Christian parents, long before the wedding of their children, think about which icon to bless their son or daughter for marriage. For Orthodox believers, blessing children is not just a ritual, but an action that has deep spiritual power.
The meaning of parental blessing
The fifth commandment of God says that children are obliged to respect their parents, and they do this not for the sake of their father and mother, but for the sake of their future life and future children. Parental blessing with the help of icons is an open door to happiness, peace and tranquility in the future family.
Read about other commandments:
Parents present images of the Mother of God and the Lord Pantocrator to the newlyweds during the blessing
The newlyweds, fulfilling the command of God, in submission and humility come to their father and mother for a blessing, first each on their own, and then together, as future husband and wife. The blessing ceremony is repeated several times. The first time parents bless their son or daughter, then the young couple receives the blessing of their parents at matchmaking, before the wedding and when they first enter the home of a new family.
Icons for blessing children before marriage
Every Orthodox family has icons with which parents bless their children for travel, study, or against adversity and illness. These can be the holy faces of Guardian Angels, St. Nicholas or the Mother of God. The time comes, and the children ask their parents for their blessing for the wedding, receiving it through prayers to the icons of the Mother of God and the image of the Savior.
Kazan Icon of the Virgin Mary
At the end of the wedding, the wedding images are hung or placed in the room so that it is convenient to pray in front of them. If the young people were baptized in childhood, but did not know the Faith of Christ, the icons are wrapped in towels and stored until the time of the spouses’ churching.
Text of parental blessing for wedding
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray to you for the sake of your Most Pure Mother, hear me and cleanse me from sins, your unworthy daughter. Lord, our children (Names) are in the power of Your mercy, grant them mercy and salvation for the sake of Your name. Savior, forgive them all their sins, obvious and involuntary, that the children committed before You. Guide them, Lord, on the true path, enlighten the young to know and fulfill Your commandments, illuminate them with the Light of Christ for the salvation of souls and healing of the body. Lord, I call upon Your blessing upon every place where they will dwell. Savior, keep our children under Your protection from arrows and flying bullets, from heat, hunger and cold, evil forces and witchcraft, may their misfortunes and evil pass by. Lord, cleanse them from all filth and addictions, heal them from sudden illnesses and trials, be with them in days of sorrow and mental suffering. Bless, Creator Almighty, our children with the grace of the Holy Spirit for many years of life, happiness, health and purity. Grant them, God, piety in family life and healthy children. Grant to us, parents, Your unworthy and sinful servants, to bless our son and daughter at any time of the day with Your name, with Your eternal Kingdom, standing forever and ever. Amen.
Order of holding icons
There is no single order as to who holds the image and who holds the loaf; each wedding may have its own nuances. Fathers can hold loaves, and mothers - icons, or the mother of the bride can hold a fold, and the father of the groom - a loaf.
Parents should remember that this is their children's wedding, and not a time to share first roles. When blessing newlyweds, the main thing is purity and sincerity of wishes, because what a person sows, so does he reap.
- You should purchase several towels for the image and loaf. Each icon is held with a separate towel. Each loaf, and there may be several of them, should have its own holiday towel.
- Before kissing the icon, the mother or father baptizes the young people with it three times, while making the sign from top to bottom, note, from left to right, so that the young people receive the Orthodox sign of the cross, from right to left.
- The entire church wedding ceremony must be previously discussed with the clergyman, so that everyone present at the wedding and holding the icon knows what and how to do.
Attention! In the old days, without parental permission and blessing, a priest did not have the right to perform a wedding ceremony. Disobedient children who entered into an unmarried marriage without parental blessing were deprived of inheritance and acceptance in society.
A prayer request before the Creator with holy images has great power, because in this case a piece of the family happiness of the parents is inherited by the children, by blessing whom the father and mother ask for the intercession of the Almighty God.
What icons are used to bless the young?
A wedding is a solemn and important moment in the life of the whole family. Preparation for it is different from the usual one, because it is not just registration, but a divine rite, where everything is subject to strict rules. In particular, special icons are needed to bless the young.
What is a wedding
In Orthodoxy there are only 7 sacraments, including marriage between a man and a woman. You should prepare thoroughly, because this is a shared journey for life. In fact, the blessing of the newlyweds used to always take place in the church; today, the ceremony with icons often becomes a separate event before the banquet. You can do it twice - once in the temple, the other for guests, if not everyone attended the wedding.
The actual blessing is not part of the ceremony; it is a centuries-old tradition. After all, before there was no separation between the registry office and the church; the church registered births, marriages and deaths quite officially. And now this is nothing more than a tribute to fashion, in most cases. This, of course, is sad, but this is how people can gain faith.
What icons are needed for a blessing before a wedding?
For a long time, specific icons were chosen to bless children who decided to get married. This is the image of the Savior and the Mother of God (as a rule, Kazan is taken). At the end of the wedding, they remain in the family of the young, in order to then pass on to their children. Therefore, you need to buy high-quality icons, with a wide frame, under glass. Prices for such images start at 2 thousand rubles. - quite a feasible amount, considering the total costs of the celebration. For the wedding you will need something else:
- Special candles (long and curly).
- Rings (regular gold ones are fine).
- Towels (two for icons, one for a loaf, one for a ritual).
It is also required to first register the marriage; both young people must have crosses and be baptized in the Orthodox Church.
Icon of the Virgin Mary
The Kazan image is one of the most famous; it is believed that it was he who defended Russia during the Polish invasion. This is a shoulder-length image of the Mother of God and the Child. Before the image, they pray for childbearing, protection of the home, and contact in case of any difficulties. The Kazan Mother of God is considered miraculous.
Savior Almighty
The Savior, depicted half-length, holds the Gospel and blesses the believers with his right hand. Jesus Christ is the merciful intercessor of all believers. A quotation from the Bible is usually written on an open book. You can read any prayers before it. The image of the Savior is usually used to bless the groom, and the Mother of God - to the bride.
Today folding ones are sold, the so-called wedding couple - these are two icons together that can be folded.
Blessing with icons before the wedding
Such a ritual also exists, it is performed at will. In the groom's house he is blessed with the image of the Savior, the bride - with the icon of the Virgin Mary. With this, the parents give their consent to the marriage and call on God’s help for the new family. There are also other rituals, but they repeat part of the church wedding, so they are not at all necessary.
The young man and woman must accept the blessing by bowing their heads or kneeling, then cross themselves and venerate the edge of the icon. You cannot kiss faces, only the hand or just the edge of the image.
Today, for many, these are simply meaningless actions, a tribute to traditions or a desire to please believing parents. In fact, the blessing of the father and mother plays a huge role. After all, God has entrusted them with responsibility for their children and given them certain authority over them. Therefore, the prayer of parents has great power and is valued before the Lord.
Before registration
The blessing can be carried out several times, it depends on the wishes of the couple, on local and family traditions. In the presence of all guests, as well as godparents, this can be done in front of the registry office.
One of the parents reads a prayer, then an icon is taken for a wedding blessing, and the bride and groom are blessed with it three times. The young people stand face to face and pray together with everyone else. Then they should express gratitude for the constant care, for agreeing to their union. After this, the guests also give a good farewell and throw in grain and small coins.
How does the ceremony take place?
If it is decided to meet the newlyweds at the entrance to the banquet hall, you need to decide on the roles in advance. There are no hard and fast rules, there may be different options:
- The groom's father holds an icon, the bride's father holds a loaf.
- Icons (one at a time) can be held by either fathers or mothers on both sides.
- One of the parents is holding the image, another is holding a loaf, the other two are holding a glass of champagne.
Then the parents take turns saying parting words - here everyone focuses on what they consider the most important. Then the parents should bless the newlyweds with the icon. To do this, the sign of the cross is drawn in the air with the icon, only in a mirror image. If you are not sure, you can watch the video of how the priests bless you in the temple.
May God's mercy be upon the young!
Wedding blessing text
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother
Hear me, Thy sinful and unworthy servant.
Lord, in the mercy of Your power my children (names), have mercy and save them for Your name’s sake.
Lord, forgive them all the sins, voluntary and involuntary, that they committed before You.
Lord, guide them on the true path of Your commandments and enlighten them and enlighten them with Your light of Christ, for the salvation of the soul and the healing of the body.
Lord, bless them in the house, around the house, at school, in the field, at work and on the road, and in every place of Your possession.
Lord, protect them under the shelter of Your Saints from a flying bullet, arrow, knife, sword, poison, fire, flood, from a deadly plague (atomic rays) and from vain death.
Lord, protect them from visible and invisible enemies, from all troubles, evils and misfortunes. Lord, heal them from all diseases, cleanse them from all filth (wine, tobacco, drugs) and ease their mental suffering and sorrow.
Lord, grant them the grace of Your Holy Spirit for many years of life, health and chastity.
Lord, increase and strengthen their mental abilities and physical strength.
Lord, give them Your blessing for a godly family life and
godly childbearing.
Lord, grant me, Thy unworthy and sinful servant, a parental blessing on my child at this time of morning, day, evening and night for the sake of Thy name, for Thy Kingdom is eternal, omnipotent and omnipotent.
Amen.
Icons for blessing the newlyweds before the wedding was last modified: July 7th, 2017 by Bogolub
As you know, the parental word in Christianity is endowed with special power. It is believed that the message that father and mother address to their children can have a direct impact on their future fate. That is why almost no wedding, both in ancient times and today, is complete without parental blessing. The meaning of this ritual is multifaceted: approval of this union, wishes of all the best and wise parting words to the young family.
How does the modern ceremony of blessing young parents take place?
At modern weddings, the blessing usually occurs when the newlyweds meet from the wedding walk before entering the banquet hall. The parents stand in front of the newlyweds with icons and a loaf of bread, make a short speech, after which the newlyweds kiss the icons, treat themselves to bread and salt, and then follow the instructions of the presenter.
This is a simplified version of the ritual. If you follow the ancient canons, then the newlyweds are blessed twice - the first time the parents bless the bride and groom separately in their father's house (before leaving for the registry office), and the second time - together as described above.
What icons are used when blessing newlyweds?
Traditionally, the icon of the Mother of God (usually the Kazan icon) and the icon of Christ the Savior are used to bless the newlyweds. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God- one of the most revered images of the Virgin Mary. She has long been considered the intercessor and patroness of our people; many miracles and amazing salvations are attributed to her. In 2011, this icon went to space! Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', handing it over to the space agency, commented on this event: “May the Cover of the Most Pure Queen of Heaven extend over our troubled world, torn apart by contradictions, in which there is so much sorrow and human grief...” This icon is used to bless newlyweds at weddings. in the church. It is of particular importance for women. They pray to her for the birth of children and protection of the house from evil forces. It is with the icon of the Kazan Mother of God that the mother usually blesses her daughter before the wedding (this is done without prying eyes before the newlyweds go to the registry office).
Icon "Savior Almighty"(or "Savior") is the most common image of Christ. On it, Christ holds a book with a quotation from the Gospel with one hand, thereby pointing out the path of salvation, and with the other hand he blesses the person looking at him. This icon is prayed to in times of need and joy. She is asked for the well-being of family members. Previously, the icon of the Savior was the first to be brought into the newlyweds’ house. If the bride’s parents use the icon of the Mother of God to bless their daughter for a happy marriage, then the groom’s parents bless their son with the icon of the Savior.
Nowadays, when newlyweds meet, both these icons and one of them are used. Alternatively, parents can purchase a wedding match or folding- these are two icons connected together. You can buy these icons in any of the many church shops in Voronezh.
Which parent holds the icons and loaf of bread during the blessing?
How to distribute roles among themselves, who holds what, who addresses the newlyweds first? These questions usually arise among anxious parents when preparing for the ceremony. As practice shows, there is no single template; these are nuances that can be played out differently at each wedding. Let's look at several options (from left to right):
- The groom's father is holding an icon, the bride's mother is holding a loaf of bread, the other parents are just standing nearby.
- Moms hold icons, and dads hold a loaf of champagne.
- One mother holds an icon, the second a loaf, and the fathers stand on the sides.
- One mom holds a folding bag, the other a loaf, and dads hold a glass of champagne.
As you can see, there is no consensus on this matter.
What words should parents say when blessing the newlyweds?
The speech should be sincere, come from the heart and boil down to the essence: “We bless you for a long, happy family life.” In this case, it is better to use prose, since a memorized verse is not perceived so mentally, and besides, due to strong excitement, the next line can treacherously slip out of memory.
Where to put icons after the wedding?
The icons participating in the blessing are given to the young family, where they are subsequently kept as a family heirloom. If the newlyweds are deeply religious, they place the icons in a red corner, but if the newlyweds do not want to put the images on public display, then they carefully wrap the icons in a towel and store them in a special place.
1. Icons are not supposed to be held with bare hands, so when purchasing them you should also take care of purchasing towels (by the way, another towel will be needed for the loaf).
2. According to an ancient custom, before the young people kiss the icon, the parents must cross the young people with it three times. Nowadays, this is rarely observed; more often, after a parting speech, the icon is simply brought to the young people for a kiss, but still, if you decide to act according to the rules, you must correctly make the sign of the cross: from top to bottom, from left to right (for young people it will turn out from top to bottom, from right to left - as it should be according to church canons).
3. If one of the young fathers holds the icon during the ceremony, it is necessary to explain to him in advance what is happening and what he needs to do, since men, often far from all kinds of sacraments and religious rituals, may become confused at a key moment.
Blessing of the newlyweds, video clips from different weddings:
October 30, 2015
Blessing the bride's mother (and her groom's parents) is a wonderful rite that came to us from ancient times. Back then it was given great importance. If the words of blessing of the bride's mother were not spoken, previously the bride and groom were not allowed to get married in church. In addition, the girl was disinherited and shamed in society.
Nowadays, the words of blessing from the mother of the bride no longer have such significance, but parental parting words still play a huge role for the newlyweds. It’s always pleasant to hear the corresponding words, don’t you agree?
Parting words. Blessing of the bride's mother in front of the registry office. Words from your parents
At modern weddings, parents bless their children before entering the banquet hall. This already happens after the marriage ends. The newlyweds are greeted with a loaf of bread, wine, bread and salt.
But this version of the ritual is simplified. Some families still prefer to honor ancient traditions. According to them, the bride is obliged to hear parting words. The blessing of the bride's mother in front of the registry office, the words of her parents - all this must happen twice. The first time was just before the wedding. This is done in the father’s house before leaving for the registry office. Moreover, the parents of the bride and groom bless their children separately. Later, the young people will be able to go to the painting. Second blessing in the banquet hall.
What icon is used to bless the bride?
One of the most revered images of the Mother of God is the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Even our ancestors believed in its magic and miraculous power. It is this that has special meaning for women, especially for the bride. Before the registry office, the mother is obligated to bless her daughter with the icon of the Mother of God.
Seeing off the bride at the registry office
Seeing off at the registry office is a special ritual that dad must perform. The groom should not be nearby; everything should take place only between the bride herself and the bride’s parents. Parting words are spoken, the woman is blessed with the icon of the Mother of God.
Then dad takes his daughter by the hand and circles her around the table three times. This should be done clockwise. Then the father takes the bride to the groom and hands her over.
Which icon is used to bless the groom?
The groom is blessed with an icon of the Savior. This is the most popular image of Christ. He has a book in one hand, and with the other hand he blesses the person who is watching him. They pray to the Savior for prosperity to reign in the family. Previously, this icon was the first to be brought into the couple’s house. At the moment, the groom's parents use it to bless their son for a joyful marriage.
Parting words for the groom before the registry office
While the bride receives blessings from her parents, her own ritual is also performed at the groom's house. The table is covered with a tablecloth as white as snow. They put bread on it, put salt and water next to it, and a burning candle. The groom kneels down and receives a blessing from his parents. Dad takes his son by the hand and circles him three times around the set table. The mother is obliged to follow them, holding an icon of the Savior and a candle in her hands. So, the son receives support not only from his parents, but also from his entire family. Then the groom can go after the bride.
Blessing of the young mother of the bride
Who will hold the loaf? Who will say parting words to the newlyweds? Who should contact them first? Quite a lot of time is spent on distributing these roles. Although it must be emphasized that there is no single rule on this matter. Let's consider a couple of options for distributing roles (we go from left to right).
Possible options
The icon is held by the groom's father, and the bride's mother stands next to the loaf. Other parents nearby
Mothers of newlyweds hold icons, and fathers hold champagne and a loaf of bread
One mother has an icon in her hands, the other a loaf of bread. Fathers on the sides
One mother has a loaf, the other a folding one. Fathers stand on the sides and hold glasses of champagne in their hands
Words of parental blessing to the bride and groom
Blessing the mother of the bride at a wedding is a very important ritual. However, in reality, what is said does not really matter. It is much more responsible, so that all words come from the heart, so that parting words are sincere. Only then will children be truly joyful, and a life ahead will await them, filled with happiness, euphoria and children's laughter.
What in most cases they want:
well-being in the family,
long years of joyful marriage,
health for newlyweds and their children,
happiness at home.
By the way, the bride and groom should take words of blessing not only from their parents, but also from each other’s parents. There is a belief that such an alliance will only become even stronger. It is not for nothing that after the wedding, young people call their parents each other mom and dad.
What should the bride and groom do with icons after the wedding?
The bride is obligated to preserve the icon with which her mother blessed her before painting. The groom should do the same. Newlyweds should keep them in their home as a useful household heirloom. In most cases, they are wrapped in a towel and hidden away from prying eyes. This is a personal value, this is the blessing of your parents.
It is prohibited to hold icons without any weapons. They say this is a bad omen. Based on this, it is extremely important not to forget to buy towels. The newlyweds will later be able to cover the icons with them and put them in their special place in the house. In addition, a towel will also be needed for the loaf.
According to an ancient custom, parents must first cross the bride and groom with the icon three times before the registry office, and then the children kiss the icon. The same ritual is repeated in the banquet hall. Nowadays this custom is very rarely followed. But if this is fundamentally important for future spouses, then it is better to follow all the rules.
If it was decided that in the banquet hall the icon will be in the hands of one of the fathers, then it is better to explain to him in advance all the subtleties of the upcoming ritual. The fact is that men do not always pay special attention to this and can get confused at the most inopportune moment.
At a time when newlyweds receive parting words of blessing from their parents before and after the registry office, they must kneel down.
From time to time it happens that one of the newlyweds has a single-parent family. Maybe there is no mother or father. Under such conditions, godparents must bless.
The ritual of blessing the newlyweds is very difficult, but fascinating. Some home couples skip it, but in vain. Parents are the most important people in any person's life. They gave life, raised and were always there in both grief and euphoria. There is nothing stronger than their sincere blessing. It is believed that young families who decided to observe traditions and took these holy parting words lived in a joyful marriage.
To overshadow, to give good, to thank, to approve, to admonish, to allow Dictionary of Russian synonyms. bless 1. see approve. 2. see thanks... Synonym dictionary
BLESS, bless, bless. imperfect to bless. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
Bless- you can do it either with words or with deeds. In words, when someone either calls upon a person for the help and grace of God (Matthew 21:9; Luke 6:28) or blesses God, expressing gratitude and praise (Luke 1:64; Romans 1:25), or blesses an object, With… … Dictionary of Biblical Names
I nesov. trans. 1. Perform the ritual act of the sign of the cross, accompanied by the utterance of words of prayer asking God [God I] to provide protection or help to someone in new life circumstances or in some important, difficult... ... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova
Curse... Dictionary of antonyms
bless- bless, yay, yay... Russian spelling dictionary
bless- (I), blessing, eat, eat... Spelling dictionary of the Russian language
bless- see bless... Popular dictionary of the Russian language
See Bless... encyclopedic Dictionary
bless- to praise, magnify, glorify, wish well... Dictionary of archaisms of the Russian language
Books
- Bless Your Children Daily, Swope Mary Ruth. A book about how blessings can change the lives of your children and your own life. The author teaches how to bless children and grandchildren, and shows what fruit blessings bring. 8th…
- About the cross and resurrection, Venerable Ambrose of Optina. Ambrose Optinsky (in the world Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov) is a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, hieromonk, and was revered during his lifetime as an elder. He is one of the prototypes of the old man...