THE RITE OF MARRIAGE

Introductory Rites
Entrance
At the appointed time, the Bridal Procession starts accompanied by
WEDDING nuptial music or songs. When the Bride, the Groom and the
entourage have taken their respective places, the Mass begins.
PROCESSIONAL Commentator: Good day, brothers and sisters. Today, we gather as
a community to participate to the Holy Eucharist and to witness the
MARCH & celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage between Eley and Susan.
Please, all stand to welcome the Mass Celebrant.
SEATING
Priest: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
ARRANGEMENT Spirit
People: Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Dear brothers and sisters, we are gathered to celebrate the
Holy Eucharist and to witness the Sacrament of Marriage
between Eley and Susan. As their Christian Family, we
remind them that they are called to life of holiness and
fidelity as husband and wife. Let us rejoice with them and
ask God’s blessing for them and their future children.
 Penitential Act
Priest: Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so
prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Priest & People: All : I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my
brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my
thoughts, in my words, in what I have done and in what I
have failed to do; through my fault, through my grievous
fault, and I ask the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, all the angels
and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to
the Lord our God.
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
The Glory
Priest & People: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to
people of goodwill. We praise You, we bless You, we adore
You, we glorify You, we give You thanks for Your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly king, O God, almighty Father. Lord
Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God,
son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have
mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive
our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us. For You alone are the Holy One, you
alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus
Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father.
Amen

People: Amen.

Collect
Priest: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Let us pray. Be attentive to our prayers, O Lord, and in your
People: Lord, have mercy. kindness uphold what you have established for the increase
of the human race, so that the union you have created
Priest: Christ, have mercy. between Eley and Susan may be kept safe by your
People: Christ, have mercy. assistance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one
Priest: Lord, have mercy. God, for ever and ever.
People: Lord, have mercy. People: Amen.
Commentator: Please be seated for the Liturgy of the Word.
 Liturgy of the Word Responsorial Psalm
(Psalm 128)
First Reading
Reader: Let our response be: Happy are those who fear the
(Genesis 2:18-24) Lord.
Reader: A reading from the book of Genesis. People: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I Reader: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
will make a suitable partner for him.” So the LORD God who walk in his ways!
formed out of the ground various wild animals and various For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what happy shall you be and favored.
he would call them; whatever the man called each of them
would be its name. The man gave names to all cattle, all the People: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to
be the suitable partner for the man.
Reader: Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was
in the recess of your home;
asleep, he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with Your children like olive plants
flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that around your table.
he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the
man, the man said, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones People: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
and flesh from my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for
out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” That is why a man
Reader: Behold, thus is the man blessed
leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the
who fears the LORD.
two of them become one body.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
Reader: The Word of the Lord. may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
People: Thanks be to God.
People: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
 Second Reading
(Ephesians 5:21-32) Gospel
Reader: A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (Matthew 19:3-6)

Beloved, be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Priest: The Lord be with you.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For People: And with your spirit.
the husband is the head of his wife just as Christ is the head of the
church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is Priest: A reading from the holy gospel according to St. Matthew.
subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their
People: Glory to you, O Lord.
husbands in everything.
Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying: “Is it
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and
lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatsoever?” He
handed himself over for her to sanctify her. Husbands should love
said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the
their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves
Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a
himself. For this reason, a man shall leave father and mother and
man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and
be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a
the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but
great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human
Reader: The word of the Lord. being must separate.”

People: Thanks be to God. Priest: The gospel of the Lord.

Commentator: Please all stand to honor the Holy Gospel. People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentator: Please all be seated and listen to the Homily.

Gospel Acclamation
People: Alleluia, Alleluia.
Reader: God is love; let us love one another as he has loved
us.
People: Alleluia, Alleluia.

Rite of Marriage
Commentator: All remain seated. All remain seated. May we
request the Bride and Groom to please stand for the Rite of
Marriage and the Principal Sponsors to stand beside the
couple.
Allocution
Priest: Dearly beloved Eley and Susan, you are here today to
seal your love with an eternal bond before the Church. I
assure you of the prayers of our community, that God pour
his abundant blessings on your love and help you carry out
the duties of the married state. And you (addressing the
congregation), dear brothers and sisters, may I ask you to
help them with your prayers and accept them as a new
couple in our Christian Community.
Scrutiny
Priest: May I now ask you to answer truthfully the following
questions.
Priest: Susan, did you come here of your own free will to bind
yourself for ever in the love and service of your husband?
Bride: Yes, Father.
Priest: Eley, did you come here of your own free will to bind yourself
for ever in the love and service of your wife?
Groom: Yes, Father.
Priest: Are you both ready to raise as good Christians the children
whom God will give you?
Bride & Groom: Yes, Father.
Exchange of Consent
Priest: Eley and Susan, since you wish to contract Holy Matrimony,
please join your right hands and express your intention
before God and His Church.
Priest: Susan do you take Eley, here present, for your lawful
husband, according to the rite of our Holy Mother, the Church?
Susan: Yes, I do.
Priest: Do you give yourself to him as his wife?
Susan: Yes, I do.
Priest: Do you accept him as your lawful husband?
Susan: Yes, I do.
Priest: Eley do you take Susan, here present, for your lawful wife,
according to the rite of our Holy Mother, the Church?
Eley: Yes, I do.
Priest: Do you give yourself to her as her husband?
Eley: Yes, I do.
Priest: Do you accept her as your lawful wife?
Eley: Yes, I do.
Priest: Now, please recite this prayer:
Susan & Eley: Grant us O Lord, to be one heart and one soul,
from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, until death do us part.
Confirmation of the Marriage Bond
Priest: And I, by the authority of the Church, calling on all those
present here as witnesses, confirm and bless the bond of
marriage, which you have contracted. In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Blessing of the Rings and the Arrhae
Priest: Eley and Susan, we shall now bless your Rings and Arrhae.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
People: He made heaven and earth.
Priest: Let us pray. Bless, O Lord, your servants, Eley and Susan,
with sufficiency of material possessions, which these Arrhae
symbolize, so that they may use them to attain eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
- The priest sprinkles the Rings and Arrhae with Holy Water.
Priest: Now give these Rings to each other.
- The groom places the ring on the ring finger of the bride,
saying:
Eley: Susan, wear this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
- The bride places the ring on the ring finger of the groom,
saying:
Susan: Eley, wear this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
- The groom takes the Arrhae in both hands. The bride places
her cupped hands under those of the Groom. The groom lets
the Arrhae fall into the hands of the bride saying:
Eley: Susan, I give you these Arrhae as a pledge of my dedication
to your welfare. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit.
Susan: And I accept them.
- The bride places the Arrhae on the tray.
Commentator: Please all stand for the Profession of Faith. May I
request the Principal Sponsors to return to their respective seats.
Profession of Faith
Priest & People: I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of
heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who
was conceived by the Holy Spirit; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered
under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He
descended into Hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven; And is seated on the right hand of God
the Father Almighty; From there He will come to judge the living
and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The
Resurrection of the body; And life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Faithful
Priest: Dear brothers and sisters, let us now pray for the church and Priest: God our Father, look down with favor upon your servants. Grant
for our newly-wedded couple, whose marriage reflects the union of them to remain faithful to you and to one another. At the end of a long and
Christ and his church. For every petition we will say: well-spent life, reward them with eternal happiness, together with their
children and with all those who love them. Through Christ our Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
People: Amen.
Reader: Let us pray for the Church, who is the Bride of Christ, that
she may always be faithful in her mission of spreading the good Commentator: Please be seated for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
news of our salvation and Christ’s love for us. We pray.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray for our government leaders that they may
Rite of the Candle, the Veil, and the Cord
become God’s instrument in protecting the family and defend life at Commentator: May I request the Candle Sponsors to light the
all costs. We pray. Bridal Candles, to be followed shortly by the Veil and Cord
Sponsors.
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
- The Candle Sponsors light two candles on both sides of the
Reader: Let us pray for all the needs of our brothers and sisters,
spouses. The Veil Sponsors lay the white Veil over the head
the sick, the handicapped, the prisoners and all those abandoned
of the Bride and the shoulders of the Groom. Finally, the
by their loved ones, that through their presence in our community
Cord Sponsors place Cord over the shoulders of the couple
we may be enlightened and show our charity with love. We pray.
in an 8-form.
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
Preparation of the Gifts
Reader: Let us pray for Eley and Susan united today in God’s love,
founding a new family in our Christian community. May they - After preparing the Altar, the Priest holds the Paten with the
become God’s faithful stewards and collaborators of God in rearing bread and says:
their future children. We pray.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your
People: Lord, hear our prayer. goodness we all received the Bread we offer you: fruit of the earth
and work of human hands, it will become the Bread of Life.
Reader: Let us pray for the young people who will embrace the
vocation to married life that they may learn from life and People: Blessed be God for ever.
experiences of others the beauty of love that comes from
- The Priest pours Wine and a little Water into the Chalice and
generosity. We pray.
says:
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your People: It is right and just.
goodness we have received the Wine we offer you: fruit of the vine
Priest: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
and work of human hands, it will become spiritual drink.
always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy
People: Blessed be God for ever. Father, almighty and eternal God. For you have forged the
covenant of marriage as a sweet yoke of harmony and an
unbreakable bond of peace, so that the chaste and fruitful
love of holy Matrimony may serve to increase the children
you adopt as your own. By your providence and grace, O
lord, you accomplish the wonder of this twofold design: that,
- After washing his hands, the priest says: while the birth of children brings beauty to the world, their
rebirth in Baptism gives increase to the Church, through
Priest: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and Christ our Lord. Through him, with the Angels and all the
yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. Saints, we sing the hymn of your praise, as without end we
People: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the acclaim:
praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his
holy church.
Sanctus
Priest & People: Holy, holy, holy, Lord, GOD of hosts. Heaven and
Prayer Over the Offerings earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed
Priest: Receive, we pray, O Lord, the offering made on the occasion is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the
of sealing of the sacred bond of Marriage between Eley and Susan, highest.
just as your goodness is its origin, may your providence guide its
course. Through Christ our Lord.
Consecration
People: Amen. Commentator: Please all kneel for the Consecration.
Priest: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make
Preface holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit
Priest: The Lord be with you. upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the
Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the time he was
People: And with your spirit. betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and,
Priest: Lift up your hearts. giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

People: We lift them up to the Lord. Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be
given up for you.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and,
once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my
Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this
in memory of me.
throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and
may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
- The priest holds the chalice and paten and sings:
Priest: Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty
Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours,
for ever and ever.
People: Amen.

Priest: The mystery of faith.

People: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your
Communion Rite
Resurrection until you come again. Our Father
Commentator: Please all stand (the couple remains kneeling).
Priest: At the Saviors’s command and formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Eucharistic Prayer
hallowed be Thy name;
Priest: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done
Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice
of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in on earth as it is in heaven.
your presence and minister to you. Humbly we pray that, partaking Give us this day our daily bread;
of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by
the Holy Spirit. Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout and forgive us our trespasses,
the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with N. as we forgive those who trespass against us;
our Pope and N, our Bishop and all the clergy.
and lead us not into temptation,
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen but deliver us from evil.
asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in
your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy
on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, The Nuptial Blessing
with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you Priest: Let us humbly invoke by our prayers, dear brothers and
sisters, God’s blessings upon Eley and Susan, that in his kindness
he may favor with his help those on whom he has bestowed the
Sacrament of Matrimony.
- All pray silently for a short while. Then the Priest extends his
hands over the couple and imparts the Nuptial blessing.

Priest: Holy Father, maker of the whole world, who created man
and woman in your own image and willed that their union be
crowned with your blessing, we humbly beseech you for these your
servants, who are joined today in the Sacrament of Matrimony. May
your abundant blessing, Lord, come down upon this bride, Susan,
and upon Eley, her companion for life, and may the power of your
Holy Spirit set their hearts aflame from on high, so that, living out
together the gift of Matrimony, they may adorn their family with
children enrich the Church. In happiness may they praise you, O
Lord, in sorrow may they seek you out; may they have the joy of
your presence to assist them in their toil, and know that you are
near to comfort them in their need; let them pray to you in the holy
assembly and bear witness to you in the world, and after a happy
old age, together with the circle of friends that surrounds them, may
they come to the Kingdom of Heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Sign of Peace
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace, I leave
you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins, but on the
faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and
unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for
ever and ever.
People: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
- The sign of peace is given according to local customs.
Lamb of God
The priest breaks the bread and places a fragment into the chalice,
symbol of the unity with the pope, while people sing the Lamb of
God.
People: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have
mercy, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have
mercy, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
Grant us peace, grant us peace.
Communion
- The priest holds the host over the paten and says:
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away sins of
the world. Blessed are those called to supper of the Lamb.
People: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Commentator: Please all be seated. Those who wish to receive the
holy communion may come forward.
- First, the priest gives communion to the couple possibly on
both kinds of body and blood. Then he gives holy
communion to the people.
Priest: The body (and blood) of Christ.
Communicant: Amen.
Commentator: May I ask the cord and veil sponsors to remove the
cord and the veil.
- The sponsors remove the cord and the veil.
Commentator: Please all stand for the final prayer.
Prayer after Communion
Priest: Let us pray. By the power of this sacrifice, O Lord,
accompany with your loving favor what in your providence you have
instituted, so as to make of one heart in love those you have
already joined in this holy union and replenished with the one Bread
and the one Chalice. Through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Concluding Rites
Admonition
Priest: Eley and Susan, now that you have received the holy
sacrament of Matrimony, I admonish you to remain faithful y=to one
another.
Priest: Susan, love your husband and be a good housewife;
persevere in faith, love, and holiness.
Priest: Eley, love your wife as Christ loves his Church and live with
her in the holy fear of the Lord.
The Final Blessing
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.
 May God the eternal Father keep you of one heart in love for - After signing the marriage contract on the altar, the most
one another, that peace of Christ may dwell in you and abide awaited moment comes: the first kissing of the bride by the
always in your home. groom.
People: Amen.
Priest: May you be blessed with your children, have solace in your Recessional
friends and enjoy true peace with everyone.
- After the picture-taking, the bride, the groom, and their
People: Amen. entourage march in procession out of the church, where they
Priest: May you be witnesses in the world to God’s charity, so that are greeted by a shower of rice and confetti.
the afflicted and needy who have known your kindness may one
day receive you thankfully into the eternal dwelling of God.
People: Amen.
Priest: And may almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.

Dismissal
Priest: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
People: Thanks be to God.
Commentator: Let us give the newly married couple a big round of
applause.

Signing of the Marriage Contract

Commentator: Please all be seated, while the bride, the groom, the
priest, and the sponsors sign the marriage contract.