Tuesday, April 5, 2011

1662's Book Of Common Prayer or Worship For Royal Wedding


(PEOPLE.com ) -- Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding ceremony will be marked by stately traditions -- and the vows they will exchange on April 29 are certainly part of that. The couple will not be uttering intimate, self-penned words. Instead, they will pick one of two traditional sets of vows on their wedding day.


The options? Either a set from 1662's "Book of Common Prayer" or a set of vows written in the "Book of Common Worship," which are used widely today in the Protestant Church of England.


If the couple selects the latter, a minister will ask them to face each other, join hands, and promise "to be my [husband or wife], to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow".


The text of the 1662 vows differs slightly. While the bride and groom will exchange the same basic words -- pledging themselves to each other in sickness and in health, for instance -- they complete their vows with the line "according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." (The bride would say "I give thee my troth.")

See full article at PEOPLE.com.

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