The Rite of Marriage

The Sacrament of Matrimony is administered by the spouses themselves; the priest (or deacon) acts as the Church's official witness. **The Order of Celebrating Matrimony within Mass** After the Liturgy of the Word, the Rite of Marriage takes place: the address by the celebrant, the questions before the consent (freedom, fidelity, children), the exchange of consent (the vows), the blessing and giving of rings, the Prayer of the Faithful, and the nuptial blessing at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer. **The Exchange of Consent** "I, N., take you, N., to be my wife/husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life." **The Nuptial Blessing** A solemn blessing over the couple invoking God's grace upon the marriage and the family that may spring from it. **The Unity Candle and Other Customs** While optional, many parishes include the lighting of a unity candle (symbolising two lives becoming one) and the presentation of lazo or arras according to cultural traditions.