146
Theologians also argue that ―[l]ove and justice are dialectically
related‖
147
and work towards the common good, which is the well-being of all.
148
143
From a careful reading of DCE, I think we can see that the Pope thinks these same lines and so find
some possible responses to it. DCE rightly recognizes the need for works of charity like ―feeding the
hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting those in prison, etc.‖ Yet Benedict‘s
vision is not limited to ensuring the material well-being of those in need. His view of charity aims also to
ensure the integral wellbeing of the person. This concern is well expressed in his claim that, in charity,
―we are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically
proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern.‖ Benedict XVI, ―Deus Caritas Est ‖.
§31a.
144
Benedict XVI, ―Deus Caritas Est,‖ §21.
145
Thomas L. Schubeck, Love That Does Justice (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2007), 201.
146
Duncan Forrester, ―Justice,‖ in The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, ed. Adrian Hastings,
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 241
Pope Benedict XVI especially devotes a long portion of Deus Caritas Est to the
interconnectedness of justice and charity. Even when he says that the establishment of
justice is the sole duty of the state, DCE speaks of some possible areas of the Church‘s
effort to establish justice, namely by its providing for the ―the purification of reason and
through ethical formation‖ and by its ―efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to
the demands of the common good.‖
149
The rites of marriage understand that active
involvement in building a just society is a key responsibility vested in the spouses. Thus,
the spousal love does not reduce them to passive recipients of the benefits of the Church
and the society, but rather demands an active dialectical praxis, manifesting ―in concrete
efforts of building just and transformative communities of love.‖
150
Doing justice and
forming a community of justice and love is thus the trajectory of conjugal love as
envisioned by the liturgical theology of marriage. ―It offers a reflection, a model of the
family that has room for both the intimate passion that exists among parents and children
and the social passion that animates the struggle for justice in the world.‖
151
Moving
further, while making the promise, the spouses declare their readiness to ―take-hold-
honour-keep-love-cherish-and-comfort‖ each other under all circumstances for all of
their life. In this sense, it opens up an unrestricted space for the other person to flourish
and grow.
Alistair Mason, and Hugh Pyper (Oxford: University Press, 2000), 1228.
147
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 231; This idea is taken from my Master‘s Thesis. Jolly
Vasupurathukaran Pavunny, ―The Politics of Love: An Anthropological Analysis of Christian Love in
Dialogue with Werner G. Jeanrond.‖ [Unpublished Research Master Thesis, Faculty of Theology, KU
Leuven, 2014), 41-42.
148
Taking his lead from Paul Ricoeur and Soren Kierkegaard, Jeanrond explicates the commandment to
love as a commandment of justice. He says, ―we may not just choose to love; rather we are commanded
to love the different others.‖ Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 231; Justice in love for Jeanrond consists in
respecting ―the otherness of the other‖, which guards against ―any form of coercion, use,
instrumentalization or objectification of self and other.‖ Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 230. According
to Paul Ricoeur, ―the commandment to love one‘s enemies is not sufficient by itself; rather, it is the
hyper-ethical expression of a broader economy of the gift, which has many other modes of expression
besides this claim on us to act‖ and he goes further and makes a bond that ―the love of neighbor, in its
extreme form of love for one‘s enemies, thus finds its first link to the economy of the gift in this hyper-
ethical feeling of the dependence of the human creature, and our relation to the law and to justification
stems from this same economy‖. Paul Ricoeur, ―Love and Justice,‖ in Radical Pluralism and Truth:
David Tracy and the Hermeneutics of Religion, ed. Werner G. Jeanrond and Jennifer L. Rike (New
York: Crossroad, 1991), 197.
149
Benedict XVI, ―Deus Caritas Est,‖ §28a. This sounds like a kind of stepping back from the actual scene.
In this context, the view presented by an Episcopal Synod of 1971 looks more convincing. It says,
―action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a
constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church‘s mission for the
redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation.‖ Synod of Bishops,
"Justice in the World" http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/resources/synodjw.htm (accessed 13 July 2014),
§6.
150
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 231.
151
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 185.
242 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
Thus, the covenant of love that the couples promise during the liturgy offers the idea that
matrimony is an ongoing process of taking, holding, honouring, keeping, loving,
cherishing, and comforting the other which has no boundaries, no limitations of
circumstance or time, no restrictions on loving and reaching out the other. In other
words, the loving relationship does not have a particular time span or compass; ―[b]ut at
a certain point their love opens them up to those around them, including others, helping
them, enriching the lives of those they touch. […] The nature of real love is such that it
always calls those involved to transcend themselves. Real love is self-sacrificial. It
requires that one give oneself to another, even to the point of dying so that another might
live.‖
152
It triggers the idea that the conjugal love of the spouses has to spill over to the
other, attesting to the richness of married love and commitment that goes beyond
them.
153
―When man is baptized and becomes ‗one body‘ with Christ in the Eucharist,
he, in fact, becomes more fully himself; he recovers a truer relationship with God and
with fellow-men, and he returns to his worldly responsibilities with all the God-given
and limitless potential of creativity, of service, and of love.‖
154
Additionally, the rites of marriage emphasize their call to work for the common good,
affirming marriage as a place with ―room for both the intimate passion that exists among
parents and children and the social passion that animates the struggle for justice in the
world.‖
155
It provides families a way to inculcate greater consideration to important
social values, such as solidarity with the other and work for the common good.
156
The
rites of marriage further underscore the common good as a responsibility of the spouses.
Furthermore, ―[v]aluing solidarity inevitably leads to embracing the struggle for justice
with and on behalf of the poor and marginalized.‖
157
In short, marriage itself represents a
specific way of life, since ―the acts of matrimony themselves [present] a dimension of
prayer, of life in Christ, of following, and of hospitality that are entirely surprising.‖
158
Family as the domestic Church ―does not simply suggest a similarity between families
and Church; it insists that families are small churches with a responsibility for fostering
love within and living Christian social values outside its boundaries. Families are
communities of love with a social mission. John Paul II made this point more strongly
than any recent pope, saying that the family is ―called to offer everyone a witness of
generous and disinterested dedication to social matters through a ‗preferential option‘ for
152
Hauser, Marriage and Christian Life, 115.
153
Hardy, ―Sermon at a Marriage,‖ 398.
154
Meyendorff, Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective, 19.
155
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 185.
156
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 185.
157
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 186.
158
Grillo, ―Towards a Liturgical Spirituality for Married Life,‖ 253; Kiesling, ―The Liturgy of Christian
Marriage: Introduction to Marital Spirituality,‖ 9.
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 243
the poor and disadvantaged.‖
159
Thus, the family, according to Pope John Paul II, is ―a
communion of disciples of Christ that must situate its own good in the context of the
common good and make a commitment to serve the poor in some way.‖
160
Hence, the rites of marriage engage us to think about a model of marriage where spousal
love and married life is connected with justice and solidarity with others. It permits them
to flow outward, taking into account their social and communal commitments and
responsibilities.
161
Thus, the rites of marriage envision that the spouses are able to realize
the ‗Christian projects‘ of transforming the world within the framework of justice and
charity as well as a plan of action that takes these two elements into consideration.
Hence, the rites provide the opportunity to the spouses to identify that we have accepted
our God-given life as a project and responsibility within the larger project of God‘s
creation, and this project entails the building up of the faith community. Justice and
charity open up the love of the spouses to the other, the community and the society and
thus perfect and consolidate their nuptial love by producing the fruits of love.
4.3.3.2. Societal Meaning of the Liturgical Symbols
From the analysis of the texts, we have seen that the rites of marriage, in their present
forms are the fruits of a long and continued process of modification. During different
phases of development, the liturgies of marriage integrated and assimilated specific
elements from the Indian cultural milieu and the East Syrian liturgical tradition. It was
not a mere adaptation of the symbols and rites from the Indian soil but was a
continuation of the converted Christians‘ former way of life. The uniqueness of these
elements was based on the new meaning attributed to the rites and symbols assimilated
from the cultural context. In other words, the rituals and symbolic expressions of the
liturgy of marriage are enhanced by the Indian culture, in particular, by Hindu customs
and traditions.
162
According to the Hindu tradition, ―Marriage is not a mere legal contract
between two adults. It is a religious institution ordained for the good of the
159
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 187; ―families can embody Christ in the day-to-
day experiences of their lives and are connected precisely as foundational churches to the whole people
of God. In principle, domestic churches … incarnate ideals of reconciliation, justice, peace, hospitability,
and prayer.‖ Joanne Heaney-Hunter, ―Domestic Church: Guiding Beliefs and Daily Practices,‖ in
Christian Marriage and Family: Contemporary Theological and Pastoral Perspectives, ed. Michael G.
Lawler and William P. Roberts (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1996), 59; Rubio, A Christian
Theology of Marriage and Family, 181.
160
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 188.
161
Rubio, A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family, 183.
162
Ayyar, Anthropology of the Syrian Christians, 88; Podipara, ―Hindu in Culture, Christian in Religion,
Oriental in Worship,‖ 90.
244 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
community.‖
163
Like the Christians, they believe that marriage ―calls for harmony, love
and fidelity. It is the intimate union of man and woman.‖
164
A text of the Atharvaveda says:
―Sweet be the glances we exchange,
Our faces showing true concord.
Enshrine me in your heart and let
One spirit dwell with us.‖
165
The use of Manthrakodi in the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites of marriage, as
already explained, becomes an epitome of what Christian marriage stands for, that is, the
indissoluble bond of love and communion of man and woman for the whole of their life.
From the perspective of tradition development, the use of manthrakodi is the best
example for the combining of Indian culture and the oriental liturgical tradition in giving
expression to the unique Indian liturgical expression of Christian faith. The Chaldean rite
of marriage, to which the Syro-Malabar rite is indebted for its liturgical tradition, has the
special blessing of the ‗wedding attire‘ during the celebration of marriage. There, the
wedding attire signifies the sanctity of married life which will later become the robe of
glory in heavenly bridal chamber – eternity. The Syro-Malabar church merged its rite of
marriage with the Indian cultural marital practice of Manthrakodi. Together with
Chupungco, we can assert that ―[t]he symbols and texts of its celebration spring from the
values and traditions that shape the foundation of society.‖
166
A valued cultural element in the context of Indian marriage was given an eastern
liturgical interpretation in order to express a truth of the Christian faith. Conversely, the
Indian cultural context of this practice further added depth and impetus to the Christian
view on the sacrament of marriage by contributing to the contextualization of Christian
faith rooted in the Christian marriage rites. Thus, the marriage between the Christian
faith and the Indian cultural elements deepened the Christian view of marriage by adding
more affectivity in the Syro-Malabar rite of marriage. In other words, ―the adapted rite
may respond to the dynamics of the culture and the requirements of the Christian
sacrament.‖
167
In the words of Podipara, ―Christian symbolisms attached to them
rendered them Christian in signification.‖
168
163
Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu Celebration of Marriage,‖ 363.
164
Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu Celebration of Marriage,‖ 364. Chengalikavil continues: ―Phrases like ‗keep
us till death in holy marriage‘, ‗never be parted‘, ‗be firm like a rock‘, etc. are frequent in the texts of
marriage.‖ Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu Celebration of Marriage,‖ 364.
165
Chengalikavil, ―The Hindu Celebration of Marriage,‖ 364.
166
Chupungco, ―The Cultural Adaptation of the Rite of Marriage,‖145; Maniyattu, ―Inculturation of the
East Syrian Liturgy of Marriage,‖ 174.
167
Chupungco, ―The Cultural Adaptation of the Rite of Marriage,‖ 145.
168
Podipara, ―Hindu in Culture, Christian in Religion, Oriental in Worship,‖ 90; In the words of
Liturgical Theology of Marriage 245
We can see in the new revised version of the Roman rite of marriage, the preservation of
the giving of the arra or the precious jewels and the veiling of the bride which had been
prevalent in the various rites of marriage. The second principle of the Second Vatican
Council for the renewal of the rites of marriage retains the teaching of Trent with regard
to the various customs and traditions: ―If any regions follow other praiseworthy customs
and ceremonies when celebrating the sacrament of marriage, the council earnestly
desires that by all means these be retained‖ (SC, 77).
169
Retaining the veiling of the bride
and giving arra, the revised version of the Roman rite assures that the process of revision
will not subdue what remains in the various local traditions: ―For marriage is not just a
matter of coupling partners publicly. It is a sacrament which is Eucharistic and
baptismal, redemptive and eschatological.‖
170
Briefly, on the one hand, the symbols used in the rites of marriage signify the role of
adaption in the liturgies, and the message that is conveyed through the symbols in the
society in which they are married, on the other.
Concluding Remarks
This chapter was an investigation tracing various dimensions of marriage in the nuptial
rites. Based on the insights that emerged from this analysis, we can convincingly affirm
that the rites of marriage present matrimony as a reality with divine, human, and spiritual
dimensions. Each of these dimensions retains its significance in relation to the others and
forms part of a whole. The theological vision of marriage presented by the rites considers
these dimensions of marriage to be essential.
The Christian character of marriage has its origin in the firm belief that God has willed
marriage as an event of grace for the human being, so that the people with whom He
shares his love should also share that love that leads to life. This divine intention is
restored as a sacrament in Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who is the bond of love between
the Father and the Son, seals the covenant of love between the spouses. Again, the
human character of human creatureliness and human dignity that stems from being made
in the image of God becomes a basic conviction that reveals the divine trust in human
beings as His worthy collaborators. The religious dimension further emphasizes that the
way of life peculiar to marriage is a life based on the Decalogue, remaining faithful till
Chupungco, ―the message of the sacrament of marriage acquires a cultural quality which makes it
accessible and available to the people and roots it in the culture which lends its forms of expression to
the Christian sacrament.‖ Chupungco, ―The Cultural Adaptation of the Rite of Marriage,‖ 156.
169
―[O]ne can always hope that in good time marriage as a cultural institution and marriage as a sacrament
will enter into wedlock for the enrichment of both culture and the church.‖ Chupungco, ―The Cultural
Adaptation of the Rite of Marriage,‖ 161.
170
Kenneth Stevenson, ―Marriage Liturgy: Lessons from History,‖ Anglican Theological Review 68, no. 3
(1986), 240; Kenneth Stevenson, ―The Origins of Nuptial Blessing,‖ The Heythrop Journal XXI, no. 4
(1980), 412-416.
246 Liturgical Theology of Marriage
the end of life and pursuing a path of shared holiness. The church, as the assembly of
people that belongs to God, is the one who joins the spouses as a new family and
recognizes the family as the fundamental cell in the ecclesial organism. Further, the
social dimension of marriage, reiterated that the conjugal love is open to the community
and the liturgical symbols have a meaning and value in the society. Thus, here we can
see how each of these dimensions becomes important in itself and for the other.
Therefore, we can affirm that the rites of marriage envisage that the divine, the human,
and the spiritual dimensions of marriage are present in Christian marriage in a coherent
manner, revealing marriage as a divine-human-spiritual reality. These divine, human and
spiritual dimensions of marriage expropriates the spouses from being two autonomous
individuals in order to enter into marital covenant with the understanding of divine
dimension in their married life, to recognize their human capacities to love and to be
loved, to follow a way of life with faithfulness based on the Decalogue and to work for
the good of the society in a larger perspective.
CHAPTER 5
LITURGIES OF MARRIAGE IN DIALOGUE:
IMPULSES FOR A RENEWED UNDERSTANDING
OF THE THEOLOGY OF MARRIAGE
Introduction
―Rite is the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage distinguished
according to people‘s culture and historical circumstances, that finds expression in each
autonomous Church‘s way of living the faith‖ (CCEO, 28 §1). To a certain extent, it is
the unity of faith expressed in theology that keeps the Church One and Catholic.
However, the unity of faith in the Catholic Church is never uniformity in worship, for the
faith in One and Triune God is expressed in diverse forms and expressions in and
through different liturgical traditions of the Catholic Church. Following this line, the
previous chapter was an attempt to determine the similarities in the theme of the prayers
invoked, symbols used and actions performed during the marriage liturgies of three
different rites of marriage, from Roman, East-Syrian and West Syrian liturgical
traditions. By synthesizing the analysis of those rites, the last chapter provided a
liturgical theology of marriage. It further underscores that different liturgical traditions
do not simply replicate a common theological vision of marriage but give different
cultural expressions to it. As there is unity in diversity in the Catholic Church, Catholic
nuptial rites also replicate the unity in diversity, and the diverse expressions of it
highlight different emphases in each tradition, and consequently, of agreements and
differences between different liturgical traditions.
This chapter outlines the richness of the diversity of traditions for an understanding of
marriage, with its consequences and implications for the practical life of the spouses.
While the similarities recognize those elements common to different liturgical traditions,
the differences and their reasons also can help us to reassess and evaluate the existing
theology of marriage. The distinctive features of each liturgical tradition would work as a
check for the other liturgical traditions and reveal the gaps in one‘s own liturgical
practice, offering an opportunity to reconsider how these gaps may be filled. It would
also help the liturgist to learn from others in order to deepen one‘s own tradition. Further,
it would enlighten the understanding of how comparative liturgical theology introduces
novel nuances and insights for liturgical celebration of marriage. How does the
uniqueness of each of the Rites add to a common theology of marriage from a liturgical
perspective?
Consequently, the goal of this chapter is to point out that a comparison of the praxis of
rites of marriage, that is, the celebrations of marriage in different traditions, has a
potential to add and modify the theory on marriage which will further deepen the
248 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
theology of marriage. This chapter is developed in three parts. While the first part
discusses the celebrative and ceremonial dimension of the liturgy of marriage, the second
part explores the mystical dimension, and the third part presents the cultural character of
the liturgy of marriage.
5.1. The Celebrative and Ceremonial Dimension of the Liturgy of Marriage
The diversity in unity is well expressed in the ceremonial dimension of the liturgies of
marriage, which includes the setting of nuptial ceremony and the varying ways of
celebrating the ritual. Hence, this section will focus on those diversities of marriage with
specific emphasis on the ceremonial dimension of the marriage rites.
5.1.1. Setting the Stage for the Celebration of Marriage
The specific time for the celebration of marriage and where does marriage take place, are
two questions which need to be clarified, as there are distinctions among the Churches
with regard to the celebration of marriage.
1
5.1.1.1. The Time for the Celebration
In all the three liturgical traditions of the discussion, marriage is celebrated generally in
all the days of a week. However, there are some prohibited periods and days in those
Churches. In the Roman Church, celebration of marriage is prohibited on the days
―having penitential character‖, especially during the Lent season; however with due
permission, the celebration can be conducted. Additionally, the pastor has to counsel the
couples that they have to take into account the special character of the day (ROCM, 32).
Since Good Friday and Holy Saturday are considered to be days ―of penance to be
observed as of obligation in the whole Church and indeed through abstinence and
fasting,‖
2
the celebration of marriage is strictly prohibited on Good Friday and Holy
Saturday (ROCM, no. 32).
As the Roman Church, Syro-Malabar Church also observes the penitentiary character of
the Lenten liturgical season, and it is the custom of the Church to prohibit the celebration
of marriage during Lent.
3
Additionally, since abstinence is also suggested on all days of
1
Distinction between time and place in the religious sphere as sacred time and sacred place is a common
understanding in the religious sphere. While the dimension of temporality characterizes secular time and
secular place, the dimension of eternity qualifies them as sacred. In liturgies, both the time and place are
considered to be sacred due to the fact that it takes the human person to the realm of eternity by
providing an ―encounter with God.‖ John Moolan, Introduction to Oriental Liturgy and Its Theology:
Syro-Malabar Church (Kottayam: OIRSI, 2013), 46.
2
Congregation for Divine Worship, ―Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the
Easter Feasts‖ https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/circular-letter-concerning-preparation-and-
celebration-of-easter-feasts-2168 (accessed 25 April 2019). § 60; 61; 75.
3
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church (Mount St. Thomas:
Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia, 2003), §198. The article for this particular law reads as
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 249
the period of the Annunciation, the Syro-Malabar Church denies the sacrament of
marriage during this time, as well as during other prohibited periods.
4
Nevertheless, ―for
just and sufficient reasons‖, the celebration of marriage is permitted by the local hierarch
of the Church during these seasons, though the wedding ceremony has to be conducted
―without pomp and show (c.838 §2).‖
5
Again, it affirms that the special regulations
concerning the day of the celebration, such as Sunday, proclaimed by the eparchial
bishops has to be observed.
6
In the Syro-Malankara Church, apart from the seasons of Annunciation and Lent, the
celebration of marriage is also prohibited during the Three-Days Fast and from the
Ascension to the Feast of Pentecost. However, for grave reasons, permission may be
granted for the celebration of marriage during the prohibited days. In order to keep the
―penitential spirit‖ of a particular season, the Church‘s laws emphasis three conditions
for the celebration: (1) there should be abstinence from meat and meat products; (2) ―a
proportionate penitential offering‖ should be given for the marriage-aid for those who
are in need through the eparchial curia; (3) Bishops are not allowed to celebrate the
sacrament during these prohibited seasons.
7
Very strictly, however, the permission is not
given at any reason during the days from the Fortieth Friday to Easter Sunday and Three-
Days Fast.
8
The particular laws of the Churches further point out that marriage should be followed
by the proclamation of marriage banns.
9
The purpose of marriage banns is ―to bring to
the notice of the parish communities of both parties about the proposed marriage, so that
they may bring to the attention of the concerned parish priests, impediments if any,
which would impede the valid and licit celebration of the said marriage.‖
10
Syro-Malabar
follows: ―In accordance with the tradition of the Church and keeping the penitential spirit of the
liturgical seasons of annunciation (Suvara) and Lent (Sauma), the celebration of marriage is prohibited
from the 1st to 24th December and from 1st Monday of Lent until Holy Saturday both days inclusive.‖
4
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 159 § 2.
5
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 198.
6
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 199. ―The custom
of having weddings on Sundays continues, through occasionally they may be celebrated on Mondays.‖
Brown, The Indian Christians of Saint Thomas, 192.
7
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (Trivandrm: Major
Archiepiscopal Curia, 2012), can. 543-545.
8
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 541-545.
9
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 529; Mar George
Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 164; See section 1.1.2. where
we have noted that the beginning of the banns in relation to the marriage was stipulated by the Council
of Trent as a resistance to the clandestine marriage.
10
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 529.
250 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
Church specifies that it should be done before the betrothal since marriage is to be
conducted within an interval after the celebration of betrothal.
11
In short, each Church has its own particular laws for the periods of celebration of
marriage and its own prohibitions. However, they provide the opportunity for the
dispensation to celebrate marriage in situations of urgency during the prohibited days. At
the same time, every Church strictly maintains particular days or periods to prohibit the
celebration to maintain the special ceremonies of the day.
5.1.1.2. The Space for the Wedding Ceremony
Generally, wedding liturgy takes place is the parish church of the spouses. The three rites
make it clear how to prepare for marriage in a specific manner. As already analyzed, the
ROCM provides two forms of liturgical procession when the ceremony of marriage
begins. One emphasizes that the priest goes to the door of the Church, receives the bride
and bridegroom together with the ecclesial community they proceed ahead to the altar.
The second one permits the priest to welcome and greet them at the Altar. The spouses
stand near to the aisle. Rings that are to be blessed and exchanged are placed on a table
in front of the altar. The ROCM also makes it clear that since marriage is a moment of
joy and happiness, the Church should be decorated in a festive manner, and it suggests
that the ―festive character of the celebration of Marriage should be suitably expressed
even in the manner of decorating Church‖ (ROCM, nos. 30-31).
In the Syro-Malabar Church also, there is a similar liturgical procession, where the bride
and the bridegroom along with their relatives move to the altar as a procession, carrying
the elements for the marriage ceremony namely, Thali, manthrakodi (rings, rosaries,
garlands, etc.). In the center of the nave there is a platform called the Bema where
usually the introductory rites and the Liturgy of the Word take place.
12
When the
procession nears the Bema, the deacon receives those things and puts them on the table
placed on the Bema to keep the symbolic elements for the celebration of marriage. For
the lighting ceremony, a lamp (nilavilaku) or a candle would be kept ready (SMB, 125).
In this liturgical procession, the celebrant does not join but greets the spouses from Altar.
Keeping to the right and the left respectively, the bride and the groom stand in front of
the Bema, flanked by two witnesses (SMB, 126-127).
11
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 164. See also
section 2.2. Brown reminds that the calling of banns in the custom of the St. Thomas Christians was
used to take place before marriage in front of the lamp hanging before the altar. Brown, The Indian
Christians of Saint Thomas, 188-189.
12
Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 67.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 251
Moving further to the SMK, there is no liturgical procession at the beginning of the
marriage liturgy. The symbolic elements used for marriage are placed on the table before
the ceremony of marriage, as we read in the following:
―The manthrakodi should be placed upon the prayer table. The cross
and thali (minnu) are placed on the middle of the manthrakodi. To the
north of the thali are placed the bridegroom‘s crown (necklace) and
ring. To the south of the thali are placed the bride‘s crown (necklace)
and ring. It is ideal that the crowns for the service of the crowning be
made and kept in the Church‖ (SMK, 70).
The liturgical processions during the ceremony of marriage, as already discussed in the
analysis of the each section, helps the spouses and the ecclesial community understand
the divine realm that they are entering. It enhances the ceremonial character of the
liturgies in an authentic way. Thus, in the liturgy, through different liturgical actions and
symbols, the worshippers ―participate in the very life of heaven, having the great
privilege to experience it in the sacramental form of ‗signs and symbols of heavenly
realities.‘ When this earthly liturgy best approximates the heavenly liturgy, grace best
transforms us and makes us God-like in a process called divinization.‖
13
Further, according to the particular laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, the celebration of
marriage normally take place in the parish Church of either of the spouses and with the
permission of the parish priest of the spouses. Marriage may also be celebrated in any
other Church according to the convenience of the spouses. Further, it also gives the
permission that ―in extraordinary circumstances‖, marriage could be celebrated ―at a
suitable place other than the Church.‖
14
This option could further engage to the
discussion on the questions concerning specific liturgical places, such as the Church, and
the open spaces for the liturgical celebration of marriage. It may signify a retro-
movement symbolizing a movement from Church to the domestic celebration of
marriage, in contrast to the movement of marriage celebration that had changed from
domestic to the ecclesial ceremony of marriage. In other words, as already discussed,
marriage was a family affair at the beginning of Christianity, and later it evolved into an
ecclesial affair. The phrase as mentioned by the particular law of the Syro-Malabar
Church, ―other than the Church‖, may open up new vistas for the discussion on this
matter.
Thus, the aforementioned discussion provided a brief idea of how the main inner parts of
the Church buildings of three liturgical traditions are divided and a short description of
how each church sets the stage for marriage ceremony. In all these Churches, spouses are
standing in front of the sanctuary, at the aisle, where symbolic elements to be used in the
marriage liturgy are arranged in a proper manner, and each rite of marriage gives rubrics
13
McNamara, Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy, 4.
14
Mar George Punnakottil et al., eds., Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, can. 195 §1, 2.
252 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
on the arrangements for the celebration of marriage in a festive manner. According to
ROCM and SMK the elements such as rings (ROCM) and crowns, thali, and
manthrakodi (SMK) are kept on the table before the entrance of the couples, whereas
according to SMB, the symbolic elements used for nuptial rite are brought up during the
entrance liturgical procession, thus making the introductory rite more attractive and
meaningful as the spouses together with the ecclesial community bring them into the
celebration of marriage.
While discussing mixed marriages, it is also referred that a mixed marriage between the
Catholic Church or in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church can be celebrated in one
of the Churches. It further sheds light on the particular situation of sharing of Sacred
Places of the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Joint
International Commission recognizes the fact that ―Churches are consecrated buildings‖
having great significance for the churches from a theological and liturgical perspective.
The basis of this is recognizing ―the common profession of faith on the mystery of the
Incarnate Word and the common affirmation of the faith in the mystery of the Church
and the Sacraments‖ exist between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian
Orthodox Church an agreement is made on the Sharing of Sacred Places between these
churches.
―Where a community of the Catholic/Malankara Syrian Orthodox Christian of a
particular place does not have a place for celebrating the Eucharistic liturgy or
cemetery for Christian burial, the parish priest of that community may request
the diocesan bishop of the Church who owns such a place with the
recommendation letter of their diocesan bishop.‖
15
Further, an agreement is made on when sacrament of marriage is celebrated between
these churches ―the couple and any members of their families who belong to these
Churches are allowed to participate in the Holy Eucharist in the Church where the
sacrament of matrimony is being celebrated.‖
16
5.1.1.3. Vestments of the Priest
In all the three liturgies of marriage of this discussion, the priest is vested in a similar
manner as he is vested for the Eucharistic celebration (ROCM, 34; SMB, 125; SMK, 70).
The Roman rite makes it clear that the priest is to be ―wearing an alb and a stole and
chasuble of the color of the Mass to be celebrated‖ (ROCM, 45). Again, since the
15
Agreement between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church (Jacobite Syrian
Christian Church) on Sharing of Sacred Places, http://www.prounione.it/dia/oo-rc-syr-india/Dia-OO-
RC-SYR-INDIA-14_REPORT-2010-13th.pdf [accessed on 23 March 2020].
16
Pastoral Guidelines on Interchurch Marriages between members of the Catholic Church and the
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, January 25, 1994,
http://sor.cua.edu/Ecumenism/19940125SOCRCMarriagePastoralGuide.html [accessed on 28 March
2020].
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 253
sacrament of marriage is considered to be a moment of festivity, ROCM emphasizes that
priests should use sacred vestments of a festive or white color (ROCM, 34).
In the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches, priests use vestments with linen and
splendid garments. They are known to be Kottina, Zunara, Urara, Zande and Paina
(SMB, 125). Because of the different pronunciation of the vowels, they are known as
Kottino, Zunoro, Uroro, Zande and Paino in the Syro-Malankara Church.
Kottina/kottino means tunic or alb, which is the loose, ankle-length garment symbolizing
Christ, the new man, representing the outer garment of Jesus, for which the soldiers cast
lots, which was not to be torn (Jn. 19:23-24). Zunara/zunoro means the waist belt worn
over kottina, symbolizing chastity to perform liturgical rites with perfect holiness and
preparedness for the second coming of the Lord.
17
Urara means the stole, or the narrow
strip cloth worn on the shoulders with two ends reaching the knee, symbolizing
sanctification through the ministerial priesthood. Zande is the sleeves or the two garment
gloves, without finger divisions, made of the same stuff of the outer garment.
Paina/paino is the chasuble, a long semicircular front opened outer garment like a cloak
with Mar Thoma Cross on its back, buckled at the neck with a hook to cover the whole
body reading own to the heels, which symbolizes justice.
18
The sacred vestments point to
an experience of what is expressed in the vision of Isaiah, and the stole signifies the
religious service rendered by the priest.
―Here the celebrant represents Christ the King. Hence the priestly
vestments are adopted from the royal dress. The celebrant is vested to
resemble Christ in heaven; Christ the warrior-king of the world; the
conqueror of worlds, bringing with him captives to his Father, by the
weapon of love (Rom 8, 37). The vestments represent the four offices
of Christ the King, the Prophet, the High-Priest and God-Man, in which
the Catholic Church shares with Christ, in the work of Redemption,
Revelation, Reconciliation and Reunion.‖
19
The vestments of the priests, similar to those of the Eucharistic celebration, emphasize
the importance given to the sacrament of marriage.
Summarizing the first section on the ceremonial dimension of the rite of marriage that
discussed the time, space and the vestment for the celebration, it can be affirmed that
setting apart particular periods for the celebration of marriage by prohibiting marriage on
the days of penitential character, proper arrangements for the celebration of marriage, the
17
Day, ed. The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, 150-151.
18
Archdale A. King, The Rites of Eastern Christendom (Rome: Catholic Book Agency, 1947), 108-112;
Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 67-68.
19
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 151-152. ―Formerly there was a
procession to the Bema in the qestromo carrying the Gospel book, incense, burning candles, seraphic
disks, tingling bells etc. with the accompaniment of music. But at present, the scriptural readings are
conducted at the sanctuary door and its steps.‖ Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara
Church,‖ 153.
254 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
Church settings, liturgical processions and the festive atmosphere with decorations and
liturgical vestments by the priests makes the liturgy of marriage attractive and draws
people toward it, inviting them to engage in it, to transform the natural marriage into a
sacrament of marriage. Hence, the rites of marriage provide not a neutral setting for the
liturgical action of marriage but a festive mood for the participants, so that they
experience the moment as unique and significant.
In the light of the foregoing discussion, it would be suggested that each liturgy could
learn something from the other with regard to the liturgical procession to celebrate the
rite of marriage more meaningfully and symbolically. Firstly, it is appropriate to have a
liturgical procession at the beginning of the liturgical celebration of marriage. It provides
an opportunity to understand the movement from the secular to the divine realm, where
the natural order of things is sanctified. Secondly, the priest can also join in the
procession by going to the door of the church and accompanying the bride and the groom
with their relatives and friends and then proceed to the aisle. Thirdly, the symbolic
elements that are used in the rite could be brought to the ceremony in the liturgical
procession, for doing so makes the ceremony more solemn and meaningful.
5.1.2. The Style of the Prayers of the Rites of Marriage
According to Romano Guardini, ―every valid and genuine production or organism‖ has
unique characteristics that distinct it from the other. He identifies it as ―style‖ and defines
that a style ―denotes that any given vital principle has found it true and final
expression.‖
20
He further states that liturgy is ―the medium of spiritual expression‖
possessing ―a tremendously compelling of expression.‖
21
Having discussed how each
liturgy sets the stage for the celebration of marriage, this section will discuss the style of
the liturgy of marriage by reiterating different expressions of the prayers of the rites. It
will further provide the opportunity to understand how the prayers are delivered in the
rites of marriage, and what is the particular methodology each liturgy follows drawing
out the active participation of the ecclesial community, and to make the liturgy solemn
and ceremonial.
5.1.2.1. The Role of the Liturgical Hymns
Music plays a prominent role for the active participation and the solemn form of
liturgical celebration, though the liturgy can be celebrated even without music. The
analysis of the rites of marriage indicates that all the liturgies give importance to music.
Sacrosanctum Concilium affirms that music is to be integrated with the liturgical texts
20
Romano Guardini, The Spirit of the Liturgy (New York (N.Y): Crossroad, 1998), 43.
21
Guardini, The Spirit of the Liturgy, 46-47.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 255
and with the different rites to ―add delight to prayer, foster oneness of spirit, or invest the
rites with greater solemnity‖ (SC, 112).
22
The Introduction to the Ordo of the ROCM affirms that the chants that are used in the
celebration of marriage should be an expression of ―the faith of the Church, with
attention paid to the importance of the Responsorial Psalm within the Liturgy of the
Word. What is said concerning the chants applies also to the section of other musical
works‖ (ROCM, 30-31).
―Certain celebrations of the Sacraments and Sacramentals, which have
a special importance in the life of the whole parish community, such as
confirmation, sacred ordinations, matrimony, the consecration of a
church or altar funerals, etc., should be performed in sung form as far
as possible, so that even the solemnity of the rite will contribute to its
greater pastoral effectiveness. Nevertheless, the introduction into the
celebration of anything which is merely secular, or which is hardly
compatible with divine worship, under the guise of solemnity should be
carefully avoided: this applies particularly to the celebration of
marriages.‖
23
The revised form of the ROCM has an option for the musical notes for the Our Father,
nuptial blessing and the final blessing and mentions that the liturgical procession takes
place while the choir sings the entrance hymn (ROCM, nos. 126-139). However,
according to the ROCM, the Ordo has very few references to the hymns selected for the
occasion, and the question remains how far the people are aware of it and how the people
could experience the liturgical moment in its rhythm and depth.
With the influence of ancient poetry models of the school of St. Ephraim, musicality
penetrated the whole liturgical life using various images in the Syriac rites of marriage.
SMB begins the ceremony of marriage with a hymn, and songs and psalms are
interwoven with prose prayers. In SMK, one of the striking features is the prolific use of
songs, whereby a poetic style acquires supremacy over the prose. The hymn before the
nuptial blessing in the Syro-Malabar Church and the soogitho of the Malankara Church
are best examples of the lyricism, the use of imagery and theological themes of marriage
expressed in the hymns.
24
Most of the hymns that are used in the rites of marriage in the
SMB and SMK basically focus on the themes of the Church as the ‗bride of Christ‘ and
the mystical body of Christ.
22
Anscar J. Chupungco, ―A Definition of Liturgy,‖ in Handbook for Liturgical Studies: Introduction to the
Liturgical Studies, edited by Anscar J. Chupungco, Vol. 1 (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1997), 9.
23
Second Vatican Council, ―Instruction on Music in the Liturgy, Musicam Sacram, 5 March 1967,‖ In
Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Trent to Vatican II, edited by Norman Tanner and Giuseppe
Alberigo, 2. (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), § 43.
24
Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 196; George Abraham Thalothil, ―The Missionary Thrust of the Syro-Malankara
Church: A Historical-Theological Study from 1930-2000‖ (Rome, Pontificia Universitas Urbaniana,
2001), 34.
256 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
Hence, it could be affirmed that most of the hymns in the ceremony of marriage are rich
in their ecclesiological character. Further, the hymns also present the basic theme of
marriage in relation to Jesus Christ, who loved the Church to the extent he gave up his
own body and blood. Christ and the Church serve as a model for the spousal relationship,
the bride and the bridegroom as wife and husband must give themselves to each other in
love. Among the many hymns of the sacrament of marriage of the SMK, the last stanza
of the Quqoyo has a unique theme of the Church, the bride of Christ, being protected in
the midst of three strong forts, the Holy Trinity.
25
Thus, the Christological nature of
marriage is also given prominence in the rites. Due to the fact that the Christ-Church
relationship is explicitly evoked in and through many hymns and images, music is
understood as an inseparable part of the Eastern liturgies which leads the worshipper to a
mystical experience.
―In singing the hymns the worshipper celebrates the mystery of faith.
In this celebration the worshipper enters into a mystical sphere where
the worshipper experiences the nearness of God. Musicality plays a
vital role. […] the mystical experience is not necessarily permanent. It
can be a serene, tranquil or joyful experience that is beyond
expression.‖
26
The impact of the mystical nature of music in the celebration of marriage could be
considered as twofold. On the one hand, the songs and hymns are mystical since they
elevate the participant to the heavenly atmosphere through their musicality and rhythm.
On the other hand, they are mystical on account of the themes that express and unveil the
mystical relationship of Christ and the Church. As a result, the music plays a vital role in
the celebration of liturgies, especially in the liturgy of marriage. In the Eastern rites, thus,
we can find out an ―uninterrupted nature of musicality.‖
27
Thus, a comparison of the rites of marriage of the East and West within the framework of
the three rites points to the fact that one of the particularities of Eastern marriage rites is
an uninterrupted flow of the various images and themes of the Christ-Church relationship
and a rich abundance of lyrical poetry created to preserve the mystical nature of the
liturgies. It could be considered as ―a channel or medium through which the mystical
nature of the liturgy and the spirituality are revealed.‖
28
Hence, understanding and
valuing the impact of liturgical poetry and hymns on the liturgy and life of the
25
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 157; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian
Liturgy, 169-171.
26
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 13; Thalothil, ―The Missionary Thrust of
the Syro-Malankara Church‖, 34; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 167.
27
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 25.
28
Vysanethu, Musicality Makes the Malankara Liturgy Mystical, 94-95; Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy,
67; Tovey, Essays in West Syrian Liturgy, 178.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 257
worshipper could also be considered as important to a renewed understanding of the
marriage rites.
5.1.2.2. The Repetitive and Memorized Nature of the Prayers
Another characteristic for the discussion drawn out from the rites is the repetitive nature
of the liturgy, leading to memorizing the prayers. In the ROCM there are different
options for the prayers, including the nuptial blessings (221-222). The question put
forward by Kenneth W. Stevenson is very to be significant at this juncture: ―how [do]
ordinary couples ‗hear‘ the rite they celebrate on their wedding day regardless of what
the professional liturgist may tell them?‖
29
In the Eastern rites, the hymns, psalms and prayers are repeated. For example, the lāku
mārā and the trisagion of SMB and SMK, where these repetitions are often for three
times, follow a particular structure. A verse is interpolated to the hymn climaxing in a
prayer to the Trinity. It helps the worshipper to understand the meaning of the words and
experience them in a better way. It also aids the active participation of the community in
the ceremony. Further, ―[r]epetition of texts or hymns is a way of deepening the sense
and meaning of the repeated text in our life, and is able to supply a taste of it in our
interior life. Thus we may enjoy an authentical experience of the mystery.‖
30
The repetition of the prayers and hymns also lead an easy memorization by the
participants. Tracing back to the oral teachings of Christ, Patros Yousif affirms that
―[m]emorizing is connatural to the oral teachings of Christ which he made in Aramaic
language‖, and it is integrated to the Eastern liturgical tradition so that ―most of its texts,
though written, are indeed of oral style and are written down in order to be listened to in
community, rather than to be read privately by everyone. They are to be comprehended
by hearing, reciting or chanting.‖
31
The repetition of the prayers and the memorization
infuses and imprints the significant dimensions of mystery of marriage, the theology of
marriage, and as a result will have a positive impact on the faith of the people in the
sacrament of marriage. It will further become a fodder for the mystagogical catechesis on
the sacrament of marriage. ―It is now admitted that a good formation, in any branch of
knowledge, in order to be pedagogical and efficacious, must use memory exercises.
Liturgical formation also requires that, because memory is the store of knowledge from
which we can borrow at moments of disorientation and doubt.‖
32
29
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 166.
30
Yousif, ―An Introduction to East Syrian Spirituality,‖ 27-31; Kanjiramukalil, Ecclesial Identity of the
Malankara Catholic Church, 123.
31
Yousif, ―An Introduction to East Syrian Spirituality,‖ 27-31.
32
Yousif, ―An Introduction to East Syrian Spirituality,‖ 27-31.
258 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
Making a comparison between the rites, it is admitted that one of the significant points is
that the liturgical texts, composed in various cultural milieus, which repeat the contents
in a particular style, have a great impact on the present day liturgies, particularly the
Eastern rites of marriage. This particular style adapted in the wedding liturgies could be
considered as one of the lessons for the further renewal of the liturgies.
5.1.2.3. The Use of Euchological Texts in the Liturgies
Thinking in the line of Renato De Zan, euchological texts in the liturgies could be
categorized into minor euchology and major euchology.
33
The introductory rites of each
Church consists a number of minor euchological texts. The nuptial blessing in the
Roman rite is a major euchological text. Mark G. Boyer in his work explores the
euchological character of the nuptial blessing of the ROCM in a detailed manner. He
comments that in the nuptial blessings of the ROCM there are anamnesis, institution
narrative, intercession, and doxology. Through the anamnesis, the liturgy recalls God as
the creator of mankind and the originator of marriage by creating humankind as man and
woman and joining and blessing them as husband and wife. It further notes the institution
of the sacrament of marriage by Christ declaring that man and women are no longer two,
but one. And no one could divide them (Mt, 19:6). It further states that the covenant
between Christ and Church is the basis of the marital covenant. The intercessions plead
to God that He may look on the couple with favour and send the Holy Spirit on them so
that they may able to maintain faithfulness and fidelity till the end of their life. Further,
there are intercessory prayers for the bride and bridegroom separately to make their life
in the Christian spirit of marriage. In the doxology, God is praised that by reaching the
old age that the spouses may reach the kingdom of heaven.
34
In the Eastern Churches, there is cluster of several euchological texts forming a
formulary of the euchological texts. In the Syro-Malabar church, there is a formulary of
euchological texts in the introductory rites, which include the greater doxology, the
33
―Euchological texts may be divided into minor euchology (brief and simple texts: Opening prayer,
prayer over the gifts, prayer after the communion, prayer over the people, psalm prayer etc) and major
euchology (longer and more elaborated texts: prefaces, Eucharistic prayer, solemn blessings etc). A
single euchological text is called a formula (eg: opening prayer), while an organic body of several
euchological texts is called a formulary (eg. Entrance antiphon, opening prayer, prayer over the gifts,
communion antiphon, prayer after communion. In our study of the Church‘s euchological heritage, we
must distinguish between the euchological deposit (euchology of the past) and contemporary euchology
(euchology of the conciliar reform).‖ Renato De Zan, ed. Criticism and Interpretation of Liturgical
Texts, ed. Anscar J. Chupungco, Handbook for Liturgical Studies: Introduction to the Liturgy, vol. 1
(Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1997), 341.
34
Mark G. Boyer, The Liturgical Environment: What the Documents Say (Collegeville: Liturgical Press,
2004), 234. According to Joris Geldhof ―from a soteriological and sacramental point of view, heaven is
where the choirs of the angels sing and, as we on earth celebrate the liturgy, join in their eternal song of
praise.‖ Joris Geldhof, ―Liturgy Beyond Secular,‖ in Authentic Liturgical Renewal in Contemporary
Perspective, ed. Uwe Michael Lang (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017), 90.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 259
Lord‘s Prayer, opening prayer, Psalms 45 and 128, the prayer of praise while lightening
of the lamp, and the trisagion. Moving further, there are blessing prayers over the
symbols and the nuptial blessings over the spouses. The Syro-Malankara wedding
service is filled with minor and major euchological texts. The order of crowning begins
with the introductory rite: the opening prayer, eniyônô, kûkliôn, eqbô, prômiûn, Sêdrô,
hymn and etrô. Following is a set of major doxologies, the prômiûn and Sêdrô, ―the set
prayer that is part of every West Syrian order of service and contains most of the
theology of that tradition‖
35
, which has the elements of thanksgiving, anamnesis, offering
the couples to the blessing of God, intercessions and final doxology. The etrô
(conclusion) of the prômiûn is preceded by a short but very significant hymn. The
service of crowning is concluded with a ―hymn of the Church‖, in which the Church (the
Bride of Christ) searches for Him in the various places hallowed by his foot-prints and
finally at the cross and the tomb. The risen Lord greets her. All these are euchological
texts. The prayers during the celebration of marriage are filled with the images of
patriarchs and the anamnesis of salvation history. The celebration ends with the kûkliôn
of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.
Euchological texts thus play a significant role in the marriage ceremony both in the
structure and in the content of the prayers. Herman Schmidt comments that ―free human
consent includes a risk which must be dared. Always the possibility remains, that man
makes a comedy, a farce, of a serious agreement; the best and most seven Law and
Liturgy cannot avoid this possibility, so that marriage can become a tragedy, a failure.
Therefore we find in the liturgical texts much moral teaching and admonition, which
may not be called moralization.‖
36
Quoting the Flemish term ―huisspiegel‖ or ―speculum
domus‖ meaning ―home mirror‖ used by Edward Schillebeeckx, Schmidt continues that
―the mirror mirrors who he is, who he is not, who he should be. So, e.g., the benediction
of the spouse mirrors to the bride concrete holy spouses of the Old Testament. […] At
the same moment in this mirror of perfect spouses the husband sees mirrored his own
ideal spouse and indispensable help to make himself a model husband.‖
37
Reasoning
along with Schmidt and Schillebeeckx, as already discussed, the Euchological texts
follow a structure, mainly an anamnesis, institutional dimension, intercessions and
doxology. In and through these prayers, the Church reminds the spouses and the
community of the Christian vision of marriage and imparts to the spouses models to be
followed, affirming God‘s blessings on their way of life.
35
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 68-71.
36
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 265.
37
Schmidt, ―Rituals and Sacramentality of Marriage,‖ 265.
260 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
5.1.2.4. Liturgical Corporeal Actions and Gestures
Discussing the impact of ritual action, David N. Power emphasizes that the rituals of
passage significantly mark a transition in the life of the persons: ―The paradigm for the
role of ritual as passage comes from cultural rituals which carry persons through
transitions in life, which in affecting them affect the entire community.‖
38
The status of
the person transfers to a new status within the framework of the community in which he
or she lives. Consequently, ―[t]he symbols and rites enacted negotiate these transitions
within the horizon of the cultural cosmos of a people.‖
39
He further suggests that bodily
or corporeal actions and rites of any sacrament should express the meaning of the
sacrament in a proper way. In relation to the sacrament of marriage he comments that
―[i]t is significant […] that for the celebration and blessing of marriage in the West the
couple are in the sanctuary and that they give their pledge to one another in Christ
standing before the assembled community.‖
40
From the time of marriage, the bridegroom
and bride adopt a new status as spouses in the community. Hence, the bodily rites that
signify passage from singlehood to married persons play a dominant role in the
sacrament of marriage.
Synthesizing the ritual actions in the rites of marriage, there are different elements that
show the meaning of the sacrament of marriage in a proper manner. In the SMK, the
couple are crowned as the new spouses and are enthroned as the king and queen of the
domestic Church, the family. It entrusts them to take the responsibilities of their marital
status. As is mentioned in the hymn, the spouses are crowned with the crown made by
the hand of the Messiah, which is a crown of glory. It points to the fact the sacrament of
marriage is a particular moment, beginning their life as anointed spouses. By receiving
the crown of glory, they are assured of the glory and joy that the spouses are going to
receive in their married life. On the other hand, it also points to the joy that they are
going to receive in the heavenly chamber as a reward for their indissoluble and
indivisible marital life. The accentuation that the couple is receiving the crown of glory,
moreover, reiterates the role of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy of marriage and His
continuing influence in the life of the couple until life‘s end. Hence, the act of crowning
is not a single moment of the sacrament of marriage; rather, it symbolizes the
transformation of the man and the woman into spouses and their marital life as a lifelong
marital commitment until they receive the crown of glory in eternal life. It further affirms
the divine initiation of the marriage, and the injunction to keep their marital covenant
throughout their married life. Crowning was one of the liturgical actions of the East
Syrian liturgical tradition. As the part of the evolution, the ritual action of crowning
38
David N. Power, Sacrament: The Language of God‟s Giving (New York (NY): Crossroad, 1999), 131.
39
Power, Sacrament: The Language of God‟s Giving, 131.
40
Power, Sacrament: The Language of God‟s Giving, 133.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 261
during the celebration of marriage has been dropped in the Syro-Malabar Church.
Further, the veiling had been part of the ritual of marriage of the Roman rite, though it
does not exist in the present text of ROCM. Taking inspiration from the Syro-Malankara
Church and realizing the significance of crowning in marriage, the Syro-Malabar and
Roman Church may reinstall the ritual action of crowning their marriage rites.
Moving further, the Indian cultural and liturgical symbols and their analysis show that
the use of a much more contextual and existential symbolism can contribute towards a
better expression and experience of a sacrament.
41
In other words, from the Indian
cultural context, SMK and SMB had assimilated two elements. Of which one
constitutive element of a marriage is the tying of the Minnu or Thali by a man around the
neck of a woman. Another characteristic feature of the SMK and SMB is the use of
Manthrakodi – the chanted or blessed cloak.
42
The entrusting ceremony through the
joining of the hands in all the three rites takes place in the presence of God, altar, Cross
and holy Gospel, before the ecclesial community. They are the pillars of their marital
union, not only at the time of the sacramental rites of marriage but also throughout their
married life. The act of joining of the hands thus emphasizes the ritual of entrusting each
to the other and makes God the mediator of their spousal relationship. Again, it affirms a
tri-dimensional relationship: between the spouses, between God and the couples, and
between the couple and ecclesial community, as represented by the priest and the
assembly during the liturgy of marriage.
In the three liturgies, the common liturgical symbol is the blessing and exchange of rings
as the sign of the faithfulness of the spouses. In the SMK exchange of rings is the part of
the betrothal and in the Syro-Malabar Church, though the exchange of rings is taking
place during the betrothal, the rite of marriage also provides an option for the exchange
of rings. The liturgical commentators of the ROCM points out that the ―Ordo provides a
minimum of symbolism taken from traditional Western culture.‖
43
The ROCM includes
the liturgical procession of the couple, joining of the couple, blessing and giving of the
rings, and the option for the veiling of the bride. The Introduction of ROCM also allows
for other properly liturgical and fully Christianized customs and symbols. Further, ―in
the new texts symbolism is much richer, through themes such as love, covenant, fidelity,
and through using biblical themes (e.g., the Ephesians analogy) in a more direct way. All
this could be even more enriched, particularly as one senses a somewhat tired liturgical
climate of what might be termed ‗theoretical flexibility,‘ in which everyone is taking
41
We have already discussed this aspect in chapter 2; 2.3.3.4. Blessing of the Thali, the Knot and 2.3.3.6.
Blessing of Manthrakodi; chapter 3.3.3.2. under the section: Adapted Symbolic Gestures: Minnu and
Mantrakodi; Chapter 4.3.3.2. where we discussed the societal meaning of the liturgical symbols.
42
The cultural meaning of these elements will be explored further in detail under the section, 5.3.1.
43
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 194.
262 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
about benefits of having liturgies that are flexible but few people are actually producing
them.‖
44
It signifies the fact that these symbols and the symbolic gestures, such as the crowning,
the tying, the putting on and the joining unfolds the very essence of marriage, the
significance of becoming one until the end of their life; thus, ―it would be both enriching
liturgically and beneficial theologically.‖
45
They endorse the theology and meaning of a
Christian marriage and unveil the transition of bride and bridegroom to the new status as
spouses. These liturgical actions also amplify the covenantal character of marriage, its
indissolubility, and the bond of love and fidelity in a very culturally, liturgically and
theologically sensitive manner. In the liturgy of marriage, these symbolic actions are also
actions, in a unique manner, necessitating the bodily presence of the couple and serious
involvement of the corporeal gestures symbolizing the reality of their conjugal union.
5.1.3. The Word of God in the Liturgies of Marriage
The analysis of the individual rite as seen in the previous chapters throws light on the
fact that in every liturgy there are particular scriptural readings signifying the importance
and meaning of the liturgy of marriage. Further, it is noted that in the liturgy some of the
scriptural texts are used in the form of various prayers. Thus, while synthesizing the
liturgies of marriage it is appropriate to develop these reflections further. Consequently,
this section will concentrate on an overall view of the liturgy of the Word in three rites
and the use of scriptural texts as the basis of prayers in the liturgy.
5.1.3.1. The Readings from the Scripture
The Syro-Malabar Church offers the possibility for the three readings as in the Latin rite:
Old Testament, Epistle and the Gospel. For the readings from the Old Testament three
options are given: Isaiah 61:10-11, Proverbs 31:10-31, Sirach 26:14, 13-17; for the
epistles two readings are provided: Ephesians 5:20-33 and I Peter 3:1-7 and for the
Gospel there are three passages, namely, John 2:1-11, Matthew 19:3-6, Mark 10:2-9. The
Syro-Malankara rite has only two readings; the first reading is Ephesians 5:20-23, and
the gospel reading is Matthew 19:1-12. However, in the Malankara liturgy of marriage,
there are a good number of biblical references as prayers and hymns.
In the ROCM, one can choose from nine readings from the Old Testament (nos. 67-74),
fifteen from the epistles (nos. 75-84), and ten from the Gospel (nos. 96-105). Apart from
44
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 194.
45
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 200; ―Use of Symbols and Signs: Christian Liturgy
cannot be thought about in the absence of signs and symbols. They are in fact the doors that lead the
faithful to the other world, giving them the divine and salvific experience.‖ Pathikulangara, ―General
Characteristics and Sources of the Liturgy of the Saint Thomas Christians,‖ 9.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 263
these, the ROCM provides seven responsorial Psalms (nos. 85-91) and four Alleluia
verses (nos. 92-95). With this long list of readings, the typical edition of the ROCM
gives various references that express the biblical vision of marriage. Further, the ROCM
specifies the methodology for the Bible reading during the celebration of the sacrament
of marriage within the Mass:
―The Liturgy of the Word is celebrated in the usual manner. There may
be three readings, of which the First Reading should be from the Old
Testament, but, during Easter Time, from the Book of Revelation (nos.
179-222). At least one reading that explicitly speaks of Marriage must
always be chosen‖ (ROCM, no.55).
This rubric suggests that there should be three readings and at least one among them
should clearly express the dignity and meaning of marriage. The words of Pope John
Paul II in Familiaris Consortio become very relevant here. According to the Pope, the
sacrament of marriage, ―in essence, is the proclamation in the Church of the Good News
concerning married love.‖
46
He further adds that ―[i]n as much as it is a sign, the
liturgical celebration should be conducted in such a way as to constitute, also in its
external reality, a proclamation of the word of God and a profession of faith on the part
of the community of believers.‖
47
Comparing the words of the Pope, it is emphasized
that the rites of marriage specifically accentuate the Biblical readings on marriage and
family and have taken up the affirmation of the Papal document in a positive way,
showing significant concern for the proclamation of the word of God during the
celebration of the sacrament of marriage.
However, critics of liturgical texts suggest that while one may appreciate the freedom to
make a variety of choices for the biblical passages, there is also a potential drawback.
They comment ―that a superficial look at the ritual might lead to [the use of] passages
immediately suggested, without encouraging a more reflective choice.‖
48
Again, some
others suggest that ―passages in the Bible that reflect theologically on marriage are
certainly appropriate for today, even if (as in the Ephesians analogy) they will require
careful exposition. Those passages on the other hand that reflect little more than the
cultural milieu of the Bible (and there are few of these, e.g., Eccl. 26: 1-4, 16:21) are not
so helpful, nor are they so full of good pastoral and therefore theological images and
themes.‖
49
It underscores the idea that the extensive list of biblical references provides an
opportunity to select from different biblical passages, offering the possibility to read and
imbibe various discussions on marriage from the Bible. However, at the same time, it
46
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 51.
47
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 67.
48
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 299.
49
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 177.
264 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
may challenge the pastors and the spouses to evaluate what readings are more
appropriate to them during the celebration and to choose scriptural readings that express
the meaning and theology of marriage in a proper manner. The Syro-Malabar and Syro-
Malankara churches may take a lesson from the Roman Church that the extensive list of
biblical references that discloses the biblical vision of marriage can be given as an
appendix in the liturgical text, providing the spouses an opportunity to read and reflect
on those biblical visions of marriage either personally or in their family.
5.1.3.2. The Use of Biblical References in the Prayers of the Rites of Marriage
Discussing the role of the Holy Scripture in the liturgy of marriage likewise emphasizes
that the rites of marriage are profound, with the use of various biblical passages and
imbued with the allusions that are taken from the Bible. The West Syrians and the East
Syrians ―increased the number of scriptural lessons and prayers‖
50
, and their liturgies
―are filled with echoes and idioms of Holy Scripture.‖
51
When the ROCM recites the
Psalms only after the first biblical reading as the responsorial Psalms, the Syrians
interpolate the prose prayers, psalms and biblical references in their liturgies.
52
―In its
genuine form this liturgy [Eastern liturgy] is most semitic in its ethos and deeply Biblical
in its style and idiom.‖
53
Moving further, there are images and allusions used by the
Fathers of the Church, most especially the Syriac Fathers. Since the Fathers of the
Church used biblical references in their writings, the liturgies are on the one hand
patristic in their content and expression, and on the other biblical, with the biblical
characters and references. Thus, Biblical, Patristic and Liturgical theologies ―go together
to a certain extent. For, through the Fathers, liturgical texts and sacramental practices,
traditions find its written expression, and often give a certain interpretation or trend of
interpretation to the Sacred Scriptures.‖
54
Further, all three marriage rites commence with the creation account, explain salvation
history throughout the liturgies, refer to persons such as the patriarchs and their families,
the holy women and men seen in the Bible. Irrespective of the fact that whether it is
Eastern or Western liturgy, liturgies make use of the biblical imagery and biblical
theological vision in the liturgy of marriage. Thus, it is affirmed that ―[t]he liturgy is not
50
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 138.
51
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 139.
52
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 68.
53
Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 12.
54
Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 35; ―Divine revelation is contained in Scripture and Tradition. What
Tradition contains, it also unfolds, in the Liturgy it is celebrated.‖ Podipara, Reflections on Liturgy, 34;
Moolan, Introduction to Oriental Liturgy, 44. Comparing the Eastern and Western liturgies sheds light
on the fact that eastern rites ―vie with one another in depth of thought and beauty of expression‖ because
of ―their selection of biblical readings, the lyricism of their songs, and the amplitude of their priestly
prayers‖ to the extent to the affirmation that ―[t]here is no richer source available for a solidly grounded
theology of marriage.‖ Evenou, ―Marriage,‖ 196.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 265
only Scripture, but Scripture embodied in celebration and modeled by both oral and
written traditions.‖
55
Hence, the use of the biblical vision of marriage in the rites of
marriage could be considered as explicit and obvious.
The foregoing sections discussed various dimensions of the celebrative and ceremonial
dimensions of marriage. Synthesizing the section on the celebrative and ceremonial
dimensions of marriage, it could be suggested that it unveils the uniqueness of each
liturgy in relation to the other. Further, it provided some of the lessons that each liturgy
could learn from the other to make the liturgy of marriage more experiential and
ceremonial. The Second Vatican Council, in the decree on liturgy, states that the earthly
liturgy is the foretaste of the heavenly liturgy where the worshipper will have a
communion with God eternally. The whole setting of the liturgical celebration of
marriage is constituted in such a way that it imparts the heavenly atmosphere to the
worshippers. This heavenly setting of the liturgy is expressed through the liturgical
space, symbols, language, music, prayer, vestments etc. Among these there are variations
and differences in all the three liturgies. It could be considered as a point of reference
when dealing with the liturgies of every tradition. This overview of the style of prayers
of the marriage liturgies in three liturgical traditions, together with the information given
about the shape and décor of the liturgical space, introduce us to the way in which action,
scripture, prayer and liturgical place are intertwined. Together they express the meaning
and significance of the sacrament of marriage. Thinking in the line with Romano
Guardini, it could be suggested that the ceremonial dimension of marriage concedes that
the liturgies of marriage ―possesses a tremendously compelling form of expression,
which is a school of religious training and development to the Catholic who rightly
understands it.‖
56
It further demands the adaptability by the participants of the significant
of the liturgical space, words, gestures, materials and colors used for the vestments,
language and different rituals of the liturgy.
5.2. Mystical Dimension of the Liturgy of Marriage
According to the Pauline terminology, Christian marriage is considered to be a mystery
based on the mystical relationship that exists between Christ and the Church. Having
discussed the ceremonial nature of the liturgy of marriage, this section explores how the
rites of marriage identify this transcendental orientation of marriage as a sign and
mystery. What is the unique and distinctive way that each liturgy expresses this mystical
dimension to the extent that reiterates the particular liturgical theology of each Church?
55
Geldhof, ―Liturgy as Theological Norm,‖ 171.
56
Guardini, The Spirit of the Liturgy, 47.
266 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
5.2.1. The Christ-Church Relationship as the Basis of Christian Marriage
Certainly, the liturgies of marriage imply and recognize the Christ-Church relationship as
the basis of the Christian marriage. However, the question of how far the rites of
marriage engage with this aspect of Christian matrimony in such a way that the spouses
hear with their ears and see with their eyes the message that they represent and signify
the model of Christ‘s covenant with the Church in the symbolic language of liturgy is to
be answered differently. Taking into account various church teachings Amoris Laetitia
affirms the uniqueness of a Christian marriage on the basis of the Christological
understanding of marriage. Referring to the Synod Fathers it states:
―[T]he order of redemption illuminates and fulfills that of creation. Natural
marriage, therefore, is fully understood in the light of its fulfillment in the
sacrament of Matrimony: only in contemplating Christ does a person come to
know the deepest truth about human relationships. ‗Only in the mystery of the
Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light… Christ, the new Adam,
by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals man to
himself and makes his supreme calling clear‘ (Gaudium et Spes, 22). It is
particularly helpful to understand in a Christocentric key… the good of the
spouses (bonum coniugum), which includes unity, openness to life, fidelity,
indissolubility and within Christian marriage, mutual support on the path
towards complete friendship with the Lord.‖
57
As already discussed, one of the biblical readings of the ROCM is from the letter of St.
Paul to the Ephesians, which directly affirms that marriage is a mystery in reference to
Christ and the Church (ROCM, no. 26). Further, in the nuptial blessing, the ROCM
avers that ―in the wedding covenant [God] foreshadowed the Sacrament of Christ and his
Church‖ (ROCM, no. 74). The saving action of the Messiah and the mysterious
relationship between Christ and the Church are also explained in the rites of the SMK
and SMB in an explicit manner. For instance, the SMB states that Christ, as the
Heavenly Bridegroom, the Head of the Church who offered His life for the Church
(SMB, 148), clothed the Church in glory and earned the Church as His bride by His
death on the Cross (SMB, 146), etc. These aspects are well summed up in the hymn at
the beginning of the marriage rites proper to marriage; it sings as follows:
―Shedding His own flesh and blood
Precious dowry, paid your Lord
Sacrificing His own life
On the Cross He earned your soul‖ (SMB, 143)
The Malankara marriage rite seems to revolve around this mysterious Christ-Church
relationship when it says, ―O! Holy Church, in heaven Your spouse did found, your
chamber as per His word, He raised you up, Placed you beyond, all powers and, all
angels‖ (SMK, 109). The Qolo-Quqoyo is one of the best examples where the Christ-
57
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 77.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 267
Church relationship is expressed in its detail. The SMK presents Christ as the
bridegroom of truth and justice, and as the true Bridegroom. It further avers that the
crowns that are bestowed on the spouses are made by His hands. Additionally, it
accounts for the explanatory note that the meeting of the Church and Christ had taken
place on the cross where the Church exalted His glory. Again, the liturgy exhorts Christ
as the Lord of the eternal banquet. The spouses are advised to take delight in each other
as Christ found delight in the Church. The Soogitho is viewed as the song of the Church,
which explains through various images and mystical categories how Christ, the
Bridegroom, made her His spouse.
58
Extracting from the Ancient East Syrian literary
writings, the East has a tendency to make use of the various imageries that represents the
spousal relationship between Christ and the Church. As a result, the images, Christ as the
Bridegroom and Church as the bride of Christ, are recurrent themes of the Syrian orient
and its liturgies in order to present the symbolism of the mystery of the Christ-Church
relationship.
59
―The Fathers and theologians of the early Church developed the bridal
imagery of the Church extensively, and it is adopted in the various liturgies in order to
establish the symbolism of the mystery of the Church.‖
60
This Christ-centeredness of the
liturgy of marriage emphasizes the mystical nature of the rite of marriage.
Consequently, the Christ-centeredness of the liturgy, where it discusses the Christ-
Church relationship, is mainly used by the East to emphasize the mystical nature of the
Christian marriage within the theological framework of the mystical spousal relationship
of Christ and the Church. ―Marriage is not merely a marital relationship between
husband and wife, but a realization of the link, spousal and everlasting, between Christ
and the Church. It is not that Christ and the Church are the symbols of the Christian
marriage but on the contrary, marriage between Christians is an image of Christ and the
Church.‖
61
As already seen, most of the liturgical terminologies and themes of the
Eastern churches are taken from the excerpts of the typological and symbolical writings
of the Fathers of the Early Church, mainly from the Syrian writers. More concretely,
58
We have already made a short analysis on these aspects when we dealt with the analysis of the
Malankara rite. ―Following the expulsion by the Emperors Justin I (518-527) and Justinian (527-568),
the non-Chalcedonians took refuge in the Syriac-speaking areas of Mesopotamia and organized their
own liturgical tradition, incorporating a large number of hymns, especially those of the poet theologians
such as Ephrem (+373) and Jacob of Serugh (+521). The West Syrian liturgy in its present form is a
Mesopotamian version of the Antiochene tradition.‖ Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 2.
59
Parappallil, Ecclesial Dimension and Symbolism of Marriage, 219.
60
Parappallil, Ecclesial Dimension and Symbolism of Marriage, 219.
61
Patros Yousif, An Introduction to the East Syrian Spirituality (Rome: The Center for Indian and Inter-
religious Studies, 1989), 39; ―By depicting the whole affair between Christ and Church in mystic
language, by her prayers, the Malankara Church elevates the bride and groom to a mystic experience of
Christ-Church relation so that they be in a divine trace, in which celestial atmosphere and mood they
enter into this great mystery of their matrimony, which itself is an ephiphany of the mystery of the
relation between Christ and Church.‖ Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony,
Malankara Church,‖ 188.
268 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
many of the patristic references which show the symbolic relationship between Christ,
the Bridegroom, and the Church, the bride of Christ, are incorporated into the West
Syrian and East Syrian liturgies.
Set within this context, discussing the mystical dimension of marriage from the
perspective of the Christ-Church relationship of marriage, it is to be affirmed that the
rites of marriage unanimously express the vision that the Christ-Church covenantal
relationship is the foundation upon which Christian marriage is originated and
developed. However, there are expressive differences between Western and Eastern rites
while detailing the Christ-Church relations in the liturgies. Thus, the Eastern rites could
be considered as the locus for the Christological and ecclesiological catechesis, as the
theology of salvation history is given in a condensed modus in the liturgy.
5.2.2. The Nuptial Blessing and its Placement
Despite the fact that all the rites emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in the liturgies of
marriage, we could find a major difference between Western and Eastern rites. In the
SMK the nuptial blessing immediately follows the crowning, the tying of the thali and
the placing of the Manthrakodi, the significant rituals of marriage. The nuptial blessing is
a cluster consisting of a prose prayer and a hymn of blessing in the rite. In SMB, the
nuptial blessing in the liturgy of marriage is also immediately after the important rituals
of marriage, such as declaration of consent, the blessing and exchanging of rings, tying
the thali, manthrakodi, and the proclamation of the marital pledge. Thus, in these two
liturgies the constituting elements of marriage are ordered in such that they make one
structural unit.
In the ROCM, however, the declaration of consent and the nuptial blessing are separated
by the communion. Liturgical commentators criticized this placement of the nuptial
blessing in the Roman Rite. The Introduction of the ROCM affirms that the consent of
the spouses and the nuptial blessing are essential ingredients of the celebration of
marriage. However, the isolation of the consent from the nuptial blessing could be
considered as going against the spirit of the new liturgy of marriage of the Roman
Church.
62
Kenneth Stevenson opined that in the history of the Roman Church, the bride
was blessed before the Eucharist, but it was the post-Tridentine time when there had
been no other rites, specially the declaration of the consent during the mass. He states:
―Tradition lingered, so that this blessing remained in its old position, even after the
Vatican Council reforms.‖
63
He recognizes that Sacrosanctum Concilium did not
mention the position of the nuptial blessing in the liturgy of marriage. Hence, he
62
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 166-167.
63
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 170.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 269
suggests, there is an urgency to have a revision in the liturgy by associating the nuptial
blessing with consent and the exchange of the rings. According to him the clustering of
the nuptial blessing together with the promise of consent and exchange of rings ―is a
preferable procedure, because it interprets the meaning of the rite more accurately and
avoids separating important foci from each other, which could result in a fragmented
liturgy precisely at a time when we want to avoid such fragmentation.‖ Further he adds
that ―[h]uman resolve and divine blessing are what Christian marriage is all about.
Therefore they hold these together, in sequence, so that the one follows on from the
other.‖
64
On the contrary, Vincent Ryan appreciates the position of the nuptial blessing in
a different manner. According to him, ―the position of the nuptial blessing in close
proximity to the Communion of the Mass gives a marked eucharistic character to this
prayer. This is intentional and is underlined by a direct reference in the introductory
formula to the sacrament of Christ‘s body and blood which perfects and puts the seal to
married love.‖
65
The analysis of the Eastern and Western rites on the placement of the nuptial blessing
seems to affirm that in the Eastern rites, the major rites that are central to the liturgy of
marriage are placed in a cluster, affirming the role of human resolve and divine blessing
in marriage. In the Western rites, however, the focus is more on the human consent,
though there is an attempt to integrate human and divine dimensions in the liturgy. So,
this discussion may prompt to affirm that the rite of marriage in today‘s western context
could be considered as a movement from the fourth century understanding that Christian
marriage is the ―secular marriage, Contracted civilly and in the family‖
66
to the
understanding that marriage contracted religiously and in the Church with the blessing of
the priest.
67
The basis of this difference between West and East seems to be on the
theological and canonical understanding that it is the human consent that makes marriage
64
Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 171. David Power notes that ―to concentrate, for
example, only on the moment of marriage when the promises are made‖ is an action and an attitude that
―is to refuse the interplay of images.‖ David Noel Power, Unsearchable Riches: The Symbolic Nature of
Liturgy (New York (NY): Pueblo, 1984), 66. The same argument is given by different critics. Nocent,
―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 300; ―To opt for a one-sided theology of marriage does
great disservice to the rest of the liturgy, because it inevitably makes the remainder of the liturgy look
second class: rich as it is supposed to be, significant in meaning as it originally was. So the
Praenotanda‟s insistence on the nuptial blessing is an important way of stressing the liturgical and
ecclesial character of the sacrament, presided over by an ordained representative of the rest of the
Church.‖ Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 167; Pope John Paul II, ―Christian
Spirituality of Marriage,‖ 1; Stevenson, ―Marriage Liturgy: Lessons from History,‖ 233.
65
Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 6.
66
Schillebeeckx, Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery, 229.
67
It is in this context the observation of Joris Geldhof seems to be relevant. According to him, ―a Christian
theological understanding of sacramentality significantly differs from anthropological accounts of
sacredness.‖ Analysing it in the context of liturgy, he further affirms that the liturgy ―penetrates the
entirety of being‖ and [i]t lets the sanctifying mystery radiate and reach out to any person of good will.‖
Geldhof, ―Liturgy Beyond Secular,‖ 89.
270 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
valid in the Western churches, but it is human consent and nuptial blessing that makes
the Eastern marriages valid in the Church.
However, making marriage rites into a structural unit by placing them together seems to
be a point of discussion for a renewed understanding of the theology of marriage based
on the liturgical theology of marriage. It would further add the mystical dimension to the
celebration of matrimony by integrating this divine dimension to the human decision to
enter into marriage with free will and consent.
5.2.3. The Epiclesis: Optional or Obligatory?
The role of the Holy spirit in the rites of marriage had been discussed in the previous
sections while synthesizing the divine dimension of marriage.
68
In the SMB, the epiclesis
is part of the nuptial blessing immediately after the nuptial covenant where the spouses
take the pledge. In the SMK, we could not find any particular prayer for the epiclesis, but
the symbolic action of waving over the head of the spouses before the crowning
symbolizes the epiclesis where by the Holy Spirit is asked to descend on the spouses. In
the same vein of thought, the Roman Church introduced epiclesis in the revised version
of the marriage rite. The introduction of the epiclesis is a ―step forward‖, but some of the
commentators of the liturgy criticized the positioning of the epiclesis, as they criticized
the placement of the nuptial blessing. Reasoning on the concerns related to this
positioning, Adrian Nocent argues that ―we might ask whether it really belongs in the
blessing of the spouses, which is not, strictly speaking, sacramental. This, it seems to us,
raises the blessing to a position of undue importance. Would it not have been better to
introduce this epiclesis at the moment of consent, which constitutes the sacrament in
which the Spirit acts?‖
69
Further, he suggests that the reason behind the separation of
these two elements, consent and blessing together with the epiclesis, at the different parts
of the liturgy of marriage could be the ―fear of overemphasizing the priest‘s role in the
sacrament of marriage, which, according to the Latin Rite, is conferred by the two
spouses.‖
70
Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches makes the distinction in an explicit manner in the
following words:
―It should be noted that the obligation of the sacred rite, and thus of the
priestly blessing, for the validity of the Marriage is specific to Eastern
law. In the Latin Church, simply the presence of the local Ordinary, or
the parish priest, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them is
required. In the Eastern tradition, the priest, in addition to assisting,
must bless the Marriage. To bless means to act as the true minister of
the sacrament, in virtue of his priestly power to sanctify, so that the
68
See, Section 4.1.3. Marriage: Sealed and Empowered by the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
69
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 300.
70
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 300.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 271
spouses may be united by God in the image of the flawless nuptial
union of Christ with the Church and be consecrated to each other by
sacramental grace.‖
71
The ROCM also provides options for the celebration of marriage without priest. As
already discussed a layperson can assist the celebration of marriage. When a deacon
presides at the marriage, the nuptial blessing together with the prayer for the Holy Spirit
is included.
72
However, there is also a possibility that nuptial blessing can be omitted
when a marriage is celebrated between a Catholic and a Catechumen or a non-Christian.
This option also leads us to wonder whether the nuptial blessing along with the epiclesis
is only optional for the celebration of marriage or obligatory. Making a comparison
between the East and West leads us to engage the role of the Holy Spirit in the liturgies
of marriage. Familiaris Consortio teaches that ―the Holy Spirit who is poured out in the
sacramental celebration offers Christian couples the gift of a new communion of love
that is the living and real image of that unique unity which makes of the Church the
indivisible Mystical Body of the Lord Jesus.‖
73
It raises the question whether the spouses
could experience the Holy Spirit pouring out on them so that they can make their natural
relationship is transcended and enable them to fulfill their conjugal union in love till the
end of their life, and understand that the ―supernatural element cannot be conceived as
something that is simply superimposed upon the natural order, but rather as something
that, while transcending that natural order, takes it up ad intra, raises it up, and leads it to
its fullness.‖
74
The comparison of marriage liturgies prompts thoughts over the liturgical action of
crowning in the SMK and the role of Holy Spirit in the liturgy. As already analyzed, in
the SMK there is only a symbolic action of waving over the spouses with the crowns
signifying the descent of the Holy Spirit on the spouses. Additionally, the hymn that is
sung during the crowning is mainly Christological in its theme. Realizing the existence
of epiclesis in the SMB and ROCM, the SMK may take it into consideration the
integration of a direct prayer for the epiclesis during the renewal of the liturgy of
marriage. The inclusion of a prayer for the Holy Spirit may assist the spouses to have a
direct experience of the role of the Holy Spirit in their marital life and experiencing the
descent of the Holy Spirit at the time of their marriage.
71
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 82; See also CIC, can. 1108 § 1.
72
―It also pertains to a Deacon, after receiving the faculty from the pastor or from the local Ordinary, to
preside at the celebration of the Sacrament, without omitting the Nuptial Blessing‖ (ROCM, no. 24).
73
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, § 19.
74
Carlo Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament: Towards a New Theological Conceptualization,‖ in
Christian Marriage Today, ed. Klaus Demmer (Washington (DC): Naval Research Laboratory, 1997),
71.
272 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
5.2.4. The Ministeriality in the Rites of Marriage
The worshipping community, according to the liturgies of marriage, consists of the
spouses, priest, witnesses, deacons, servers and the ecclesial community. The following
section discusses their specific roles in the liturgy of marriage.
5.2.4.1. Spouses
In the ROCM one can notice a significant prominence of the spouses, and entry into the
sacrament of matrimony is basically presented as a human decision rather than the divine
invitation. To make the argument more concrete, one can pick up more instances from
the liturgy of marriage of the Roman Rite. It begins with the prayer that they have come
to the house of the Lord ―on the day they intend to form a home of their own‖, and
further, the alternative form expresses that they ―establish between [themselves] a
lifelong partnership‖ (ROCM, 22). Moving forward, when the priest addresses the
couple before the questions to express their consent, it is mentioned that to enter into
marriage as their ―intention‖ and asks them ―to state their intention‖ when they express
that they come to enter into a married life freely and wholeheartedly (ROCM, 30).
Again, before the declaration of the consent, the priest emphasizes that it is their
―intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony‖ (ROCM, 30). Hence, in the ROCM,
the focus appears to be more on the bride and bridegroom and their intention to enter into
marriage. It believes that to enter into marriage is not mainly a divine invitation, but
rather is predicated upon the human intention. Celebration of marriage, as the liturgy
presents, is the declaration of their consent; the specific role ascribed to God is the
strengthening of the consent that they have declared in His presence before the ecclesial
community (ROCM, 59).
In contrast, the SMB and SMK give more focus on the theme that entering the marital
covenant is an invitation by God himself.
75
The liturgy of crowning of the SMK begins
with the prayer ―with those you invited to that banquet, invite us also to your eternal joy‖
(SMK, 103). To enter the bridal chamber is to experience the everlasting joy that can
only be inherited as an invitation of God, and this invitation has an individual and
communitarian dimension, as it implies that the individual spouses and the Church are
the community. It also refers to the present and to the future, as it points to the life on
earth and the eternal life simultaneously. However, this invitation is actually not
something that she deserves; rather it seems to be a gift from the Lord. As a result the
Church prays, ―make us worthy, O Lord God, of that incorruptible bridal chamber‖; and
further, ―You made my bridal chamber in heaven and invited me that I may be yours‖
75
We have already discussed this theme when we analyzed the prayer, where we expressed that this
invitation has an ―already and not yet‖ dimension and also ―individual and collective‖ dimension.
Section, 3.3.3.6.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 273
(SMK, 135). Along the same line, the SMB also presents the union in holy matrimony as
a divine call (SMB, 129). It explicitly reminds the couples that they are partaking in the
divine will to institute a bond of love and communion through the celebration of
marriage on the same vein as Mark Seale suggests: ―Marriage is the first, original
blessing conferred by God on humankind, a blessing that has survived the fall and the
vicissitudes of history […]. In marrying before God, the couple take[s] up what is their
divine vocation, a way of life ordained by God and sanctified by its submission to God‘s
plan for creation.‖
76
Further, prayers of the Eastern rites situate the spouses in the history
of salvation and are essentially linked to it. This is very well expressed in their repeated
invoking of God as the creator, and repeated mentioning of the Patriarchs of the Old
Testament, the Holy Family and the saintly people in the New Testament and placing the
new spouses at the end this genealogy. Eastern rites recall the creation account very often
in the liturgies of marriage, remember the blessings God has given to the Old Testament
spouses, and situate the new family in salvation history. Thus, anamnesis could be
considered as one of the peculiar characteristics of the Eastern rites, very particularly the
Syrian rites.
77
Theologizing between this distinctiveness enables us to deepen the appreciation that
these distinct references point to the fact how each liturgical traditions view the
sacrament of marriage. ―In the Roman Rite, the consensus is central to the sacrament of
marriage.‖
78
As a result, even though the rite recognizes the divine authorship of
Christian marriage, more focus is given to the human decision to enter the sacrament of
marriage. As already analyzed, the liturgy of the Roman rite repeats the term ‗your
intention to enter into the rite of marriage‘, and it recurs almost 14 times in the rite of
marriage. It also presents that the significance of the divine act is to strengthen the
consent that they have declared. In the liturgy of marriage of Syro-Malabar and Syro-
Malankara, however, there are repeated references which emphasize that it is God who
unites the couple.
Consequently, we tend to assume that the liturgies of marriage point to the fact that while
the Eastern Churches give prominence to the divine dimension of marriage, the Western
Churches affirm the human dimension of marriage. If God is the initiator of marriage as
presented in the liturgies of the East, this may have an impact on the life of the couples.
It would further help them to recognize the divine will throughout their lives, even when
they experience moments of turmoil and difficulties. Being invited to the sacrament of
marriage and united by God in holy matrimony may further boost their commitment to
life and their effort to live out a lifelong bond of love and life. Principally, it is God who
76
Searle and Stevenson, Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, 263.
77
Spidlik, ―Some aspects of Syriac Spirituality‖, 68.
78
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 299.
274 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
joins the spouses together in marriage. Entering into marriage as a human intention
would be a challenge to the spouses, because that may eventually lead to the view that
marriage as based on their decision may give the impression that they could dissolve
their marital contract more easily when confronted with the question of marital problems
in the everyday lives. Further, the liturgy is the celebration of their faith, and if they
could not see God‘s involvement in the celebration of the liturgy of marriage, how could
they understand it further? ―God, as creator, started the whole thing off, and does not just
arrive on the scene later to give it a blessing. Understanding marriage as a gift of God in
Trinitarian creation is crucial to understanding what is going on spiritually. This should
pervade and inform all parts of the rite, not just the blessing and Eucharist. Relationship
is at the heart of the triune God, and that relationship is echoed in domestic rites, at the
Church door and in the sanctuary.‖
79
Hence, these concerns have considerable impact on
the theology of marriage and works as a check for the theological frameworks.
5.2.4.2. Priest
During the celebration of marriage, there is an array of rituals that the priest has to
perform during the ceremony. In the ROCM we can see the questions before the consent,
then the declaration of the consent. At the request of the priest, they join their right hands
and declare their consent that they would be faithful in every moment of their life,
irrespective of the situations. It further says ―receiving their consent‖, the priest prays
that the Lord may ―strengthen their consent‖ and graciously bring to fulfillment his
blessing within the spouses. Then, there is the blessing and giving of the rings. While
blessing the rings, the priest says, ―May the Lord bless these rings, which you will give
to each other as a sign of love and fidelity.‖ But, while exchanging the rings, the spouses
say, ―Receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit‖ (ROCM, no. 66). Since consent is the constitutive
element of the sacrament of marriage in the west, the couples who pronounce their
consent in the presence of the priest acquire a prime role in the celebration of the liturgy
of marriage. As a result, the manner by which they proclaim their consent gains
prominence in the celebration.
―If marriage is a sacrament, it is first and foremost an act of Christ and
of the Church. The ministeriality of the spouses consists in their
participation (by virtue of baptism) in the act of Christ and of the
Church, which is symbolically operative with the gift it signifies. The
spouses do not ―administer to each other‖, nor do they merely
―receive‖ the sacrament of marriage as if it were a ―thing‖, but they
celebrate an act that – by virtue of their baptism – makes them
79
Godfried Danneels, ―Les Ministres Du Sacrement Du Mariage,‖ in Mariage et Sacrement De Mariage,
ed. Pierre de Locht (Paris: Centurion, 1970), 199-207. Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 70;
Stevenson, ―Marriage Liturgy: Lessons from History,‖ 229-233. Ryan reiterates that ―[the spouses]
themselves constitute the sacrament.‖ Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 275
participants in the mystery of the covenant which takes place for them
and in them.‖
80
Consequently, we can say that the spouses in the ROCM have an active role to play
during the celebration of the sacrament. Even though the Introduction of the ROCM
mentions that the Word of God, the consent of the spouses and nuptial blessings
constitute marriage, the role of priest seems to be minimum in relation to the role of the
spouses in the liturgy of marriage of Roman Church.
81
As already discussed, in the Eastern Churches the role of the priest is indispensable.
―Only those marriages are valid which are celebrated with the sacred rite, with the
presence and blessing of the local Hierarch or the local parish priest or a priest to whom
the faculty of blessing the Marriage has been given by either of them (can. 828, 1 and
2).‖
82
In the Syro-Malabar Church, during the blessing of the rings and the exchange of
the rings, no prayer or words are uttered by the spouses. Rather the words similar to the
ROCM are pronounced by the priest while blessing the rings. After this liturgical action,
the priest blesses the other symbols of marriage, the thali and mantrakodi, which are
handed over to the husband who ties the thali around the bride and puts the mantrakodi
over the head of the bride. Nevertheless, the spouses in the SMB make a pledge by the
Gospel that they will keep their marital bond intact till the end of their life. It induces the
assumption that sometimes the spouses have active roles to play, but sometimes they are
passive recipients of the sacrament.
In the SMK, the spouses are mostly passive in the celebration of the sacrament. It is the
priest who blesses the crowns and places them on the heads of the spouses, which is
considered to be a constituting element of the sacrament of marriage in the Syro-
Malankara Church. During the betrothal in the SMK, it is the priest who puts rings on the
fingers of the bride and the bridegroom. It symbolizes that it is the priest who as the
representative of the Church is giving the symbol of the betrothal. Hence, ―the Church is
not present merely as a witness or a purveyor of blessing, but as the effective instrument
of the union of man and woman in the sacrament of matrimony.‖
83
While in the East no
80
Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 199-207.
81
Ryan states that ―The priest appears as the official witness of the Church and it is he who blesses the
union.‖ Ryan, ―The Roman Rite of Marriage,‖ 3. See Sections, 5.2.2 and 5.2.4.1 on the nuptial blessing
and the role of the spouses for a detailed discussion.
82
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 81. It also mentions that ―[t]he Marriage can be validly
and licitly celebrated in the presence of witnesses alone when a priest who is competent according to the
norm of the law cannot be present or accessed without grave inconvenience, or in danger of death, or if it
is prudently foreseen that such circumstanes will continue for at aleast a month. In much as possible in
such cases, another priest, even non-Catholic, is to be called to bless the Marriage (Can. 832 § 1, 2).
Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Instruction for the Application of the Liturgical Prescriptions of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, § 81.
83
Aerath, ―The Sacrament of Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 69.
276 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
marriage takes place without the priest, the West provides the option for the celebration
of marriage even without the priest (ROCM, no. 15).
84
―In the East things are very different. The principal minister of the
sacrament is Christ represented by the priest, who not only blesses the
marriage, as in the West but also acts as minister of the grace of the
sacrament. Thus, besides the consent of the spouses, the priest‘s
blessing is a central and essential act in the formation of the
sacramental bond. When the priest blesses the spouses, he acts not only
ritually, that is, with a formal gesture; on the contrary, when he invokes
the Spirit he is really minister of the divine mystery that takes place in
the sacrament. In the East neither a deacon nor a lay person can replace
the priest. The marriage is complete when the sacrament has been
conferred by a priest.‖
85
Comparing the liturgies of marriage of East and West, thus, prompts the understanding
that according to the liturgy of marriage, the priest plays a dominant role in the Eastern
rites. However, in the West, theologically and canonically it is said that the ordained
minister is only a ―qualified witness‖. However, the revised rite of marriage emphasizes
the role of the priest in an explicit manner: The priest does the nuptial blessing, the
blessing after the declaration of the consent of the spouses and blesses the rings.
86
In the
original form of marriage celebration in the Roman Church, the nuptial blessing was
essential and the constituting ritual. Hence, the critics of the present liturgy suggest that
―it would not be a bad idea to restore the fullness of its meaning as well, instead of
reducing it to a sort of appendage of the marriage rite proper, as is the case at present.
This kind of rethinking, of course, means that it is necessary to overcome the reductionist
conception, which identifies the contract entirely with the sacrament, and to move
toward a view that is truly appreciative of the ‗mystery‘ of marriage, which would also
be closer to that of Oriental theology.‖
87
From an human point of view, in the Eastern
84
―[T]he Malankara church does not accept as sacramental that union of man and woman contracted only
before the civil forum.‖ Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara
Church,‖ 187; ―The uniting link is God himself: ―Let God himself be between you and me,‖ says the
priest. God unites the couple in the Church. The priest representing their parents and the Church, God‘s
agent, effectively makes them unite (a custom from the fourth cent. in the East) signifying the couple‘s
becoming one in the presence of the Church, and hence their mutual responsibility and privileges and
perfect union to remain is and isa(h).‖ Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy
Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖ 142.
85
Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 276.
86
―Generations of Roman Catholic couples, and others as well, have been taught that even though they
have to go through a sometimes lengthy public liturgy, it is they and they alone who ―confect the
sacrament.‖ Stevenson, To Join Together: The Rite of Marriage, 166; ―In the Roman Rite, the consensus
is central to the sacrament of marriage. During their expression of consent the spouses join their right
hands.‖ Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 299; ―In the West, the essence of the
sacrament consists in the mutual exchange of consent by the two spouses before witnesses. Its validity
also depends on the ability to perform a complete sexual act (potestas coeundi). […] In the West the
principal ministers of the sacrament are the spouses themselves, who promise mutual fidelity in the
presence of witnesses.‖ Nocent, ―The Christian Rite of Marriage in the West,‖ 275.
87
―In the West, the stress is placed on the baptismal character of the spouses and on their royal
priesthood,‖ notes Cardinal Godfried Danneels, ―The priest, as representative of Christ of the
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 277
rites, especially in the Malankara Church, the spouses are mostly very passive, a
recipient of the sacrament to the extent even the rings, as we already said, are put on the
fingers by the priest, not by the spouses. Realizing the active role of the spouses enacted
in the liturgy of marriage, the Western Church could engage the East to integrate some
more active roles of the spouses.
5.2.4.3. Witnesses
According to the particular laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, betrothal is to be
celebrated in the presence of two witnesses, and the celebration of the engagement has to
be documented in the register, signed by the engaged persons, witnesses and the
officiating priest.
88
During the celebration of marriage, witnesses also have a particular
role to play in the liturgy of marriage. According to the SMB, the spouses proceed to the
Church along with the witnesses, and they stand in front of the Bema ―flanked by two
witnesses‖ (SMB, 127). Further, after the scrutiny of the consent of the spousal parties,
the priest asks the witnesses whether they are witnesses to the ceremony, and they reply
that ―yes, we are‖ (SMB, 144). After the celebration of marriage, the details are entered
in the parish registers in the presence of the witnesses, and if any errors are found in the
documentation, every correction has to be made in the presence of the witnesses.
89
In the same manner, the SMK specifies the role of the witnesses at the beginning of the
ceremony by saying that the bridegroom and bride stand before the sanctuary along with
the witnesses. They use the terms ‗best man‘ and ‗maid of honor‘ for the witness. While
the best man stands to the left of the bridegroom, the maid of honor stands to the right of
the bride (SMK, 73). Declaration of the consent is approved by the witnesses by
declaring that he/she has heard the declaration of the consent by the bridegroom and
bride. After the celebration of marriage, as in the SMB, the details of the celebration of
marriage are documented in the marriage register of the parish and the spouses, priest
and witnesses sign in the document.
90
In the ROCM, there are two references to witnesses during the celebration of marriage.
The first one specifically mentions that before the questioning of the consent all stand,
―including the couple and the witnesses, who are positioned near them‖ (ROCM, 59).
Again, the ROCM makes its explicit that ―[t]he bride and bridegroom, their parents,
witnesses, and relatives may receive Communion under both kinds‖ (ROCM, 76). So,
community, publicly confirms an act of the spouses. […] In the East, the stress is placed rather on the
priestly function of the priest. […] Through the person of the celebrant, the Church enters ‗visibly‘ into
the constitution of the sacramental sign.‖ Rocchetta, ―Marriage as a Sacrament,‖ 70. See also Godfried
Danneels, ―Les Ministres Du Sacrement Du Mariage,‖ 199-207.
88
Syro-Malabar Bishops‘ Synod, Particular Laws of the Syro-Malabar Church, canons. 165 and 167.
89
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 540.
90
The Code of Particular Canons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, can. 540.
278 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
the presence of witnesses is recognized in the ceremony, but few active roles are
assigned to them except witnessing the ceremony of marriage. However, the ROCM
makes it explicit that the witnesses and the priest sign the marriage register after the
ceremony of marriage. Thus, the role of the witness in the ceremony of marriage is that
they are the witness to the ceremony and their main role is to note to the consent of the
parties and to play a significant role in the documentation of the marriage register.
While discussing the role of the witnesses in the celebration a special mention should be
given from an ecumenical perspective. Directory for the Application of Principles and
Norms on Ecumenism teaches that ―[m]embers of other Churches or ecclesial
Communities may be witnesses at the celebration of marriage in a Catholic Church.
Catholics may also be witnesses at marriages which are celebrated in other churches or
ecclesial Communities.‖
91
5.2.4.4. Deacon and Servers
In the ROCM deacon is an ordinary celebrant of the sacrament of marriage but in the
Eastern Churches deacon is not an ordinary celebrant of the sacrament of marriage.
However, he can assist the priest in the celebration of the sacrament. This prominent
distinction has to be maintained throughout this section.
In the ROCM, we see a detailed use of rubrical directions. On the contrary, in the
liturgical services of the Eastern Churches, most of the rubrics are announced by the
deacon or server as a prayer or invitation. For example, before the actual celebration of
marriage, the ROCM puts a rubric that ―with all standing, including the couple and the
witnesses, who are positioned near them, the priest addresses the couple in these or
similar words‖ (ROCM, 59). But, in the SMB, the same situation is introduced as an
announcement by the deacon: ―Dear brothers and sisters, the bride and groom are going
to be united in the sacrament of holy matrimony. The celebrant prays for himself that he
may administer this sacrament worthily. In reverence and attentiveness, let us now pray
in silence‖ (SMB, 142-143).
Furthermore, as an introduction to the questions before the consent, the ROCM gives the
rubrical directive that ―[t]he priest then questions them about their freedom of choice,
fidelity to each other, and the acceptance and upbringing of children, and each responds
separately‖ (ROCM, no. 60). Comparing the rubric with the Eastern churches, it could be
seen that instead of such long list of rubrics a variety of different rites are acted out. For
example, in the SMK during the Liturgy of the Word, there is a hymn before the reading,
the first reading, hymn before the gospel, the announcement by the deacon that ―[w]ith
91
Pope John Paul II, Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (Vatican:
Vatican City, 1993), 136.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 279
reverence and devotion, let us listen to the living words of God, the holy Gospel of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, which is being proclaimed before us‖ and the people respond to it by
saying: ―May the Lord make us worthy of it‖ (SMK, 121). This announcement could be
considered as a minor euchological prayer, a short prayer, and then the priest reads the
gospel. The same idea is resonated in the announcement of the deacon before the reading
and at the commencement of different rituals in the SMB as well. ―Liturgy is not merely
‗prayers‘ or a set of rituals. It is primarily an act, an assembly, a gathering in Christ, by
the Spirit, in which the meaning of Christian ‗togetherness‘ is continually revealed and
sealed.‖
92
The heads of the spouses who stand inclined after the deacon‘s admonition and
the whole ecclesial community prays for the priest as he begins the rites proper to the
sacrament of marriage in response to the invitation of the deacons to pray earnestly for
the priest.
In short, we can say that in actual practice, Western and Eastern rites follow the same
manner, but the description for the same is distinct and different. The Roman rite gives
the information of the particular liturgical actions and transitions from one ritual to the
other by way of effective rubrics. Even the Introduction of the ROCM could be
considered as a rubrical formulary, ―consist[ing] of a theological code (on the exposition
of the Church‘s teaching on the theology of marriage, which tells what should emerge
and what a celebration ought to signify) and rubrical code (which states the rubrical
norms and emphasizes how the celebration must function it is to achieve the effects
signified).‖
93
The Eastern Churches do it differently by putting those instructions into
different forms of prayers or as the announcements proper to each ceremony.
Apart from the announcement and proclamation of the prayers, the deacons or servers
have different duties to fulfill during the celebration of marriage. In the SMB when the
procession reaches the Bema, it is the deacon who receives the thali, the manthrakodi
(rings, rosaries, garlands, etc.) and places them on the table placed on the Bema (SMB,
126-127). During the Liturgy of the Word, in all the liturgies, deacons and servers have
significant role to play in the procession of the Gospel.
94
―The most importance quality
of the Syrian liturgy is its sense of awe and wonder before the divine mystery.‖
95
The
SMB explains that during the liturgy of the Word, the sanctuary veil that covers the
92
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 171; The Apostolic Constitutions give a detailed description
of the character of a deacon and his duties during the liturgical ceremonies. Alexander Roberts, James
Donaldson, and Arthur Cleveland Coxe, eds., ―Constitutions of the Holy Apostles.‖ In The Ante-Nicene
Fathers, vol. VII (New York (N.Y): Cosimo Classics, 2007), 432.
93
Renato De Zan, Critcism and Interpretation of Liturgical Texts, 337.
94
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 151-152. See also Paniker, ―The Holy
Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 153; Eustathios Joseph Mounayer, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of
the Syrian Church of Antioch,‖ in The Eucharistic Liturgy in the Christian East, edited by John Madey.
(Kottayam: prakasam Publications, 1933, 80.
95
Paniker, ―The Holy Qurbono in the Syro-Malankara Church,‖ 139-140.
280 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
sanctuary is drawn to the sides, and the server enters the sanctuary and incenses,
proceeding from the left side of the altar to the right side, and then he incenses the
congregation standing in the middle (SMB, 132). How the liturgy of the Word is
proclaimed in the SMK is well explained in the following text:
―In pontifical and solemn liturgies, there is great pomp in this
procession. All the servers and the clergy carry candles and fans, the
deacon, the censor, and the celebrant, the gospel book at the level of his
head; all start off in order and go around the altar. Returning to the
point of departure of the procession, before the altar, the celebrant
ascends the altar step and intones three times, the Trisagion: ―Holy are
you, O God‖. Thereafter the deacon turns to the people to read the
epistle, at the end of which he recites or sings the hulolo consisting
normally of a verse taken from the Psalms, followed by the Alleluia.
When the celebrant is singing the Gospel his face turned to the people.
Before that, the deacon invites the people to be silent, attentive and
respectful. The Gospel is [sung] with much solemnity. The deacon is
placing himself in front of the celebrant censing all the time; two
ministers, with a candle in their hands, stand on both sides of the priest.
After the Gospel, a hymn is sung by the choir which varies according
to the feasts.‖
96
Shortly, the place of the deacons and servers is a hallmark of the Eastern Churches with
their active role in the celebration of the liturgies. In the celebration of marriage as well,
in the Eastern churches, the role of the deacons is nothing but indispensable through their
admonitions and reminders to be active in the liturgy.
The roles of each person in the liturgy of marriage could be summarized by the words of
Eustathios Joseph Mounayer: ―Among the prayer[s] which do not change, some are
reserved to the priest, others to the deacon and others to the people. Those of the priest
are invocations and benedictions; those of the deacon are admonitions, exhortations and
injunctions, while those of the people are answers, gestures and hymns.‖
97
Hence,
priests, deacons, other ministers, and the faithful have their own particular role and place
in every liturgical celebration and in the liturgy of marriage the spouses along with the
witnesses also acquire a significant place as they are the central persons in the
ceremony.
98
Concluding the section on the mystical dimension of the liturgy of marriage, it can be
asserted that this analysis provided a discussion on the significant difference between the
East and the West on the theology of marriage as expressed in the liturgies of marriage.
One of the notable differences between the East and the West is the difference of
96
Eustathios Joseph Mounayer, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Syrian Church of Antioch,‖ 82. ―In solemn
liturgies [[the celebrant] is surrounded by the several officiating deacons, sub deacons, readers and
singers all wearing a special liturgical sign who place themselves on both sides of the altar serving the
divine mysteries.‖ Mounayer, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Syrian Church of Antioch,‖ 87.
97
Eustathios Joseph Mounayer, ―The Eucharistic Liturgy of the Syrian Church of Antioch,‖ 77.
98
Pathikulangara, ―General Characteristics and Sources of the Liturgy of the Saint Thomas Christians,‖ 10.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 281
emphasis on the divine and human dimension. The reasons behind these differences, as
already mentioned, are the theological and canonical difference of the East and West.
Basically the mutual consent of the spouses declared before the witness is the basic
requirement of marriage in the Western Church as taught by the Catechism of the
Catholic Church and the Code of Canon Law. Nonetheless, in the East the mystery
dimension of marriage is more significant and the Eastern Churches make the mystery of
marriage as ―the mystery of things far above this world.‖
99
Whereby, the whole focus is
on the Christ-church relationship as the basis of the marital relationship and the nuptial
blessing is mandatory. Amoris Laetitia affirms it while stating the following:
―The Church can require that the wedding be celebrated publicly, with the
presence of witnesses and other conditions that have varied over the course of
time, but this does not detract from the fact that the couple who marry are the
ministers of the sacrament. Nor does it affect the centrality of the consent given
by the man and the woman, which of itself establishes the sacramental bond.
This having been said, there is a need for further reflection on God‘s action in
the marriage rite; this is clearly manifested in the Oriental Churches through the
importance of the blessing that the couple receive as a sign of the gift of the
Sprit.‖
100
Thus, the exploration on the mystical dimension of marriage may prompt a reflection
upon the present state of the marriage in the contemporary world and the urgency for the
affirmation of the significance of the sacrament of marriage in this secular society.
Different interpretations on the meaning of marriage and emergence of their various
forms of marriage and family could be recognized at the advancement of the twenty-first
century. Further, numerous studies on marriage, conducted in different countries with
different cultures and people, refer to the quantitative evidence of increasing number of
divorce, postponement of marriage either temporary or permanent, decreasing the
proportion of life being spent as married couples in wedlock, and a rising preference for
different types of relationship other than the traditional concept of marriage.
101
The
studies, further, suggest that there could be differences between countries among these
various issues on families and its influence, but still there could be remarkable
similarities in their fundamental form and effect.
102
These changes in the structure of
99
Badger, ed. The Nestorians and Their Rituals, 412.
100
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia, The Joy of Love, § 75.
101
―Family Profiles‖, Bowling Green State University https://www.bgsu.edu/ncfmr/resources/data/family-
profiles.html (accessed 10 July 2019).
102
Kingsley Davis and Amyra Grossbard-Shechtman, eds., Contemporary Marriage: Comparative
Perspectives on a Changing Institution (New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1985); David I. Kertzer
and Marzio Barbagli, eds., Family Life in the Twentieth Century, The History of the European Family,
vol. 3 (New Haven: Yale university press, 2003), David Blankenhorn, The Future of Marriage (New
York: Encounter Books, 2007), Vern L. Bengtson and Ariela Lowenstein, eds., Global Aging and Its
Challenge to Families, ed. Vern L. Bengtson and Victor W. Marshall, The Life Course and Aging: An
Aldine Cruyter Series of Texts and Monographs (New York: De Gruyter, 2003), Daniel P. Moynihan,
Lee Rainwater, and Timothy M. Smeeding, eds., The Future of the Family (New York: Russell Sage
Foundation, 2004), Kevin T. Kelly, Divorce and Remarriage (Washington: Georgetown university
282 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
marriage and family prompted some demographers to the extent to characterize the
dramatic changes as the ―second demographic transition.‖
103
Thereby, they seem to
indicate the rapidly changing scenario affecting the social structure of marriage
significantly and prominently in today‘s world.
In this context, recognizing and affirming the mystical dimension of marriage can be
considered as one of the ways to affirm the dignity and value of marriage in the society.
However, this study also suggests that mystifying the human marriage by focusing
extremely on the Christ-church relationship as the sublime model of human marriage
may lead to reduce the role of the spouses in marriage.
5.3. The Cultural Character of the Liturgy
Along with the ceremonial and mystical dimension of the liturgy of marriage, there is
another dimension as presented in the liturgy of marriage: a cultural dimension. This
section will discuss how the inculturation and the liturgical reforms of the Church
affected the liturgy of marriage.
5.3.1. The Inculturation and its Impact
Some of the inculturated elements that are seen in the liturgy of marriage in India are the
use of minnu or thali and manthrakodi. The Christian minnu differs from a Hindu minnu
in that it is marked by an embossed cross that indicates that it is Christ who brings them
together and unites them in marriage. The cross on the minnu again implies the
Christological basis of the sacrament of marriage, that it is modeled after the relation
between Christ and the Church.
104
Just as Christ redeemed the Church by his sacrifice on
the cross, the love and communion of man and woman is sanctified by a life that shares
everything between them. This signifies that their life of marriage progresses and
matures by bearing each other‘s crosses. Additionally, the very manner that the minnu is
attached, that is, tying, in itself points to an action by which materially the two persons
are tied together. By this knot the man and wife are bound to each other in an
indissoluble bond of love and communion. Thereafter, the minnu remains as a seal and
reminder of the lifelong commitment and fidelity between man and woman. The minnu
remains close to the wife‘s heart throughout her life to the extent that it is the last thing
press, 2002), Glenn T. Stanton, Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in a
Postmodern Society (Colorado Springs: Pinon, 1997), Bill Maier and Glenn T. Stanton, Marriage on
Trial: The Case against Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting (Downers Grove: Intervarsity press, 2004),
103
R. Lesthaeghe, The Second Demographic Transition in Western Countries: An Interpretation (Brussel:
Interuniversity Programme in Demography, 1991).
104
The Roman Church in Kerala, the southwestern part of India, integrated the rituals of thali and
manthakodi to the official texts of the liturgy of marriage. But, according to the official text of the
Roman Church in India, these rituals are not performed during the liturgy of marriage. Consequently, we
will focus more on the official text of the Roman Church.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 283
that will be taken away from her. It is removed only on the death of one of the spouses,
and often this detached minnu is deposited in the treasury of the Church. This custom
indicates that the life of marriage that began in the Church on the day of their marriage is
brought to its completion in the Church only when death separates them. Thus, the
Indian cultural element of minnu deepens the Christian understanding of marriage, and
very well expresses that the Christian marriage is a sacrament of indissoluble unity
between man and woman to the whole of their life sustained and strengthened by their
life of faith and prayer.
Though it is not worn during the celebration of the marriage, manthrakodi is the official
wedding garment of the woman. During the celebration, the man spreads the blessed
wedding garment over bride‘s head. On the one hand, this symbolizes honoring the
dignity of woman, and on the other, this symbolic gesture indicates that the man will do
everything possible to shelter his wife, materially and spiritually. Along with the thali,
the married couple preserves this cloak preciously until the end of their marital life,
death. At death, this manthrakodi is converted into the shroud that covers the corpse of
the wife. The manthrakodi, here, as the dress worn for the final journey, becomes the
garment for the eternal feast. The manthrakodi, as the wedding garment, accompanied
their entire marital life as a symbol of mutual respect and responsibility, characterizing a
Christian marriage. Thus, the use of the manthrakodi in the SMB and SMK becomes a
quintessential expression of what Christian marriage stands for, the indissoluble bond of
love and communion of man and woman for the whole of their life. Further, this
liturgical action is one of the cultural elements. Conversely, the Indian cultural context of
this practice further added depth and impetus to the Christian view of the sacrament of
marriage by contributing to the contextualization of the Christian faith rooted in the
Eastern liturgical rites. Thus, the marriage between the Christian faith and the Indian
cultural elements deepened the Christian view of marriage by adding more affectivity in
the rites of marriage. However, while the SMB provides a meaningful prayer for the
blessing of the manthrakodi, signifying its implications for the Christian marriage, the
SMK does not have any prayer for the blessing of the manthrakodi – it recites the same
hymn that is used for the blessing of the thali. So, we can say that even if the Malankara
Church has assimilated the rite of manthrakodi to their liturgy there is an absence of a
prayer explaining a proper theology of the rite of manthrakodi.
105
With regard to the tying of the knot, there are some interpretations that this symbol is a
remnant of the patriarchal society where woman is considered as belonging to man. In
the patriarchal society, the thali may act as a perpetual reminder of the subjugation of the
105
―The Churches of Antiochene liturgical tradition outside India do not perform a rite as that of
manthrakodi.‖ Valuparampil, ―The Theology and Spirituality of Holy Matrimony, Malankara Church,‖
141.
284 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
woman to man and perpetuates her treatment as a possession of a man. Further, it may
become an explicit symbol of control and subservience in marriage. In such situation, the
traditional understanding of wedding as enunciated in the patriarchal society conceives
tying the thali or the knot as a medium through which a man attains ultimate control over
a woman, stripping her any freedom and independence. From the contemporary
perspective which strives to affirm the equality of man and woman such interpretation
can be viewed as a one-sided act denoting the subjugation of woman to man belittling the
value of the creature of God. If tying of the knot is considered as a sign of domestication
of a woman then it is deplorable and highly unethical from the contemporary and
Christian perspective as well. However, from a Christian perspective, tying the knot is a
cultural sensitivity and the symbolic meaning attributed to the thali reminds the couple
the bond of love and unity between the spouses deepening mutual fidelity and
accountability.
The understanding that the theological meaning of the liturgical symbols has to be
properly explained asserts that ―a renewed sensitivity for symbols is at stake.‖
106
Thus,
one must be able to reach out the message behind the signs and symbols through proper
words and actions because as Dupré says, ―Without an innate capacity to reach out to
what lies beyond itself the religious mind would be incapable of receiving,
understanding, and much less of articulating a transcendent message.‖
107
Hence in the
preparation for marriage, the engaged persons should be encouraged to understand and
distinguish the Christian and cultural meaning of the liturgical symbols used in the
celebration of marriage.
5.3.2. The Liturgical Reforms and their Impact on the Liturgy of Marriage
The analysis of the aforementioned liturgical rites of marriage provides ample
opportunity to discuss further the question of liturgical reform in the liturgy of the
Catholic Church. We have already noticed that the history of the evolution of the
wedding liturgy points to the fact that in the first centuries the celebration of marriage
was a family affair, and eventually it has become an ecclesial affair. The Council of
Trent played a significant role in stabilizing the wedding rites of the Roman Church.
Catholics followed the rite with some amendments down through the centuries, until the
Second Vatican Council. The call for the liturgical renewal by the Sacrosanctum
Concilium was a turning point, resulting in a notable renewal and reformation of the
liturgy of marriage. The wedding liturgical practices of the faithful are enriched by the
theological developments and reflections on the sacramental bond of marriage. At the
same time, it is proved that some of the liturgical practices that existed in the tradition of
106
Geldhof, ―Liturgy Beyond Secular,‖ 91.
107
Louis K. Dupré, Symbols of the Sacred (Grand Rapids (Mich.): Eerdmans, 2000), 125.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 285
the Church as customs and practices entered into the realm of the theological discussions
and took a significant role in the reform of the rite of marriage. As already discussed, the
first renewed rite of marriage was the Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium, of 1969, which
encountered a large amount of criticism. As a creative response, the new Ordo was
published in 1991, which was largely accepted by the faithful and the liturgists. The
significant amendments were the nuptial prayer and the reform in the textual
clarifications, prayers and some of the sacramental rites.
Moving further to the Syro-Malabar Church, as we have briefly pointed out, we can see
three major phases in the development of the rites of marriage. An overall view gives the
impression that the order of the rite of marriage has been changed substantially even to
the extent that some of the liturgists argue, ―[i]t is very evident that the present approved
texts of the sacraments are not at all faithful to the liturgical heritage of the Syro-Malabar
Church. Yet, the Church as a whole has accepted them as compromise texts with the
hope that they will be revised in future so as to recover the lost liturgical identity of the
Church. […] The original text should be the basic text of each sacrament.‖
108
It prompts
us to question how one can follow the older version of the rite of marriage, if the
ecclesiastical authority declares that ―all other texts hitherto in use for administering the
above-mentioned sacraments stand abrogated from 6th January 2005.‖
109
Hence, there are
certain historical liturgical effects of union with the Roman Church in the lived reality of
the Eastern Catholic Churches, most especially the liturgical life of the Syro-Malabar
Church. Striding towards the Syro-Malankara rite of marriage, what we have seen is the
slow process of assimilation and renewals in the rite of marriage. The text we have is the
English translation of the original text, which has been in use from its reunion with the
Catholic Church with a limited number of changes in the text. ―In the West Syrian
tradition, the reforms often took place as a slow and indiscernible process. The
interventions of an authority or conciliar decisions [were] rarely the main factor behind
these reforms. The liturgical commentaries and the Synods exhorted or appealed for
some changes, and were incorporated rather slowly by a process of assimilation.‖
110
Detailing the process of the evolution or the reform of the rites of marriage, we may be
prompted to affirm that there were different types of reformation seen in different
tradition of the liturgies. ―Liturgical history is a history of liturgical reforms: the history
108
Mannooramparambil, The History of the Formation of the New Text of the Sacraments in the Syro-
Malabar Church, 69; Latinization is the technical term applied to the deviances from original liturgical
tradition based upon Latin influence. In one of his articles Mark M. Morozowich comments that Taft
describes latinization as the ―hybridization phenomenon by comparing the liturgical symbological
system to a language.‖ Mark M. Morozowich, ―East Meets West in Liturgy: Mutual Influence through
the Centuries,‖ in Liturgies in East and West: Ecumenical Relevance of Early Liturgical Development,
ed. Hans-Jürgen Feulner (Berlin: LIT, 2013), 298.
109
Varkey Vithayathil, ―Decree‖, in The Sacraments of the Syro-Malabar Church, 3.
110
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 15.
286 Impulses for a Renewed Understanding
of additions, omissions, adaptations and expansions.‖
111
From the comparative study of
the rites of marriage, we come to the understanding that the renewal in the liturgy could
be considered, on the one hand, as the effect of reform or the correction of the rites of
certain prayers or certain rituals. Further, the study we pursue with the different rites on
Christian marriage offers insight into repeated emphasis on the liturgical and theological
improvements in the rite of marriage and how it impacts the various liturgical traditions
differently.
Concluding Remarks
This chapter offers a synthesis of the unique elements of the different liturgies that
nonetheless affirm the praxis of the rite of marriage, that is, that the celebration of
marriage has the progressive potential to add, modify and deepen the theory and the
theology of marriage of the Catholic Church. The first part discussed the celebrative and
ceremonial dimensions of the liturgies, including how each liturgy sets the stage for the
celebration of marriage and what are the characteristics of the prayers of the liturgies of
marriage. In the second part, the mystical dimension of the rites of marriage underlining
the theological emphasis of the rites of marriage and the theological differences of
expressions were explored and discussed. Then, in the third section, a brief analysis of
the cultural impact on the liturgies of marriage is underscored.
Penetrating into these aspects helped to affirm some of the theological observations in
relation to the comparative liturgical theology. Firstly, in the liturgies of marriage, there
are a number of differences showing the uniqueness and individuality of each rite. Those
aspects and expressions single them out from the other liturgies. Definitely, such
distinctive and unique qualities of each liturgical tradition must be upheld and the
plurality of the liturgical traditions should be encouraged. Secondly, however, these
traditions did not develop in a vacuum or in isolation from each other. Rather, all the
liturgical traditions existed side by side and shared the common patrimony of the
Catholic faith through the centuries. It shows the oneness and the commonality of the
liturgical traditions.
More concretely, the comparative liturgical theology of marriage that is undertaken in
this chapter leads to understand the significant elements that single out the Eastern rites
from the Western rites of marriage. In relation to the ceremonial dimension, it is
discussed that because of the unique character of the use of the hymns, the repetition of
the chants, psalms and prayers, the celebration in the Eastern Churches are more solemn
and ceremonial than the Western nuptial rites. By participating in the liturgy of marriage,
how far the participants, especially the spouses, will have the opportunity to understand
111
Varghese, West Syrian Liturgical Theology, 15.
Impulses for a Renewed Understanding 287
and celebrate the theology of marriage is the question at stake here. Moving further, it
also pointed out that there are a number of differences between East and West on
presenting the ―deep structures‖ of marriage, that is, the divine blessing and human
consent. Moving to the cultural character of the rites of marriage, the impact of the
culture and the various reformations in the formation of the liturgy of marriage are
investigated. Examination of the rites gives the impression that despite the fact that there
were different amendments and developments during the different centuries in the Syro-
Malankara rite of marriage, it could nonetheless preserve its antiquity and uniqueness in
its shape, style and structure of the West-Syrian liturgical tradition. But, due to the effect
of Latinization in the Syro-Malabar Church, it has lost its original identity as the East-
Syrian marriage rite, and a renewed liturgy is formed with Indian-Syrian-Latin elements.
The Roman liturgy is in the midst of its evolutionary process, reaching a point of a new
liturgy attuned with the spirit of the Roman liturgical tradition.
Further, this synthesis of the rites of marriage tried to answer the question how each
liturgy could learn from the other, through ‗encounter and a cross-fertilization‘ of diverse
liturgical traditions with the aim of enriching one‘s own liturgies to the extent that the
liturgical celebration becomes an apex of the celebration of their faith and life.
Consequently, the spouses and the ecclesial community experience the mystery of
marriage in its profundity through a meaningful celebration of the liturgy.
GENERAL CONCLUSION
The point of departure of this research was three rites of marriage of three liturgical
traditions representing the Eastern and Western liturgies. The goal of this project was to
examine how and what a comparative study of the liturgies of marriage in three rites,
namely, the Roman, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Rites, can contribute to the
theology of marriage of the Catholic Church. The study was guided by the following
research questions: What are the similarities and differences between the official rites of
marriage currently in use in the Roman, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara liturgical
traditions of the Catholic Church? Which understanding of marriage and family is
reflected in these rites of marriage? What is the theological significance of the
similarities and differences between them, and which pastoral, cultural and spiritual
implications do they entail? The main thesis of the research was that by analyzing and
comparing the rites of marriage, a liturgical theology could be explored which would
offer insights into today‘s theology of marriage of the Catholic Church.
In order to expound this primary thesis, this dissertation was developed into five
chapters. The first chapter was entitled The Order of Celebrating Marriage of the Roman
Rite: A Structural and Textual Analysis. Structured in three parts, the chapter discussed
the origin and development of the Roman rite of marriage, the betrothal ceremony in the
Roman Church, and the order of celebrating marriage in the Roman Church. The analysis
of the ROCM was developed in six sub-sections. While the first section offered a
discussion on the preliminary rites of marriage, focusing on the liturgical procession and
the introductory prayers, the second section presented the significance of the Word of
God and the amendments in the lectionary of ROCM. Further, the third section provided
an analysis of the structure and text of the rite proper to marriage, which includes the
declaration and reception of consent and the exchange of rings. The fourth section
explored the specific rites that had been incorporated into the Eucharistic Rite when
celebrated along with the sacrament of marriage. The fifth section examined the solemn
nuptial blessing, and finally, the sixth section scrutinized the concluding rites, including
the solemn blessing.
The second chapter was entitled The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony of the Syro-Malabar
Church: A Structural and Textual Analysis. Progressing in the same line as the Roman
Church, the chapter was divided into three parts: the history of the rite of marriage in the
Malabar Church, the betrothal ceremony, and the order of marriage. The third part was
further divided into four sub-sections. The first section discussed the introductory rites
consisting of liturgical procession and introductory hymns and prayers. The second
section unveiled the liturgy of the Word explaining the specific readings and the
sturcture of the liturgy of the Word. The third section discussed in detail the specific rites
290 General Conclusion
of marriage that constitute the sacrament of matrimony. The section detailed the specific
rites of marriage by emphasizing that the nuptial rite begins with a prayer by the priest in
which he prays for himself. Then, after an announcement by the deacon, a hymn is sung
which extols the meaning and significance of marriage from a Christological perspective.
This is followed by the nuptial covenant, comprised of a scrutiny of the consent of
spouses that culminates in the public declaration of their consent, the joining of the hands
of the spouses, and the blessing. Afterwards, the priest blesses the thali, the knot, the
rings and the manthrakodi, the wedding garment, and the spouses exchange them. The
rite proper concludes with the matrimonial pledge by the couple and the nuptial blessing.
The fourth section, in brief, dealt with the final rites of marriage.
Third chapter, The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony of the Syro-Malankara Church: A
Structural and Textual Analysis, was divided into three parts. The first part gave a short
description of the history of the rite of marriage of the Syro-Malankara Church. The
second part offered a discussion on the betrothal ceremony of the Church. The third part
analyzed the structure of the marriage rite, the theme and the content of each prayer and
hymn. The analysis further investigated the sacrament, beginning with the formal
questioning of the bride and bridegroom to express their consent publicly, and continuing
with the rites of the crowning of the spouses, tying the thali, the knot, the rite of
manthrakodi, the joining of the hands, the admonition given by the priest, and the
concluding ceremonies of the liturgy of marriage.
This research focuses on a comparative study of three particular rites of marriage co-
existing in India. Thus, the fourth chapter attempted to ascertain the liturgical theology
that is present in the rite of marriage by drawing on the Catholic nature of the individual
rites. The chapter presented a liturgical theology of marriage which emphasizes the
divine, human and spiritual dimensions of marriage. While the fourth chapter brought
out the common theological vision of the rites of marriage, the fifth chapter focused on
the diverse liturgical and theological elements that distinguish one rite of marriage from
the other two. Thus, the fifth chapter elaborated on the ceremonial, mystical and cultural
dimensions of marriage rites and brought out the differences of each liturgy and the
unique theological reasons for those differences. Recognizing the diverse elements
reflected on the liturgies of marriage further enabled to point out the impulses for a
renewed understanding of marriage contributing to the theology of marriage of the
Catholic Church. Based on this analytical and comparative study, five points are
underscored in this conclusion of the research.
1. The Catholic Nature of the Rites of Marriage
The detailed analysis of each liturgy and the comparative evaluation of the three liturgies
focused on the liturgical theology of marriage. The findings from this analysis are drawn
General Conclusion 291
upon in the fourth chapter. This study led to the insight that the liturgical theology of
marriage common to the three liturgies presented marriage as a divine and human reality
with a call to spiritual and social commitment. The uniqueness of Christian marriage has
its origin in the firm belief that God has willed marriage as an event of grace for the
human being, and in and through marriage human beings share the love they receive
from God by sharing this love between each other as spouses which nourishes love and
life. This divine intention is restored as a sacrament in Christ, and in the Holy Spirit who
is the bond of love between the Father and the Son, sealing the covenant of love between
the spouses. The human dignity that stems from being in the image of God becomes a
basis for the trust of the Divine in human beings as His trustworthy collaborators. The
Church, the people of God, where God is mystically present, officially joins the spouses
as a new family and recognizes it as the fundamental cell in the ecclesial community.
The spiritual dimension with a social commitment further emphasizes that the way of life
peculiar to marriage is a life based on the Decalogue by being faithful to God and to each
other until the end of life. Further, the path of shared holiness and the conjugal love
which the couple shares, is open to participation in the good of the community.
The rites of marriage have evolved over a period of two millennia through Christian
tradition. However, these traditions did not develop in a complete vacuum or in total
separation from the other Rites. Rather, the liturgical traditions existed side by side and
influenced each other, sharing the common patrimony of the Catholic faith through the
centuries. This mutual relationship and influence among different liturgical traditions
also reflects the Catholic nature of the rites of marriage and the reason behind the
commonalities that exist in these diverse liturgical traditions. These common tenets thus
highlight the important and essential elements of marriage because they have been
maintained and practiced in different liturgical traditions down through successive
generations.
Nonetheless, each tradition has its own identifying marks that define its uniqueness and
differentiate it from the other liturgical traditions. Looking through the lens of the
liturgical theology of marriage one thing becomes clear: all the liturgies of marriage are
anchored on the divine, human and spiritual dimensions of marriage. Even though these
three dimensions can be located in all these rites, it is noticeable that each of these
dimensions receives varying emphasis in each of these rites. Whereas the Western rite of
marriage gives more prominence to the human dimension of marriage, having the
couples and their consent be at the center of the celebration, the Eastern rites of marriage
focus more on the mystical dimension of marriage, which highlights the unfolding of
human sharing in a divine mystery. The basis for the differences in emphasis could be
located in the different theological developments that East and West have followed. The
Western tradition pursued a more philosophical and systematic approach to the theology
292 General Conclusion
of marriage by concentrating on the goods and the effects of marriage. From earlier
times, marriage was looked upon as a remedy for concupiscence by theologians like St.
Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Coming to the Eastern Church, the theology of marriage endorsed a mystical approach,
and being seen as a way of life set up by God to which every couple responds as in a call
to priestly or consecrated life. The contributions from Syriac theologians like Ephrem
and Theodore of Mopsuestia were of monumental significance and shaped the liturgies
of marriage. For instance, the references to the bridal chamber, the robe of glory,
repeated reference to Christ as the eternal bridegroom of the Church, the bride and
clothing imagery were all taken from the writings of these Syrian Fathers. Moreover, the
poetic style of the prayers and the use of hymns are also, to a great extent, influenced by
these Syrian writers. Based on these findings, it can be summed up that the comparative
study of the liturgy of marriage, along with what has been revealed through the diversity
of the rites of marriage, sheds light on the Catholic nature of the rites of marriage,
although there are differences in emphasis on the various aspects of life.
2. A Call to Find a New Balance between the Divine and Human Dimensions
The liturgical theology of marriage as unveiled by this study emphasizes a need for a
balance between the divine and human dimensions of marriage. Often, the celebration in
the Roman rite of marriage gives the impression that marriage is primarily human in
character rather than divine by focusing more on the human consent and intention to
enter marriage. Thus, the understanding of marriage as a sharing in a divine plan is not
sufficiently clear in the rite. In other words, the ability to evoke the divine dimension of
marriage tends to be presented in a limited way in the Roman rite of marriage compared
to the Eastern rites. The present theology of marriage, which is dominated by the
Western approach, tends to emphasize the human dimension at the expense of the divine
dimension. According to the findings of this research, though the term ‗contract‘ is
replaced by ‗covenant‘, the juridical and contractual dimension seems to still exist in the
rite of marriage in the Western rite. The overemphasis on the contractual and human
dimension, over the spiritual-mystical dimension of marriage seems to suggest that the
nuptial rite has been demystified and secularized. This focus on the consent in the rite of
marriage, in effect, effaces the divine dimension that sees marriage as a divine mystery
willed and instituted by God to which the couples are called to share.
The Eastern rites, developing the Pauline theology of marriage, that marriage is a
mystery, focus more on the Christ-church relationship as the basis of the marital
relationship. Without the nuptial blessing, a marriage in the Eastern Church is
incomplete. Though proclamation of consent is part of the liturgy, the prayers and hymns
reiterate the divine dimension in an explicit manner. The human marriage is mystified by
General Conclusion 293
focusing more on the Christ-church relationship as the sublime model of human
marriage, so the mystical or divine dimension has become significant in the East.
A radical emphasis on one dimension may result in the obliteration of the other
dimension of marriage. Consequently, the liturgical theology of marriage that is drawn
out from this study further affirms the need to re-discover and re-emphasize the mystical
dimension in the sacrament of marriage. It is the divine dimension that makes marriage
mystical, and it is the human dimension that necessitates the understanding that marriage
is based on the human consent accentuating equal dignity of man and woman. Thus, the
liturgical prayers of the rites of marriage must amplify a comprehensive view of what a
Christian marriage is by underscoring the divine role in the marital union, the
significance of the consent of spouses, the covenantal character of marriage, its
indissolubility, the role of human love and faithfulness until the end of life in a very
culturally, liturgically and theologically sensitive manner. This comprehensive vision of
marriage imbued by the rites of marriage may further influence the theology of marriage
in a productive manner.
3. The Significance of Inculturation in the Liturgy
Another insight that is drawn from this study is the impact of inculturation in the liturgy.
As already affirmed, in the liturgy of marriage, there are some inculturated elements, like
the thali and manthrakodi. These have been essential parts of the Hindu culture which
have been given a Christian meaning by attributing Christian symbolism to them. In the
course of time, these elements have become an integral part of the Christian liturgy of
marriage in the East, signifying the indissoluble bond of love and communion of man
and woman for the whole of their life. Thus, the Indian cultural context has added depth
and impetus to the Christian view of the sacrament of marriage by contributing to the
contextualization of Christian faith rooted in the liturgical rites and symbols.
Consequently, it is affirmed that the relation between Christian faith and cultural
elements can deepen Christian theology. However, merely adapting cultural elements do
not really communicate the meaning and significance of liturgical symbols. Theological
reflection and appropriate cultural analysis is needed to imbibe the profundity of the
adapted liturgical elements. This work, further, leads to the conviction that the proper
theology of each adapted element has to be incorporated into the liturgy either as prayers
or as hymns. Beyond this, it will further help the worshipper to identify the theology
behind the symbols and to differentiate them from the cultural elements. Thus, every
effort to capture the meaning of the symbols can enhance the beauty and the sacredness
of the liturgy in a proper way. Additionally, by giving particular focus in this research to
the Indian context, special attention is invoked to understand more fully what makes a
religious symbol either Christian or Hindu. Referring to thali, the knot, the assertion here
294 General Conclusion
is that the system of tying the thali is being continued in both Hindu and Indian Catholic
rites of marriage. However, there are notable differences among the rites as the analysis
has already demonstrated which further evokes the need to imbibe the meaning and
significance of each action and symbol as uniquely applicable within the diverse
religions and rites.
4. The Need for a Mystagogical Catechesis
Establishing the possibility for understanding the significance of liturgical theology of
marriage and its importance for diverse theological visions of marriage induces pastoral
implications for the betterment of marriage and families. The pastoral dimension has a
double nature. Firstly, it demands the need to inform and form our understanding of the
sacrament of marriage, leading to an active and conscious participation in the liturgy.
Further, liturgical actions, such as joining, covering, crowning, tying, putting on rings
and cloths, are not simply ritual acts but also communicate the meaning of the mystery of
covenantal love. Consequently, the deepened theological visions, the extensive symbolic
elements, ritual actions, and the particular style and language of the liturgies also point to
the need for a proper mystagogical catechesis for understanding the meaning and
significance of the words uttered, the actions performed, and the symbols used in the
liturgy of marriage.
Thus, one of the formative insights that resulted from this study was that anyone
interested in the theology of marriage can find in the prayers and rituals of the
celebration of marriage a source for mystagogical reflection on marriage. This
recognition demands that serious care should be given in the preparation and formation
activities of the betrothed in order that they approach this sacred mystery with utmost
gravity. Such preparation and formation will allow the believer to come much closer to
the mystery of sacramental marriage than any systematic treatise on the theology of
marriage. Having said this, it may, on the one hand, require a firsthand experience by the
worshipper of actively participating in a celebration of marriage. But, this may require
proper catechetical measures to educate the participants on the significance of the
rubrics, prayers, and liturgical actions of the marriage rites before they approach the aisle
for their own marriage.
Secondly, the significance of the pastoral implications of ritual insights points out that
the liturgical celebration of marriage can be viewed as a vital component for an effective
Catholic marriage apostolate. Through the sacrament of matrimony, the new family
becomes the fundamental cell in the Church, the cradle of love, life and faith. However,
marriage is a lifelong commitment and demands constant commitment on the part of the
spouses. Therefore, cohesive pastoral care should be given to the married couples and
General Conclusion 295
families throughout their journey. Such pastoral care includes the engaged, married, and
separated or divorced members of the Church.
Hence, from a practical point of view, it can be affirmed that a theology that evolves
from the rite of marriage can offer new openings to an effective and fruitful ministry for
the married and those who are preparing for marriage. Thus, the theological visions
gained through a comparative study of the rites of marriage further stimulate a reflection
on the pastoral and practical implications for marriage in a concrete context. Very
particularly, in India different rites co-exist which leads to a situation of inter-ritual
marriages demanding a proper knowledge of the different rites. This comparative study
provides an important contribution for educating people of different Churches to more
fully comprehend and appreciate diverse rites of the celebration of marriage. It will
prompt a better understanding of the theology of Christian marriage strengthening the
marriage bond and revitalizing the institution of marriage.
5. The Liturgy: An Inevitable Source for Theology
As mentioned previously, this project has been an attempt to examine how and what the
liturgy of marriage adds to the understanding of the theology of marriage. There is no
doubt that an ordering of the liturgy is impacted by theological teachings and visions
against which it is ordered and evaluated. But that does not mean than the liturgy is
ultimately at the receiving end, giving a celebrative expression to what is offered as a
doctrine. As we have seen in the analysis and evaluation of the three liturgies of
marriage, there are common elements in these liturgies which often reflect the Catholic
character of marriage in the different rites. But even in these commonalities, a particular
character of differentiation is perceptible, sometimes in terms of order or in terms of
emphasis. All these elements suggest that Catholicity does not necessarily imply
uniformity in expression, but a unity of one faith lived and celebrated in varied ways.
This attests to the fact that liturgy is not a mere product of theologically monitored ritual
ordering, but that there are elements added to a given theology of marriage. The
theological vision of marriage is expressed in various ways through the celebration of the
same sacrament in different traditions. Consequently, one can rightly argue that a
theological development in the formal formulation and organization of theology itself
takes place. That is to say, when celebrated, the liturgy adds new dimensions to the
theological vision.
Moreover, this study has brought out some concrete differences between Roman, Syro-
Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites which not only define the identity of their respective
traditions but also become part of the raison d‟être for their existence as different
liturgical traditions. These differences show not only that there are different ways of
living the Christian faith but also that Christian faith offers the ineffable potential, i.e.,
296 General Conclusion
one faith is contextually and liturgically incarnated and lived out differently from others.
Along with the inexhaustible ways to approach the Christian faith, there is evidence that
the Christian faith has a deep impression on different contexts and people which innately
compels them to search for new ways and means to express their faith. Hence, in the
actual organization and celebration of the liturgy, faith is experienced and celebrated in
new ways because it is the expression of a faith that is lived. This aspect of liturgy
affirms that liturgy adds to faith and thereby to theology. Thus, liturgy is not simply at
the receiving end of theology, but a source for theology.
This project has exclusively concentrated on the rite of marriage of three liturgical
traditions to see how a theology of marriage can find added and deepened expression in
these liturgies. As stated, not only their commonality, but also their distinctive
differences suggest that there is a clear theological development happening in the
organization of liturgy and in its congregational celebration and participation. The liturgy
takes the Christian faith to a realm that academic and reflective approaches to faith
cannot offer. Thus, in and through liturgy, theology develops and flourishes with the
obliging consequence that liturgy becomes a source for theology. Therefore, a significant
insight that is confirmed in this study is that liturgy is a source for theology.
Scope for Further Research
Along with the findings that have emerged, this study also opens to a much larger scope
for further research. Firstly, this study was limited to three liturgical traditions co-
existing in India. Further research can be anticipated concerning the rite of marriage of
the Catholic Church, particularly of liturgies in the Alexandrian, Antiochian, Armenian,
and Byzantine traditions. Placed in this wider scope such a project can introduce a much
larger arena of research which may include different churches in diverse liturgical
traditions. It is my hope that this research will help to locate many points of convergence
and divergence among the various rites of marriage in the multiple rites of the Catholic
Church and be mutually enriching for other differentiated traditions. Secondly, the
existence of the various Christian denominations and their rites of marriage invite us to
widen our scope of study. Such a research can further contribute to the development of
an ecumenical approach in the Church. This study could thus be instrumental in fostering
unity among the different Christian denominations. Thirdly, within the wider scope of
this study, our research opens for a study of interreligious marriages and its concrete
implications for the life of the Church and for spouses. Thus, this present study, in the
context of a wider project just elucidated, can serve as an important stepping stone to the
liturgical theology of marriage based on the insights drawn from this analysis of three
liturgical traditions: the Roman, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.
