Christianity and Morals by Edward Westermarck

THE founder of Christianity did not prescribe any particular ceremony in connection with marriage, but it has been assumed that the celebration of it among Christians was from the very first accompanied with suitable acts of religious worship. The testimony of the Fathers, from the middle of the third century onwards, shows that marriages contracted without any formal benediction did occur, but they were discountenanced by the Church. Yet, though the dogma that marriage is a sacrament gradually developed from the words in the Epistle to the Ephesians [Greek: to mustê/rion tou=to me/ga e)sti/n]], in the Vulgate translated "Sacramentum hoc magnum est, " and was fully recognised in the twelfth century, marriage without benediction was nevertheless regarded as valid in the Church till the year 1563, when the Council of Trent decreed that thenceforth no marriage should be considered valid unless celebrated by a presence of two or three witnesses.

Marriage was already instituted by God in Paradise for the propagation of the human race; but according to Thomas Aquinas it was only raised to the position of a sacrament by Christ, inasmuch as he made it the picture of his union with the Church, thereby establishing anew its indissoluble character, and also united with marriage a saving gift. It may seem strange that marriage was made a sacrament, in view of the extraordinary reverence in which virginity was held; but as a matter of fact there was an intrinsic connection between the sanctification of marriage and the worship of virginity. By declaring marriage a sacrament the Church got some control over the _copula carnalis_ which even in marriage was not supposed to differ materially from fornication, and brought that union of the sexes under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Moreover, it was in some measure purified by the priest's "sacramental" blessing. But the office of the priest was not restricted to the performance of the nuptial ceremony: according to Catholic rituals he had also to bless the bridal bed, and this was considered one of the most important of marriage rites. Thus in England, in the papal times, no marriage could be consummated until the bed had been blessed. On the evening of the wedding-day, when the married couple sat in state in the bridal bed, before the exclusion of the guests, one or more priests, attended by acolytes swinging to and fro lighted censers, appeared in the crowded chamber to bless the couch, its occupants, and the truckle-bed, and fumigate the room with hallowing incense; and the parties were also sprinkled with holy water.