.
Now let me tell you about a most beautiful tradition the Croatian people have for marriages.
Now let me tell you about a most beautiful tradition the Croatian people have for marriages.
In the town of Siroki-Brijeg, not one single divorce has been recorded
among its 13,000 inhabitants. Not one single family has broken up in living
memory. Does Herzegovina enjoy a special favor from heaven? Is there a magic
formula that keeps the demon of division at bay?
The answer is very simple! For
centuries, because of the pressure from the Turks and then the Communists, the
people suffered cruelly as their Christian faith was always threatened.
They knew through experience that salvation comes through the Cross of Christ.
It does not come from disarmament plans, from humanitarian aid or peace
treaties, even if these things may bring limited benefits. The source of
salvation is the Cross of Christ! These people possess a wisdom that does not
allow them to be duped over questions of life and death. That is why they have
indissolubly linked marriage with the Cross of Christ. They have founded
marriage, which brings forth human life, on the Cross, which brings forth divine
life.
The Croatian marriage tradition is so beautiful that it is beginning to
take hold in Europe and America!
When a young couple is preparing for marriage, they are not told that
they have found the ideal partner. No! What does the priest say?
"You have found your cross. And it is a cross to be loved, to be
carried, a cross not to be thrown away, but to be cherished."
In Herzegovina, the Cross represents the greatest love and the crucifix is the
treasure of the home.
When the bride and groom set off for
the church, they bring a crucifix with them. The priest blesses the crucifix,
which takes on a central role during the exchange of vows. The bride places
her right hand on the crucifix and the groom places his hand over hers. Thus
the two hands are bound together on the cross. The priest covers their
hands with his stole as they proclaim their vows to be faithful,
according to the rites of the Church.
Fr. Jozo Zovko explains that the bride and
groom do not then kiss each other, they rather kiss the cross. They know that
they are kissing the source of love. Anyone close enough to see their
two hands joined over the cross understands clearly that if the husband
abandons his wife or if the wife abandons her husband, they let go of the
cross. And if they abandon the cross, they have nothing left. They have lost
everything for they have abandoned Jesus. They have lost Jesus.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds bring the crucifix back and give it a
place of honor in their home. It becomes the focal point of family prayer, for
the young couple believes deeply that the family is born of the Cross. When a
trouble arises, or if a conflict breaks out, it is before this cross that they
will seek help. They will not go to a lawyer, they will not consult a
fortune-teller or an astrologer, they will not rely on a psychologist to solve
the problem. No, they will go straight before their Jesus, before the cross.
They'll get on their knees there and in front of Jesus, they will weep their
tears and pour out their hearts, and above all exchange their forgiveness. They
will not go to sleep with a heavy heart because they will have turned to their
Jesus, the only One who has the power to save.
They will teach their children to kiss the cross every day and not to go
to sleep like pagans without having thanked Jesus first. As for the children,
as far back as they can remember, Jesus has always been the friend of the
family, respected and embraced. They say "nighty-night" to Jesus and kiss the
cross.
(As Fr. Jozo says, "They go to sleep with Jesus, not with a teddy
bear!"). They know that Jesus is holding them in his arms and that there is
nothing to be afraid of, and their fears melt away in their kiss to Jesus.
Dearest Gospa, please extend
the blessing of this beautiful marriage to
the whole family of your children!
Sr.
Emmanuel February
1, 2002
2 comments:
St. Rita, our patron saint this year, is the patron saint of
parenthood, infertility, difficult marriages, abuse victims,
loneliness, widows, the sick, wounds, and impossible
causes.
This post was just brilliant. I am happy that I found this wonderful post. Well, we also would like to host a grand wedding reception but are going to have wedding ceremony at the church. The reception will be held a day later at one of our favorite Chicago wedding venues.
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