SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.

§ 111. The Priest shall be vested in a surplice (or, if the marriage take place immediately before or after Mass, in an alb) and a white stole. The persons that are to be married shall kneel before the altar, the witnesses standing close to, or behind them.

§ 112. The Priest shall begin with the following, or some other suitable address.

You appear here before me as the servant of the Christian church, and before these witnesses, to promise matrimonial love and fidelity to one another, and to have your union hallowed by the blessing of the church.

In entering the condition of matrimony ye enter upon an inner union, and a partnership which embraces every condition of your lives, and indeed a contract which should be incapable of dissolution throughout the whole duration of your lives. Ye will henceforth participate in each other’s joy and sorrow. Ye will conscientiously fulfil the difficult and important duties which marriage brings with it. Ye will remain united together in true love, and not allow this true affection for any cause to be disturbed, but ever fasten its cords, and thereby render it ever purer and happier, that ye may both continually work out your sanctification and moral improvement. All this ye now promise before God, and this promise is an irrevocable one, which should bind you till death do you part.

Certainly it is an important crisis in the life of man, a crisis in which he stands in especial need of the help and grace of God. Wherefore the Lord in his mercy and loving-kindness hath promised his especial grace to those who contract matrimony with upright Christian intention. Ye profess your belief in this promise, your wish to become participators in this grace, by appearing here to obtain the benediction of the church on your union, after ye have repeated your affirmation of consent.

Let us all then, brethren, unite in the prayer that God’s richest blessing may descend upon these two persons now about to be married, and may perpetually attend upon them in their walk through life.

§ 113. After the address, the Priest shall say to the persons about to be married;

Wherefore I ask you in the name of the Lord; Do ye appear here of your own free will, and unconstrained, to repeat before me, in the presence of these witnesses, the declaration of your matrimonial contract, and to obtain the blessing of the church for the same ?

Both persons shall answer, I do.

§ 114. Priest (turning to the altar to bless the rings). Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth.

Priest. Lord, hear my prayer.

Answer. And let my cry come unto thee.

Priest. The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Priest. Let us pray.

Bless, O Lord, these rings +, and grant thy grace to those who shall wear them, that they may preserve inviolable faith towards one another, may abide in thy peace and will, and ever live in mutual charity; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(When only one ring is blessed.)

Priest. Let us pray.

Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant thy grace unto her who shall wear it, that she may preserve inviolable faith towards her spouse, may abide in thy peace and will, and ever live with him in mutual charity; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

§ 115. The rings shall then be sprinkled with holy water.

§ 116. The Priest shall place the one ring on the bridegroom’s finger, and shall give him the other, which the bridegroom shall place on the bride’s finger. Whereupon the Priest shall say;

Take hence these rings, and wear them as an emblem of that matrimonial fidelity which ye will maintain towards one another by the grace of God. May your intention be blessed by God the Father + the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

§ 118. He shall then instruct the persons that are to be married to join their right hands, (where it is the custom, the Priest lays the end of his stole over their joined hands,) and to repeat the following words after him in an audible voice;

Bridegroom. N. I take thee to my Christian wedded wife, before the Lord God and his holy church.

Bride. M. I take thee to my Christian wedded husband, before the Lord God and his holy church.

§ 119. Or the Priest shall say to the bridegroom;

§ 117. And now I ask thee M., dost thou take N. here present to be thy Christian wedded wife, before the Lord God and his holy church ?

Bridegroom. I do.

To the bride. In the same way I ask thee N., dost thou take M. here present to be thy Christian wedded husband, before the Lord God and his holy church ?

Bride. I do.

§ 120. A different form of question can be retained where it is customary.

Priest. As the servant of God, I ratify the marriage concluded between you, and bless you in the name of the Father +, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

§ 122. Priest Lord, have mercy upon us.

Answer. Christ, have mercy upon us.

Priest. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father (aloud).

Answer. Amen.

Priest. O God, defend thy servants.

Answer. Because they put their trust in thee.

Priest. Send them help, O Lord, from thy sanctuary.

Answer. And defend them out of (the heavenly) Sion.

Priest. Be unto them, O Lord, a strong tower.

Answer. Against the face of the enemy.

Priest. Lord, hear my prayer.

Answer. And let my cry come unto thee.

Priest. The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Priest. Let us pray.

We beseech thee, O Lord, look down graciously upon these thy servants, defend and bless them in the position on which they have entered, calling upon thy holy name; and assist them that they may truly fulfil its obligations, and remain partakers of thy mercy and grace, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

§ 125. The blessing of Almighty God, the Father +, the Son, and the Holy Ghost descend upon you, and remain with you always. Amen.

Or,

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace[1]!