the marrirage service is in two parts: betrothal and the blessing in the church. when the young couple are in love or when the parents have made a match, first the parents of the bridegroom will send to the brides houses, on such and such day we will come for the betrothal. then the bridegroom invites his sponsors and the house of the bride does likewise. all will meet in the brides house, the priest of the village. first the priest will send the bridegrooms ring to the bride by two matrons (two girls) and they will say this ring is from so and so, son of so and so, he asks you to be his wife. if you are willing , show it by putting this ring on your finger, if you are not, give the ring back to us. she will not speak but will place the ring on her finger and they they take back to the gues that she is willing. neither the bride nor the groom will be present with the guests, but the parents or failing them the nearest relations, will represent them.
then the priest will bein with our father and som short prayers, then he will make both represenatatives hold each others hand, then the priest will ask: do you, n..., of your free will, ask for n. to be the wife of your son? answear yes. yes, of my own free will. then he puts the same question to the father of the bride. after the prayers of betrothal are concluded, according to synodical law, a discussion take place about the dowry and about the grooms gift, this is finished by a later signed by all present. now for the blessing in the church, which may be weeks or months later. the sponsors and the friends of the bridegroom go with him to church, in like manner the brides sponsor and some girls who are called the sisters of the bridegroom accompany the bride to church with music, singing and dancing. the rest stay outside and the bridal groom pair with their sponsors enter the church and the bride and groom stand facing the sanctuary with their respective sponsors, on man and one woman. they wear, as said above, thier baptismal crowns. the priest begins the service, as usual by our father. at certain times during the prayers the bride and bridegroom hold each others hand. blessing are read over the head of the bride others hand. blessings are read over the head of the bride and groom separately, such as, may they be blessed as abraham and sarah, etc..., to great length. the book is supported by the bent heads of each alternately. after that the bride and groom will drink, from the same cup, wine which has been blessed. their sponsors do the same and they put on rings which have been dropped in the wine. after that again they go in procession with singing and dancing to the bridegrooms house where from the window or from the roof as they come near raisins are thrown at them. they will go into the room which has been prepared beforehand by the blessing of the priest; it is called baith gnuna, the bridal chamber. the neighbours will bring food during the three days that the feast lasts, and whatever the bridal pair ask during these three days will be granted. after a month the monther of the bride will come and invite both to her house, where they will stay for a week or a fortnight and then return.
another custom: the second sunday of lent is called the sunday of the daughts (old english mothering sunday) and on it every mother will invite her daughter and will give her presents. the third day of sund is the sunday of the sponsors and then all invite thier sponsors to visit their houses, or else go and pay visit at the sponsors house.
in the plains the rites and customs of marriage differ somewhat from those in the mountains. here there are many customs which go back in their origin to days when the bride was captured by force from her family, thus the father of the bridegroom has to go with a horse and the young men of his house to fetch the bride from the house of her father, and when he arrives he may not enter the building, but stands without till she is brought. the ring which he sends is handed to an old woman, who then has to go and find the bride. the maiden must always feign great reluctanceand hide herself, usually in a cornerloft or some such place, till the old woman can find her, and show her the ring, and ask whether she will accept it. even tthen she must show unwillingness and answear in some such forms as well, my father and my mother wish it and so do all my brothers so what can a poor girl do? then she is led forth and put on the horse and the fathe of the bridegroom must dance to show his joy and so take her away. all the young men fire their guns and often will snatch up chickens and the like that have been left about for them, and carry them off as the spoil that they have capture with the bride.
when they arrive at the village where is the girls new home, the bridegroom stands on the roof of the house, and throws down pmegrantes upon her as she passes this being most likely a symbol of fruitfulnes and then she is led into the house, and the religious ceremony commences. here too they drink of the same cup, often with a small cross floating on it as a symbol and are crowned.
spam