Parents' blessing is an important and significant part of the Orthodox wedding ceremony. The parents of the bride and groom bless the young couple for a long and happy life, and this moment is one of the most touching and exciting.
It is necessary
- the icon of the Kazan Mother of God (for the bride's parents);
- the icon of the Savior (for the groom's parents);
- long towel.
Instructions
Step 1
The first young people are blessed by the bride's parents, “letting her go from her father’s house to a new family. This is done just before leaving home for the wedding ceremony. The blessing is a sacrament, so it is not publicly performed. The bride's parents and young people should leave the guests for a while and go to another room.
Step 2
The blessing is performed in the image of the Kazan Mother of God. If the family does not have it, the icon can be purchased in advance in the church. You will also need a towel - it is not customary to take icons with bare hands.
Step 3
Take a towel in your hands, then, with its help, an icon, turning in the direction of the bride and groom. First, the bride is blessed. There is no strict formula - just from the bottom of your heart wish her happiness, prosperity, love in family life. Cross the bride with the icon and bring the image so that she can kiss him. Admonish the groom in the same way. The icon, which was blessed, must be taken with you to the church for the wedding ceremony.
Step 4
The groom's parents bless the newlyweds when they return after the wedding - as a sign of accepting the daughter-in-law into their family, into their home. The ceremony takes place in the same way, but instead of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, the icon of the Savior is taken. After the ceremony is completed, bread and salt are offered to the young on a towel.
Step 5
The icons, with which the parents blessed their children for marriage, are placed on the festive table, and after the end of the celebration they take pride of place in the newlyweds' house - they are considered the keepers of the young family.
