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These ceremonies as a whole make the spouses aware of the
importance of the marriage. This is not merely a secular contract which can
be made and unmade by humankind, but is, in fact, sacred and religious. It
is attributed to God, and from the dawn of creation, it has been part of God’s
plan for humanity. Thus, both parties need to approach marriage with due
preparation which will help them to enter into a covenant with God. There
are verses indicating the complementarities, and unity of man and woman
ordered by God at creation. For example, here are a few lines from the first
and second sections, which have this meaning:
The Lord commanded,
and the command was fulfilled.
The Lord with his omnipotence formed man,
and formed him with bones, flesh, blood and skin…
.......................................................................
He, (the Lord) called him Adam, and wished to give him a wife.
“The Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept.
He took one of the ribs from his body and
closed (it) up the flesh instead thereof.
And with the rib which the Lord God had taken, made a woman,
and brought her unto the man”.
Then Adam said:
“she is the bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.
I was not aware of her origin from me”.
I may forget everything on her account.
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From the song of Mylanchi

The bride, purified internally by the grace of the sacrament of
penance and externally by the solemn bath and smearing of henna, is
preparing herself with sacred thoughts and prayers, to offer herself as an
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offering to the husband given to her by God.

3.7.4 Blessings from the Elders on the Day of Marriage

The family is the Domestic Church where one receives basic
formation in the Christian faith. Therefore, the celebration of marriage
properly begins with homage paid to the parents and elders of the family, by
bride and bridegroom, in their respective houses. On the morning of the

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Cf. Ibid., p. 2. English Translation, ANANTHAKRISHNA AYYAR, L. K., The
Anthropology of the Syrian Christians, Ernakulam, 1926, pp. 301-302.
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Cf. PULLAPPALLY, JOHN P. M., “Socio-religious Customs of Knānites” (Malayalam),
in J. VELLIAN (ed.), Symposium on Knānites, The Syrian Church Series, Vol. XII,
Kottayam, 1986, p. 107.

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