Yesterday there was a wedding at St. Peters, the church where I am doing some of my volunteer work. The couple were not members of the church, but rented it for their ceremony (it really is that beautiful!). As a volunteer I have found that sometimes I am given jobs that no one else wants to do and I'm okay with that, especially when it means I get to attend a wedding! They needed someone from St. Peters at the church to help with all the little things that would surely come up, and trust me, they did. I was more than happy to help with the wedding and very excited to see the ceremony in such a gorgeous setting.
I had been told by the bride when I met with her the week before that there would be two pastors presiding over the service. They were going to have their pastor, from the place they attend church now, but were also going to have a pastor who speaks Portuguese, as guests from both sides spoke the language. I had never attended a wedding done in two languages so it was going to be a greater experience than I thought.
Both pastors were at the front of the church for the prayers and readings towards the beginning of the service. The English speaking pastor led, while the Portuguese speaking pastor translated. I was witnessing the coming together of two cultures. At times, the pastors were over lapping as they spoke creating a cultural experience I hadn't had before. Then it came time for the vows and the exchanging of rings. The English speaking pastor stepped off to the side and the Portuguese speaking pastor stepped in front of the bride and groom. An English translator then came up to the front and said that the couple had decided they would exchange vows and rings in Portuguese and that the English speaking guests would hopefully catch on.
My initial response was surprise. They weren't going to translate any of what the Portuguese pastor was saying? I had no clue how I was going to be able to tell what was happening or when they were officially married or anything. I thought that I was going to be lost for the remainder of the service. Then the bride and groom turned towards each other, held hands, and the pastor began to speak.
I had no clue the actual translation of what he was saying. I couldn't tell the words he was using, but it was beautiful. Knowing the basis of what marriage is built on and what is pledge to one another in a ceremony before friends and loved ones, I completely understood what was happening. The religious practice of marriage spans cultures and links us together. People all over the world get married and most have some type of ceremony that binds two people together before God. I didn't have to know what the pastor was saying because I knew that the bride and groom were sharing their love for one another and promising a lifetime together. Their gestures, their expressions, the act that was taking place was obvious and was a beautiful union to witness.
I could see the love; between the bride and groom, from the guests on both sides. The love of God was in the ceremony and is a great display of how it doesn't matter what language it is done in, because regardless, the love is there. Blessings and love to all of you!
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