Holy Matrimony/ ክርስቲያናዊ ጋብቻ

Debre Tsion St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church celebrates wedding ceremonies in a special way in accordance with the Orthodox Tradition. Matrimony is one of the Seven Sacraments through which a man becomes spiritually and psychologically united to a woman. After addressing all the payers designated to each order, the officiating priest blesses the rings, the golden crowns, and the cloaks. Then he anoints them with Holy Oil (Meron) one after the other. Completing their wedding ceremony in accordance with the Orthodox Tradition, the couples become one, according to the Lord’s own words. He said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:5). St. Paul expresses the sanctity of the Sacrament of Orthodox Matrimony when he says, “This is a great mystery” (Eph. 5:32), and, “Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled” (Heb. 13:4).