"Free" Translation by Dér Stépanos Dingilian, Ph. D. © 2003

    What is marriage?

    Marriage is a major Sacrament with which the blessing is fulfilled: “Be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Book of Genesis 9:7) Again, marriage is the pairing of the male and the female, thereby creating an inseparable life together.

    The starting point for this growth is the marriage, so the bride and groom may unite and this unity maybe within the way of life established by God for giving birth to children. Having this in mind, St. Paul states that according to God’s laws, “marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.” (Hebrews 13:4) Through this marriage there is an irrevocable covenant and a tie between a husband and a wife in accordance with the saying: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) This unity is established through marriage, and as Christ states “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (St. Matthew 19:6) This is so because marriage is a Sacrament.

    Now we known that marriage begins with engagement and launches when the couple freely express their sincere words of consent. It is this willful love and acceptance that establishes the marriage, with the blessing of the priest, and culminating in the physical uniting of the couple.

    And why do they become engaged in the first place? Let us say that just as the tree first blooms and then gives fruit, likewise the engagement is the “blooming flower” of marriage. After the engagement, the bride belongs to the groom, and the groom belongs to the bride.

    And just as the Archangel Gabriel first gave the good news to the Holy Virgin, and the latter thought in her mind, welcomed what was said and then replied “I am the Lord's servant … May it be to me as you have said.” (St. Luke 1:38), and afterwards, she conceived and the Word of God became Incarnate. Likewise, the engagement has to be agreed upon by the bride. And when the two agree, the marriage can then be consummated. However, with forcefulness and without having attraction towards one another, that is the bride and the groom, the marriage cannot be consummated.

    In addition, the Scripture tells – “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” (Genesis 2:22) This implies that they saw each other and were attracted. This has a hidden meaning – that the bride and the groom must see each other before the marriage, and wholeheartedly like each other and do so with their free will, and afterwards they would marry.

    In terms of the process of getting married, first the priest must bless and then the physical union would take place. In regards to this, Christ performed the blessing first by saying, “Come to me those who are blessed by my Father,” and afterwards he united the Church for the eternal kingdom. Likewise, the priest must first spiritually bless a marriage and then the bride and groom may unite physically.

(More of this translation will be found in the book 
"Sketches from the Armenian Family Life.")

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