How is the hearth transmitted at the wedding?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Wedding is one of the most exciting events in the life of every person. And that is why so many superstitions and rituals are associated with it: the rules of the bride's toilet, and her ransom, and comic pie-biting competitions to determine the head of the family, and much, much more. One of the interesting attributes of a marriage is the “Household”, which is lit at a wedding as a symbol of the beginning of a new life for the young. What is this tradition? Let's figure it out together.

Historical background

Let's start with symbols. Miraculous properties have been attributed to fire since ancient times. He cleansed (remember jumping over the fire on Ivan Kupala), and led people to a new goal (here you can refer to Gogol's Danko, who tore his heart out of his chest and lit the way for them), and warmed. Fire is life, this is how it has been fixed in the memory of people from time immemorial. It is now a flame - a thing obscenely accessible and therefore not very valuable, and a few centuries ago it was not so easy to get a fire. That is why it, the symbol of the house,safe, warm and reliable, handed over at the wedding. The rite "Home" at the wedding meant the continuity of generations, the beginning of an independent life of young people. Just as the slightest spark can ignite a hot flame, so this tradition gave rise to something new.

In Slavic countries, by the way, this tradition is not very common. The attitude towards it in America is even more paradoxical: Protestantism completely and completely denies such an action, while the Catholic Church favors the “Firehouse” ceremony at a wedding, although it does not recommend lighting the fire of a new family in the temple of God. Such an attitude of religion to a long tradition can be explained by the fact that its roots still lie in paganism, which is contrary to Christianity.

Option one, common

It's high time to figure out how it differs from other traditions "Household" at the wedding, how the new family life is ignited. For this ceremony, only candles are needed. Decorated or not, homemade or purchased - it's up to the newlyweds to decide. There are several options for this action.

The first one, more archaic, requires only two burning candles. Mothers of the bride and groom, because traditionally it is women who are considered the keepers of the hearth and, accordingly, fire, they bring a lit candle to the newlyweds, which symbolizes the unity of two families. The newlyweds, in turn, set fire to their owna candle, which is sometimes made smaller in size to show that the parent hearth is already established, impressive, while the new one is just emerging.

Of course, without generous wishes, the rite of "Firehouse" at the wedding is impossible. Words for parents at this ceremony are usually not prepared in advance: the mother-in-law and mother-in-law wish the newlyweds a strong family, a reliable home and, sometimes in a joking manner, an equally fiery relationship.

Second variant, traditional

Another version of the "Firehouse" ritual at a wedding is more traditional. A prerequisite for him is that the bride's face must be hidden by a veil, in addition, until the end of the action, the groom must not open his betrothed. Three candles are already used here: two thin ones for mothers, and one thick one for newlyweds.

It is believed that every woman gives the newlyweds a piece of her home, that is, the flame of her hearth will unite with the flame of the hearth of another family. As soon as the wick of a new candle flares up, the flame of the parents goes out. And the couple should keep this new candle throughout their married life.

In order to give the action even more sacredness and authenticity, you can make candles for the "Firehouse" ceremony at a wedding with your own hands. Memories associated with marriage will become even warmer from the cinder of the candle that marked the beginning of the family hearth.

Escort

Of course, you can't start such a ceremony just like that - at any celebration there should be some kind of introductory part. Therefore, it is necessary to include an action inthe script in advance, having previously discussed it with the host - he must find the right words for congratulations. Of course, poems specially selected for the wedding on the theme of "Farming at Home" will play best in this situation.

The biggest plus of this tradition is that any verse can fit here - both about candles, which symbolize the sacrament of marriage, and about the love of the young. Simple rhyming wishes of happiness are also possible - everything here depends on the toastmaster and how responsibly he will take the task of making this day truly unforgettable for the couple.

Remember that even such a beautiful act as the "Firehouse" ritual at a wedding can be turned from a sacred into a stupid farce by the words of the host.

Photos

What wedding would be complete without photos? Capturing such an important moment of life is simply necessary, which is why you can’t do without a photographer. On the other hand, photos will not be able to convey all the beauty of the Hearth and Hearth ritual at a wedding - the flutter of a candle flame, the majesty of the gait of mothers carrying fire to a new family plays too big a role in it. But, on the other hand, no one canceled thematic photo sessions either - either in the hall where the wedding will be celebrated, or you can equip a hearth in advance, symbolic or realistic, in which young people can either put the candle itself or light a real flame from it.

And you can play with the theme of the hearth with the help ofspecial candlesticks made in the form of small houses. A candle is placed inside, which will illuminate and warm the house from the inside, like a real fireplace. Beautiful, original and unusual - what else do you need?

In addition about options

By the way, in addition to the two well-known variations of the rite of the hearth, there are other varieties. One of them is that a wedding loaf with two candles is served to the young, they say, from the older generation to the younger, both bread and fire. In this case, the already festively decorated cake stands on the table of the newlyweds throughout the celebration, and then it can be used for another wedding tradition: whoever can bite off a larger piece will be the head of the family. Candles are saved, of course.

Another little-known option is that the main character is not mothers, but a small child dressed as an angel, who lights the candle of the newlyweds from his candle. Of course, this gives the ceremony innocence, but at the same time it contradicts the traditions of Christianity, which have already been mentioned a little higher.

Fire and water

In conclusion, I would like to say about one more interesting use of candles involved in the rite "Firehouse". Here, however, you will also need a toastmaster with a good sense of humor.

Everyone knows that any family must go through fire and water together. Even glasses of champagne placed on the floor can act as water, which young people will have to step over. For more entertainment, of course,you can take care of some container filled with water with rose petals. And the fire will symbolize these same candles (when stepping over them, the bride is better to follow the hem of the dress).

So, with humor, the newlyweds will go through fire and water together.

Poscriptum

Traditions help us preserve our cultural and national identity. It is quite probable that the rite "Hearth at Home" can also be considered one of the bricks on which the originality of our people is built. And although today this action is nothing more than another act of drawing attention to the marriage, an attempt to make the pretentious celebration more comfortable, before it had a truly sacred meaning. They say that if the parents of the young are happy in their marriage, then their children, having accepted the candles, will receive the same happiness. And if something goes wrong in a young family, just light a candle in the hearth - and it will return comfort to the family nest.