2008/08/12
Ceremony Wedding. Republic of Moldova. On wedding today a fashion, after a long interval in some tens years. Usually right after the REGISTRY OFFICE a newly-married couple hastens in church to swear before Supreme in eternal love and fidelity each other till the end of the days. And though wedding is a sacrament which obliges spouses to store each other fidelity and to live in perfect harmony, nevertheless and it is not an obstacle for divorce. Once the church did not suppose divorces and second marriages. Now to wedding at representatives of religion the approach more flexible: it is authorised to get married three times, but no more.
We with the husband did not hasten to fix our sacred union before the Lord the God in day of our wedding. It would be desirable to be prepared for this responsible step more thoroughly. Besides, there was any internal protest to this fashion - by all means to get married in day of an official list in the REGISTRY OFFICE, at all not thinking of gravity of this sacrament.
Practically all twentieth century set of married couples was no by church blessings. Thus not венчанные spouses often all life store fidelity each other, bring up children and grandsons in peace. But for any reasons do not wish to get married. According to many priests, those steams which get married at mature age, at times concern sacrament of marriage more seriously, than young men.
We with the spouse, the truth, did not begin to wait for advanced years, and have dared at this step after four years after marriage registration in the REGISTRY OFFICE. Not fluctuation, and search нанашей (посаженых parents) was one of the reasons of so long preparation. The matter is that to crown a married couple people should necessarily is more senior them on age and too венчанные. Among our friends and acquaintances under these criteria nobody approached. The relative of the husband who as it has appeared, for a long time and secretly cherished in itself dream to marry us to the aid has come and did not suspect about our searches.
But, as we have found out to get married, it is necessary to come not simply to church and to participate in this ceremony - to it still it is necessary to be prepared thoroughly.
First, it is necessary to hold a post within 3-4 days. Secondly, on the eve of wedding it is necessary to confess. Thirdly, in day of wedding a newly-married couple should be present on a morning liturgy, and then причаститься. For ceremony fulfilment it is necessary to prepare and obligatory accessories. The most important thing that is required is an icon (the Savior or Божией Mothers, or an icon Sacred, the keeper of a home), a rug on which parents should take places getting married and посаженые. Also it is necessary to prepare wedding rings, wax wedding candles and a white towel which will symbolise cleanliness of intentions of spouses. It is not necessary to forget and about an entertainment. For a ceremony getting married usually bring on two big kalatches, a bottle of red wine and various sweets.
We have decided to spend so disturbing procedure in the narrowest circle. I admit fairly: extremely disturbingly to enter under the church arch in so unusual role. Besides, for some reason in very serious situations unexpectedly with me there can be a fit of laughter. Knowing people speak, I in so, to put it mildly, strange reaction am not lonely. Someone, on the contrary, from surplus of emotions starts to cry. Here and this time it was necessary to make extreme efforts...
Excitement by excitement, but for myself I nevertheless have fixed, that the wedding ceremony consists of two stages: betrothals and it is direct weddings. Prior to the beginning of sacrament we have transferred to the cleric who should crown us, wedding rings, an icon and candles. As to me has explained нанашка (посаженая mother), it is necessary that it was possible to consecrate all accessories prior to the beginning of a ceremony.
Certainly, to reproduce all in details it is problematic enough, but the basic moments, despite vanity and excitement, nevertheless it was possible to remember.
After pray reading a deacon who on a special tray has taken out our wedding rings has approached to us with the spouse. During same time the priest has transferred to us on one lighted candle. Then it took one of rings and its plot on a ring finger of the right hand of the groom, and other ring a plot to me. As we also have been warned in advance, in a sign отдания ourselves for all life each other, as a sign of unanimity, the consent and mutual aid in forthcoming marriage we have exchanged rings three times. After a threefold exchange each plot on a ring finger the ring. Certainly, in an ideal, the priest, but that crowning representatives of religion, happened should make an exchange of rings, dropped them because of an involuntary shiver in hands (and it is native it was perceived as a bad sign) now this procedure is entrusted to a newly-married couple.
Then there comes the most disturbing stage: after it, it is necessary to recognise, the groom and the bride for some time feel itself as reigning persons. Anyway, I in a role of the tsarina have felt myself. The priest takes a wreath of the groom and crosswisely marks it the groom. Then he allows to the groom to kiss the image of the Savior attached to its wreath. After that the priest assigns a wreath to a head of the groom. The father spends the same ritual and with the bride. I only kissed an image Пресвятой the Virgin, attached to a crown for brides. Usually wreaths over heads getting married are held by witnesses not to spoil a hairdress to the groom and the bride. But as we to ourselves did not stack magnificent ringlets, wreaths to us have been assigned to a head. Sensations inexpressible. Who of what thinks during this moment, and here I have thought, that the tsar to be all the same занятно. By the way, it is no wonder, that my thoughts have been directed to this party. After all sense of wreaths on heads that for all subsequent life getting married become for each other the tsar and the tsarina. By the way, at repeated wedding, wreaths on a head are not assigned, and keep witnesses. At the third marriage wedding is made in general without wreaths. I витания in clouds were interrupted with the priest who has presented a bowl with red wine and, having consecrated with its sign of the cross, has transferred to us. Besides, having received in advance instructing how to arrive in the given situation, we by turns have in three steps drained a bowl to the bottom. One bowl for two means the general destiny, with the general ups and downs. To us declared, that we already became single whole.
After that the priest has tied our right hands with that white towel symbolising cleanliness of intentions, and has three times led round around аналоя. Clear business, that to me as to the journalist, it was necessary to know sense of each ritual. Therefore I have shown in advance curiosity: this symbolises, that our marriage will be eternal circulation a hand about a hand.
Us have brought to an imperial gate. To the husband followed kiss an image of the Savior, and me - an image of Divine Mother. Then we have done the same, but, having exchanged places. After all formalities to us have handed over an icon which as to us have explained, it is necessary to bring in the house and to establish in the place of honour in the image on the east. That we also have made. After reading of the Gospel, a wish многолетия newly married and choral singing it was possible to consider a ceremony finished. Our marriage was now not only is approved by the state press: we became the husband and the wife and before the God. Clear business what to note such event of interested persons among my friends was much. Yes we with the spouse also did not object...
Luibov Chegarovsky,
Photo by Valerii Corcimari
