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The Service of Betrothal
The ring is an ancient symbol of eternal perfection.
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| “O eternal God, Who has brought together into unity the things which before had been separate, and in so doing impose on them an indissoluble bond of love, Who did bless Isaac and Rebecca, declaring them to be the inheritors of Your promise: do You Yourself bless these Your servants, directing them into every good work. For You are a merciful and loving God, and to You do we send up all Glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. ” |
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In the Betrothal service the rings represent unending and forever deepening love and commitment. In the liturgy you will not hear the words “until death do we part”, for the Orthodox believe that in the hope of the resurrection we are alive in Christ and therefore being joined in Christ through this sacrament the couple become one forever and unto ages of ages. This eternal union reflects the greater reality of salvation itself. Two people once separated are united in Christ through their self-sacrificing love for each other, just as God and man once separated by sin are reconciled to each other through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. |
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| “Blessed is everyone that fears the Lord. That walks in His ways, For you shall eat the labor of your hands. Blessed are you, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the sides of your house. Glory to You, O our God, Glory to You.” |
“Your children shall be like olive shoots around your table. Behold! The man shall be blessed that fears the Lord. The Lord shall bless you out of Zion, and you shall see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes! You shall see your children's children, and peace be upon Israel. Glory to You, O our God, Glory to You.” |
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After the Betrothal the bride and groom are given candles which they hold throughout the rest of the service. This lighting of candles marks the beginning of the crowning service. Light is the source of life and existence. Christ proclaims, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” These candles, like the lamps of the five maidens who were prepared to receive the Bridegroom Christ, represent the couple’s willingness to receive Christ and His blessings through this sacrament. |
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| “Therefore a man shall forsake his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be one flesh and whom God has joined together let not man put asunder.” |
“Bless this marriage and grant unto Your servants a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, love for one another in a bond of peace, long-lived offspring, gratitude from their children, and a crown of glory that does not fade away.” |
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