In the Sacrament of Matrimony, a man and a woman are united in such a way that they become one flesh, each belonging to one another. Matrimony is a celebration of a lifelong commitment of faithful love. Living together in marriage is not the only way in which people love one another, but marriage is certainly the supreme example of human love.

In the exchange of promises during the marriage ceremony, the couple administers the sacrament to each other. There must by an official Church witness present, either a Priest or a Deacon, because Matrimony is an act of public worship, a community prayer, bringing God’s blessing to the couple. Once the couple is married, their home becomes a domestic church, for the Church is whole and entire in a family built on the foundation of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

While Matrimony is part of the sacramental life that makes it possible for Christians to attain eternal salvation, the purpose of the sacrament is to help the couple in this life as they work to live in faithfulness to God. Their love for each other is a reflection of the enduring love between Christ and his Church, and it provides them with a foretaste of the divine love that awaits them in paradise.