White dress, flower girls and tons of flowers; that’s what comes to most people’s mind when they hear about a christian matrimony wedding. These things will be there but apart from this, there are many traditions and customs that are being followed in christian weddings in India.
A series of pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals have been carried out with joy in all the christian marriages. From attries to traditions to even jewellery used in the christian matrimonies are different from what most of us imagine or seen in images. Following are the pre-wedding traditions and customs that are being practised in Indian christian weddings.
Engagement
In this engagement, the groom and his family pay a visit to the bride’s home, a customary tradition in Christian weddings. The bride and groom exchange engagement rings that have been blessed by the priest. It should be emphasised that this ceremony does not always result in marriage. It simply denotes the start of a period in which the guy and girl get to know one other. If they desire to marry, they may do so within six months.
Preparatory Course
A Marriage Preparatory Course is attended by the prospective bride and groom; they can select between a one-day and a three-day course. To enrol in this course, the prospective bride and groom must fill out a document detailing their life and swear on the Holy Bible that they have not concealed any information.
They must also present their baptism certificates. The priest proclaims the boy and girl’s desire to marry for three consecutive Sundays at church. If one of the parties has suppressed or misrepresented any detail, they can make it public during this time. The pair may marry only when the three-week period has ended.
Bridal Shower
The bride’s relatives will execute the Bridal Shower ceremony. The Bridal Shower is the bride’s final gathering as a maiden to her friends and family. This is presented as a thank you sign to all of the bridesmaids. The bride distributes gifts to the bridesmaids and serves a pink cake with a thimble hidden inside during this ceremony. According to mythology, the girl who receives the slice of cake with the thimble will be the next to marry.
Bachelor Party
On the eve of the wedding, the bridegroom hosts a stag party called the Bachelor Party. The groom is anticipated to spend his last night as a bachelor at this celebration. Before the drinking begins, it is a tradition to make a toast.
Arrival to the Church
On the wedding day, the bridegroom arrives first and waits for his bride there. As the bride enters the chapel, the best man from the groom’s party welcomes her with a kiss and her bridal bouquet. The priest then leads the couple inside the Church. The choir sings a unique song to welcome the bride and groom to the chapel. The bridal couple is seated in two adorned seats in front of the altar.
Wedding Mass
The wedding procession follows the couple down the aisle. The ceremony is started by the priest. He welcomes the couple into the Church and wishes them well. The wedding mass opens with songs and chosen Bible readings. The couple and their close family approach the lectern (podium) and read previously selected Bible texts. Later, the priest gives the Homily, a fascinating lesson on the sacredness of marriage. The priest frequently makes the Homily more entertaining by interspersing it with funny tales.
Roce Ceremony
This is a kind of anointing ceremony which takes place in most of the Indian wedding ceremonies in christian wedding communities in places like Goa or Konkan. This is similar to the Haldi ceremony in the Hindu weddings and takes place on the wedding day’s evening.
The roce ceremony involves the bride and groom to take ritualistic baths in their homes where the couple is coated with oil top to bottom. And the close relatives and friends of the couple make the cross sign using the oil in the forehead of the couple. Coconut water and roce are then rubbed on the head, face, hand and feet of the couple, after pouring oil drops on the head of the couple. Then the couple will take a bath and everyone will have dinner with drinks.
