A 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 her: the bride’s toilet rules, her ransom, comic competitions for biting off the cake to determine the head of the family, and much, much more. One of the most interesting attributes of a wedding is the “Home”, lit at a wedding as a symbol of the beginning of a new life for young people. What is this tradition? We will sort it out together.
Historical reference
Let's start with the symbolism. From ancient times, miraculous properties were attributed to fire. He cleaned (remember jumping over the fire on Ivan Kupala), and led people to a new goal (here you can turn to Gogol's Danko, who tore his heart out of his chest and illuminated their path), and he warmed. Fire is life, that is how it has been fixed in the memory of people from time immemorial. This is now a flame - an obscene thing is available and therefore not very appreciated, and a few centuries ago to make fire was not so simple. That is why it, the symbol of the house, safe, warm and reliable, was transmitted at the wedding. The ceremony "Home" at the wedding meant the continuity of generations, the beginning of an independent life of young people. Just as from the slightest spark a hot flame can break out, so this tradition gave rise to something new.
In Slavic countries, by the way, this tradition is not very common. Even more paradoxical is the attitude towards her in America: Protestantism completely and completely denies such an action, while the Catholic Church favors the “Home” ceremony at the wedding, although it does not recommend lighting the fire of a new family in the church of God. One can explain such an attitude of religion to a long tradition by the fact that its roots still lie in paganism, otherwise Christianity.
Option One, Common
It’s time to figure out how it differs from other traditions, “Hearth” at a wedding, how a new family life is lit. For this rite, you only need candles. Decorated or not, homemade or acquired - the newlyweds are the ones to decide. There are several options for this action.
The first of these, more archaic, requires only two burning candles. Mothers of the bride and groom, because traditionally it is women who are considered to be the guardians of the hearth and, accordingly, the fire, bring the newlyweds a lit candle, which symbolizes the unity of the two families. The newlyweds, in turn, light their own candle from it, which they sometimes make smaller in size to show that the parent hearth is already established, impressive, while the new one is just in its infancy.
Of course, without generous wishes, the “Home” ceremony at a 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 humorous form, an equally fiery relationship.
Option two, traditional
Another version of the rite “Home” at the wedding is more traditional. An obligatory condition for him is that the bride’s face should be hidden by a veil, in addition, until the end of the action, the groom should not open his narrowed. Three candles are already used here: two thin ones for mothers, and one thick one for newlyweds.
It is believed that every woman gives a piece of her house to the bride and groom, that is, the flame of her hearth will combine with the flame of the hearth of another family. As soon as the wick of a new candle broke out, the flame of the parents goes out. And the couple should keep this new candle throughout their family life.
In order to give the action even greater sacredness and authenticity, candles for the ceremony "Home" at the wedding can be done with your own hands. The memories associated with the marriage will become even warmer from the cinder of the candle, which 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 introductory part. Therefore, it is necessary to include the action in the script in advance, having previously discussed this with the presenter - he must find the right words for congratulations. Of course, the best verses in this situation will be played by specially selected verses on the theme “Home” for the wedding.
The great plus of this tradition is that any verses can come here - both about candles that symbolize the sacrament of marriage, and about the love of young people. Simple rhymed wishes for happiness are also possible - it all depends on the host and on how responsibly he will respond to the task of making this day truly unforgettable for the couple.
Remember that even such a beautiful action as the ceremony “Home” at the wedding, the words of the leader can turn from sacred to a stupid farce.
Photo
What marriage can do without photos? Capturing such an important moment of life is simply necessary, which is why you cannot do without a photographer. On the other hand, the whole beauty of the “Hearth” ceremony at the wedding cannot be conveyed by the photo - the awe of the candle flame, the majesty of the walks of mothers carrying fire to the new family play too big a role. But, on the other hand, no one canceled themed photo shoots either in the hall where the wedding will be celebrated, or in advance you can equip a hearth, symbolic or realistic, in which young people can either put the candle itself or light a real flame from it.
And you can beat the theme of the family hearth with the help of special 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 - but what else is needed?
In addition to options
Incidentally, in addition to two well-known variations of the rite of the hearth, there are other varieties. One of them is that the young is served a wedding loaf with two candles, they say, from the older generation to the younger and bread, and fire. In this case, the festively decorated cake is on the table of the bride and groom during the whole 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, of course, persist.
Another little-known option is that the main protagonist is not the mother, but a small child in the costume of an angel, who from his candle lights a candle for the newlyweds. Of course, this gives the rite of innocence, but at the same time it contradicts the traditions of Christianity, which have already been mentioned a little above.
Fire and water!
In conclusion, I would like to mention one more interesting use of the candles participating in the Home Heal ceremony. Here, however, you will still 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, through which young people have to step over. For greater entertainment, of course, you can take care of some kind of container filled with water with rose petals. And the fire will be symbolized by these same candles (stepping over them, the bride is better to follow the hem of the dress).
So, with humor, the bride and groom will go through fire and water together.
Postscript
It is traditions that help us maintain our cultural and national identity. It is likely that the rite “Home” can also be considered one of the bricks on which the originality of our people is built. And let this action today be nothing more than another act of drawing attention to the wedding, an attempt to make the pathos celebration more comfortable, before it had really sacred meaning. They say that if the parents of the young are happy in their marriage, then their children, having received candles, will receive the same happiness. And if something does not go well in the young family, just light the candle of the hearth and it will return comfort to the family nest.