i’m sure many of us have seen Christian weddings on tv (if not in real life). i’ve only seen them on tv. i’ve noticed a few things, i may be accurate or inaccurate - i would appreciate preferably a Christian to correct me if i am wrong. There are two ‘male-influenced’ (for want of a better word) customs at orthodox Christian weddings:
the bride’s father leads the bride down the aisle and ‘gives her away’ to the groom
the bride tends to, not always but TENDS to, wear a ‘veil’ - the net/mesh type material, which is lifted by the groom when they are by the priest
Where did these two customs originate? Is it religious or is it cultural? Do all religions’ weddings have these types of ‘patriarchal’ customs? Please bear in mind that i am not saying that i am a feminist - i hate that word. i am not saying Christianity is repressive. i don’t know enough about Christianity. i am not saying anything negative about any religion or any cultural practice. i am trying to articulate some observations i have made.
my thought would be that these coustoms originate from the same source as also such things originated in our culture/religion: from the Middle Ages. cuz that society (as the desi society nowadays) was very much male-oriented, and the custom followed from there
I'd agree with Nes. In hte middle ages, women were more or less the property of their men. The fathers handed over the their daughters to their husbands. This could be symbolic of this process. As for the veil thing, I have no idea, but I suspect it was more of a fashion thing than anything else. Dunno though.
I think the father leading the daughter down the aisle bit might be because the father was her protector and provider so it was a symbolic "changing of the guard" (can't think of a better way to put it :o) where the husband takes over duties as her protector/provider. Which point in history that started in I have no idea.. It could be an outgrowth of the chivalry stuff, just a regular ritual since ancient times, i dunno.
I heard something about the veil before but forgot it...
in the pre-Middle-Ages era, Christianity was forbidden in the roman empire (except towards the end of it), so the weddings took place in secret without much hula gula and much rituals. It's only when Charles the Great (Karel Der Grosse/ Karel de Grote) came to power in the Franken Empire did the Middle Ages really commence, and did customs from the German/Barbarian rural area become common