The History Behind Marriage
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The symbols and rituals that are used in the wedding mass is the development of the Sacrament of Marriage. There are many symbols and rituals involved with marriage, including: the unity candle, the bouquet, tossing of rice, and the brides veil. The most common symbol there is in marriage is the wedding ring.
The wedding ring dates back to the Egyptian time. Back then the wife would have a money ring instead of actual money because coins were not invented yet. It was a sign that she already had a husband that was taking care of her. During these times, there were so many theories about the wedding ring. A huge theory came from Greece. The wedding ring had to be perfect. This means that the ring that the groom gets the bride has to exactly fit her finger. Here is where a myth comes in. If the ring did not fit the womans finger, it meant that their marriage was not going to last (Shank, 2000). Sounds depressing, but thats what people believed at the time!
People wonder why the wedding ring has to go on the fourth finger of the left hand. Some said it because it was the most delicate finger. Others said it because it had the perfect circumference for a ring. I do not like those reasons. There is not enough feeling into them. The theory I like the best is the most romantic. The reason why the wedding ring goes on the fourth finger of the left hand is because that finger has a fragile vein that runs from the tip to your heart (Murphy, 2005). Some people find that cheesy, but I find it very passionate!
The wedding ring never used to be a piece of silver or gold. It never used to have a diamond or any stone in it. Back in the day, it only used to be a piece of iron for the wealthy, and for the non-wealthy, a peace of tin. Also, people started to put the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand from not that long ago, around the 1800s. During the sixteenth century, people put the wedding ring on the thumb! That must have been uncomfortable. I think it should be kept to the fourth finger on the left hand. I always believed that the wedding ring was the idea of the Christian church; I was wrong. Actually, Christians did not accept the idea of a wedding ring because other religions were doing it. Then it was adapted in the year 1549 (Murphy, 2005).
What is the whole point of a wedding ring? The ring is a special bond between the bride and groom, wife and husband. The ring is in the form of a circle. This means three things: unity, eternity, and everlasting. Unity describes the ring because both man and woman are wearing one. Eternity has to do with the vows, when they say, “Till death do us part.” The symbolism of eternity means that they swore to have it on forever (“Rings,” 2005). The reason why it is everlasting is because a circle form has no beginning and no end. The wedding ring is the most common symbol for all cultures.
The ring may be the most popular symbol used during the sacrament of marriage, but there is a second! The unity candle symbolizes the oneness of the bride and groom (Cowboy Country Weddings, 2005). This is how the unity or eternity candle is used during the ceremony. The priest lights a candle that the bride has in her hand. The groom has a candle in his hand and goes to the bride and lights his. Then, together, they go to the unity candle and light it as one (“Unity Flame,” 2003). After they light the unity candle, the groom blows out the brides candle and vice versa (Affordable Weddings, 2005). The unity candle and flame is a symbol of strength. The reason why is because when they put their flames together, the flame becomes bigger and stronger.
In addition to all these symbols, there are also other modern day symbols. The bouquet that the woman throws into the crowd of single women was never made out of flowers like how it is now. It used to be made up of strong herbs that made evil spirits go away (“Wedding Traditions,” 1997-05). My definition of this is that the woman is throwing her evil spirits to another woman! How nice is that!
The brides veil has a big part to do with the ceremony. In the past, newlyweds would never see each other about two weeks prior to the big wedding day. It was believed that if the man saw the womans face and did not like it, he can refuse to marry her. That is how shallow it was back then! Now, it is a sign of the father giving his daughter away with a brand new face; i.e. when the man takes off the veil from the womans face and is revealed by her beauty (“Wedding Traditions,” 1997-05).
Then the last and most common ritual is the tossing of the rice. The reason for tossing the rice brings good luck and it equals happiness. In the old times, it meant good luck of harvest and for many children to work the land. This obviously has to do with success in the fields. Then there is the old myth of how birds eat the rice and its stomach will explode (“Wedding Traditions,” 1997-05). Is this true? Of course it is not true! It is only a myth!
There are many symbols and rituals used in the Catholic wedding mass, but what surprises me the most is the symbols and rituals used in other traditions of marriage. I wanted to find out more information about the Jewish tradition of marriage, and it was somewhat different than ours! I found it to be very interesting to read.
Before any wedding ceremony or vows are passed, there is a ritual that a man has to go through and also a woman. The man has to go through an Ufruf. This comes from the German words of, “calling up” (Forever Wed, 2005). The man has to read from the Torah, the Old Testament, and reflect on how it will affect him and his marriage. The rabbi is present with him and gives him a pre-blessing before the wedding ceremony.
The woman has to go through a different ritual. She has to go through the process of Mikvah. This is a bath that allows the woman to enter the sacrament of marriage with purity and no sin (Days of Destiny, 1998-05). Everything is taken off from her: jewelry, hair clips, and