Page 108 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes the marriage from anyone, the date of marriage is determined. The marriage ceremony gener-
ally takes place in that Church to which the girl is a member. If any of the bride or girl if one
is member of Protestant Church and other is the member of the Catholic Church, the marriage
ceremony will take place in Catholic Church. The marriage has to be accomplished within three
months from the date of the application of the marriage; otherwise the application has to be
given again.
On the date determined for marriage, both the bride and groom side people reach to Church.
The groom side sits on right and bride side sits on left. When the bride reaches to Church, the
Church bell rings in her welcome; all the people stand and sing song. Thereafter the Christian
priest says to the bride and groom to declare that there is no hurdle in there marriage. Both
of them take oath that both will remain tied in the holy bond of marriage throughout the life;
always help each other in happiness and sorrow. The priest first asks the groom that, “Do you
accept the bride as your wife?” When the groom gives his consent, the priest asks him again
that; “Do you promise to live a holy married life, to help and faithful to your wife in every
condition, never leave your wife in case of death even?” On getting the consent of the groom,
the priest asks these questions with the bride also and takes her consent too. Thereafter the bride
and the groom exchange their rings. After this the priest declares that both of them became
husband and wife. He pronounces ‘Amen’ three times and by this the marriage is considered to
be accomplished. The priest blesses the bride and groom on this occasion.
In some families, people do civil marriage instead of religious marriage in the Church. The
civil marriage is a simple contract with the help of the court, for this the bride and groom have
to give an application to the Registrar and follow with the law proceedings. According to the
Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, the minimum age of groom should be 16 years and bride
should be 13 years for marriage and at the time of marriage none of the spouse of any party
should alive. If the age of groom and bride were less than the prescribed age, then the consent
of their guardians was needed. The husband-wife after doing civil marriage go to church to get
blessings. Mostly, religious marriage is found in Christians, which is accomplished in Church.

Describe the marriage system of Christians?

14.5 Summary

• In every society, some rules are found for the selection of life-mate. During selection of
life-mate, three matters come forward- Scope of Selection, Party of Selection, and Criteria of
Selection.
• All the rules of marriage can be classified in four parts- Endogamy, Exogamy, Anuloma and
Pratiloma etc.
• Endogamy means that a person selects his life-mate in his own group.
• Exogamy means that a person selects his life-mate out of his group.
• In west, the selection of life-mates in Christians happens in an independent atmosphere.
This selection is done by parents as well as by the girls and boys themselves also.

14.6 Keywords
1. Gotra: A group of persons who are successors of one sage ancestor. Sagotra marriage is
prohibited among Hindus.

102 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY