together from their two separate ones?
I've witnessed dozens of Catholic weddings and when we were preparing to marry, our priest told our group that it was not permitted because it had nothing to do with any church custom, it actually came from when Luke & Laura were married on General Hospital.
Is this true?!!!
I mean, I'm sure the priest would know what is and isn't allowed as part of a wedding ceremony, but then, why have I seen it in so many other churches?
2007-05-20 10:18:11 · 10 answers · asked by mamabunny 4 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
According to Wikipedia, your priest is right.
Makes it seem a little tackier knowing a soap opera popularized it.
2007-05-20 11:33:35 · answer #1 · answered by LindsayBluthFunke 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How does one start a church custom?? I would have asked.
It is just symbolic... two becoming one.. two families uniting. Usually called a Unity Candle.
All the churches and all the priests make it up as they go along. There are lots of reasons I can think of why this particular priest doesn't like the idea. One would be that cheap candles give off a lot of smoke....church candles don't. Second, lighting the candles can be dangerous, especially for the bride. It is so easy for the veil to fly into the candle, flaming up quickly. Not a nice picture. It could also be that this particular church does not allow anyone on the alter besides the priest. Hard to light candles from the aisle.
Fresh flower petals thrown by the flower girl also creates a hazard to the bride. They are very slippery.
Have you asked about throwing rice after the ceremony? That is tabu too. Someone started the rumor that it kills birds. It doesn't. Birds are a lot smarter than they look. I believe the reason for forbidding rice is that it has to be cleaned up...bird seed doesn't. If you want rice...don't ask. If you are told, ignore.
One very nice "custom" I have come across is the priest standing in the aisle with the wedding couple up on the alter looking out on the congregation. It was wonderful to hear the vows and see the faces of the bride and groom instead of looking at their backs. Only saw it once. It was lovely. It was my daughter's wedding. Highly recommend it.
2007-05-20 10:47:53 · answer #2 · answered by silly me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My parent got married in a Catholic church 35 years ago. The lit a unity candle back then. I think Luke and Laura got married in the early eighties. It sounds like the priest didn't want to fool with it!
There may be something in the diocese that doesn't allow the unity candle...I don't know what to tell you.
2007-05-20 10:55:56 · answer #3 · answered by Christina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's a secular tradition. We didn't have it - have only seen it done once at a ceremony in the Catholic church, and the most recent wedding we went to, the moms did it at the head table before the reception started, and that was nice, so maybe that's an option for you.
2007-05-21 01:23:27 · answer #4 · answered by Lydia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I didn't have one b/c I did not believe there was any religious significance in it. I didn't need a priest to disallow it.
I'm surprised they would disallow though it b/c you are using the Pascal candle, & as Catholics we are always told that we shouls not hide our latenerns under a bushel basket.
Then there is the story of the wedding in which the foolish gilrs wasted their oil and did not have enough for when the bridegroom arrived--meaning we should go to confession frequently b/c we never know the hour Jesus will return.
2007-05-20 10:32:00 · answer #5 · answered by ee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm surprised to hear that they will not include that. Out of the weddings I've heard (and the dozens of weddings you've seen) about I've never heard someone denying an addition to the ceremony, especially since its something you want.
Is there a way you could find someone who WILL accommodate you? This priest certainly isn't.
2007-05-20 11:21:42 · answer #6 · answered by Terri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont know where it originated from, but it is not a religious custom, it is just a unity ceremony that symbolizes each other giving themselves over to the other so they become one. This is why each light a candle and together with those candles lights the unity candle.
Your priest should be ashamed of himself for not allowing it. It's your wedding and since there is nothing wrong with the ceremony he shouldnt forbid it.
2007-05-20 11:18:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It wasnt a custom a few decades ago in the Catholic Church
2007-05-20 10:24:40 · answer #8 · answered by barthebear 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Secular, adopted by the church.
2007-05-20 17:27:09 · answer #9 · answered by bountifiles 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a lot of people use it as a way to show that they were separate but are coming together as one.
2007-05-23 02:47:15 · answer #10 · answered by bandyt 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋