Glenn & Kripa
Mar Thoma Wedding Liturgy
Understanding Our Sacred Ceremony
An Introduction to Mar Thoma Wedding
The Order of Service of Marriage, according to the Mar Thoma Rite, is a blend of rich biblical traditions and teachings, practices of the early churches in Palestine and Syria and customs of South India. The wedding service is far more than a contract between two individuals. The service focuses on the sacramental character of God, bringing together man and woman as husband and wife. The prayers and chants are rooted in the Bible, drawing on many biblical references and examples. The service underlines the significance of the family in God's plan, recognizing it as a divinely blessed institution.
The Order of Service
Part I
The Engagement
The Blessing of the Rings
The first part of the ceremony is the service of the betrothal. The officiating Priest blesses the rings which are put on the fourth finger of the right hands of the bride and the bridegroom on behalf of the church as a blessing given by God to remain committed to their married life. The Ring is also the symbol of the mutual responsibility of the couple to live together as husband and wife.
Part II
The Holy Matrimony
The Blessing of the Crown
In the second part of the ceremony, the blessings of the Almighty are invoked on the bride and the groom, who are considered as the "King" and "Queen". It symbolizes the bestowal of the crown of righteousness upon the couple. This is also an invocation of divine love upon the couple so that they may serve each other with a self-sacrificing spirit. A gold chain with a cross pendant is used for the crowning.
The most important part of the service is the reading of the Gospel before which the Minister joins together the right hands of the bride and the bridegroom. The reading of the Gospel symbolizes Christ's affirmation of the sanctity of the marriage bond.
This reading is followed by the tying of the Minnu, a small gold pendant shaped as a stylized heart with a cross on it, and the adornment of the Manthrakodi (bridal sari). The Minnu is tied around the neck of the bride by the groom with seven strands of thread from the Manthrakodi. This is a symbol of the marriage bond.
Then, the Manthrakodi is placed on the bride's head. This is the moment when she is accepted as a member of the husband's family. To symbolize this event, a woman from the family of the bridegroom takes the place of the bride's cousin/family member in a welcome gesture.