On Sunday, March 7, 2021, Sunday of the Last Judgment and the Meatfare, the faithful of the St. Mary's Mission of Norfolk had a moment of great joy and blessing on the occasion of the visit of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae. The hierarch celebrated the Divine Liturgy united with the Holy Matrimony sacrament administered to distinguished members of this community, Richard and Amaris-Irina. Along with His Eminence served V. Rev. Father Daniel Ene, Dean of New York, New England and the Eastern United States.
In his sermon, His Eminence Nicolae explained the ritual of this service as it was performed in the Christian Church of the first centuries. It is about the first part of the sacrament, the Betrothal, at the end of Matins, the great blessing for Divine Liturgy and the first part of the service of the Wedding until the Apostle and the Gospel (read those of Sunday and those of the Wedding). The Divine Liturgy is then continued until the Ambon prayer. The procession around the table and the taking of the crowns conclude the Holy Matrimony service.
His Eminence Nicolae underlined that the meaning of this ritual is that of receiving the new Christian family in the community that is constituted at the Divine Liturgy: The rings represent the endless love of the bride and groom, the joining of hands is the proof of their unity in a spirit and union in a body, the placing of crowns is the moment of the descent of the Holy Spirit over the bride and groom who show them husband and wife, Christian family, in the Church. Crowns are also those of martyrdom, for the husband and wife are obliged to sacrifice for one another and together for the children in order to obtain salvation, imitating Christ Himself who offered himself as a sacrifice for His Church "he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws” (Ephesians 5:27). The moment of the communion of the bride and groom represents the fulfillment of this ritual: the two spouses become part of the mystical Body of Christ, the Church, together with all the faithful. Here we find the explanation for performing in this way the Matrimony sacrament within the Divine Liturgy in the early Church.
His Eminence Nicolae urged all those present to pray for Richard, Amaris and their family, to help them in their trials, to give them the chance to discover the Church as a great family of Christians. The hierarch offered the newlyweds an icon of the Mother of God with Jesus wishing them the protection of the Mother and Her Son.
In conclusion, Father Ștefan Drăgoi, parish priest of the St. Mary of Norfolk Mission, who along with presbytera Adriana Drăgoi had the joy of being godparents of young married people, thanked His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae on behalf of the bride and groom and the whole community for the care and blessing brought to a parish challenged in the past but which, with the help of God and through the care of the Mother of God, found its way and the chance to guide the faithful on the path of salvation. The event ended with a fraternal agape attended by the entire community.
Father Ștefan Drăgoi
