Misc. Info.
Here's some misc. marriage info...
THE RINGS
The Bride and the Groom give each other a ring. The ring is a sign and pledge of mutual love and faithfulness. This love and fidelity, are proclaimed by married people who proudly wear their wedding rings, all throughout their lives.
It is in spirit that the Church, when blessing the rings, prays that those who wear them may ever live in mutual love and unbroken loyalty."
THE COINS
Originally, the Coins were earnest-money, paid as installment to bind a contract. They therefore, constituted a pledge, security or deposit. In Matrimony the Coins have an added meaning. As the Marriage Rite says, they signify "the sufficiency of material possesions" that a family should have in order to take care of its temporal needs. on blessing the Coins, the Church prays for 'sufficiency' not abundance, of material possessions.
The Groom gives the coins to the Bride to signify that it is the man's duty to be the provider, the bread-winner, of the family.
THE CANDLE
Symbolically, the lighted Candle represents Christ who is the LIGHT sent by the Father to show us the way to salvation.
The tall Paschal Candle reminds us of Christ risen from the dead on Easter Sunday and now is alive in his Church through the Holy Spirit.
The candles lighted by the Bride and the Groom are reminders that they are expected to be "lights" of Christ to one another, to their children and in the world.
THE VEIL
Bridal veils have been customary since ancient times. In some countries and cultures married women are always veiled when in public. By this gesture they mean to preserve their beauty exclusively for their husbands.
The veil is laid over the head of the Bride and the shoulders of the Groom to emphasize their union and mutual self-surrender.
THE CORD
The Cord is also called "Yugal" from the Latin Jugum meaning "Yoke." A Yoke means two things: something that has to be carried and also something that unites those who carry it.
Marriage is a "Yoke" that binds together man and woman, and which had to be carried by both the husband and the wife. The "Yoke of Matrimony." This is symbolized by the laying of the Cord over the Bride and the Groom in the form of an 8, which somehow resembles a yoke, In a way, the newly wedded couple are "tied" together for life.
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