Marriage celebration was a feasting, no ceremony religious or civil required.
"Little does he know how I long to embrace him, and for him to send word to my mother."
"The sight of her makes me well! When she opens her eyes, my body is young; her speaking makes me strong; embracing her expels my malady."
Marriage in medieval Europe AD 800-1500 consumed everyone's attention, viewed as a business deal, marriage was arranged by thoughtful parents to ensure the family's prosperity and advancement. It was the pre-condition for and not the result of love. Some marriages were performed by clergy but many were celebrated privately with a ring, a promise and exchange of dowry.
In Classical Athens 525-322 BC, the Greeks honoured Hera, wife and sister of Zeus as the patron of weddings and marriage. The month of Gamelion when Hera and Zeus married was most popular for weddings
In an Athenian wedding the bridal party made it's way to the groom's house by torch lit procession, the newly married likely met for the first time that day and rode in a chariot followed by gift bearers singing the wedding hymn. The following morning the bride's parents brought more gifts, giving their blessing to the union and encouraging their daughter to fulfill her primary role of producing a male heir.
In the Roman Empire 100 BC - AD 200, weddings of wealthy Romans were lavish, the ceremony tyically held at the bride's home, followed by a sacrifice and wedding feast, concluded with a gala procession to the home of the groom where the bride was lifted across the threshold to prevent bad luck.
The Vikings AD 800-1100 - marriage brought a Viking woman various assets, her husband acknowledged her worth beforehand by agreeing to pay a bride price for her. After a simple wedding ceremony marked by drinking bridal ale, the husband gave his wife a handsome gift. If divorce followed he repaid the dowry her father entrusted to him. Either party obtained divorce by announcing their intent infront of witnesses.
Little known Biblical history .... until the time of emperor Augustine, Roman society had a utilitarian view of marriage, to produce male heirs to inherit property and continue the family name. Divorce was justified on grounds of a wife's inability to produce children. The Roman concept of paterfamilias was marriage for procreation and prostitutes for sexual satisfaction.
Increasing numbers of men were failing to marry and Augustus sought to redress the issue - in 18 BC he proclaimed new laws that levied higher taxes on unmarried men and women and granted financial benefits to those married. The law increased marriage but not monogamy, and prostitution flourished. The Apostle Paul wrote of this in 1 Corinthians 7:2-4 "But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."
Paul's teaching was radical for Roman custom - he granted unknown rights to wives and put them at equal status to their husbands and stating a wife had "authority" over her husband's body which must have shocked men used to seeking pleasure outside of marriage.
New Testament teachings eventually set the standard for Western civilization lasting more than 19 centuries.
WHEN YOU FALL IN LOVE, YOU FALL FOR A MIRROR OF YOUR OWN MOST PRESENT NEEDS.
AWARENESS CAN BE SHARED. WHAT GOD GIVES YOU OUT OF LOVE, YOU CAN GIVE SOMEONE YOU LOVE.
COMMUNION IS THE BASIS OF TRUST.
THE UNKNOWN IS THE TERRITORY OF LOVERS. Chopra
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