About 253 couples tied the knot in mass church and civil wedding rites in Manila on Saturday, June 15.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Vice Mayor John Marvin Yul Servo Nieto were present at the wedding ceremony of 78 couples at the Manila Cathedral.
The ceremony was presided over by Msgr. Roland R. Dela Cruz, rector of the Cathedral, who reminded the couples of the importance of wedding sacraments to strengthen their bonds and relationships.
“Nagsasama na kayo (live-in), ang iba sa inyo nagsasama na ng limang taon, sampung taon… baka mayroon pang dalawampung taon. Kaya lang bilang mga Katoliko, may kulang. Ano ‘yun? Ang sakramento ng kasal (You've all been living together, some of you might have been living together for five years, ten years... maybe twenty more years. It's just that as Catholics, something is missing. What's that? The sacrament of marriage),” he said.
“Iba kase kapag kumpleto. Maganda kapag may pagbabasbas ng sakramento ang inyong pagsasama (It's really better when your marriage and love are blessed with the sacrament),” he added.
Meanwhile, Lacuna-Pangan led the civil wedding of 175 couples at the San Andres Sports Complex.
She reminded the couples that marriage is a commitment, and it works between two people who are devoted to their partners.
“Ang kasal ay isang pangako. Ang tagumpay nito ay hindi nakasalalay sa mga damdamin o kalagayan, ngunit sa dalawang taong tapat sa isa't-isa at sa mga panata na kanilang gagawin at bibigkasin sa araw ng kanilang kasal (Marriage is a commitment. Its success does not depend on feelings or circumstances, but on two people being faithful to each other and the vows they will make and say on their wedding day),” the mayor said.
“Sa inyo pong lahat na magpapakasal, habang magkasama kayong dalawa sa landas ng buhay mag-asawa ay mabilis ninyong matatanto na ang pag-aasawa ay hindi one-sided na ugnayan. Ang konsepto ng ‘kung anong akin ay akin at kung ano ang sa iyo ay sa iyo’ ay hindi na dapat pairalin pa. Kailangan na magkaroon ng pagbabahagi sa lahat ng bagay at kasama d'yan ang kasiyahan, tagumpay, pati na rin ang kalungkutan at kabiguaan (To all of you who are getting married, while you are together on the path of married life, you will quickly realize that marriage is not a one-sided relationship. The concept of ‘what's mine is mine and what's yours is yours’ should no longer be tolerated. There's a need to share everything, and that includes happiness, success, as well as sadness and failure),” she added.
Lacuna-Pangan also reminded them that the civil wedding ceremony they held was legal and valid.
“Ang ganitong kasalan na ginagampanan ng isang punong lungsod na awtorisadong tagapagpaganap ay legal at balido (This type of marriage performed by an authorized city head is legal and valid),” the mayor said.
Lacuna-Pangan and Nieto congratulated all the couples and wished them a happy married life.
After the ceremonies, all the couples gathered at PICC Forums 2 and 3 for the reception.
The mass wedding included free wedding rings, a free marriage license, a wedding cord and veil, a flower bouquet, arrhae (wedding tokens), and a reception venue.
It was sponsored by the city and was part of the activities for the upcoming celebration of the 453rd founding anniversary of the City of Manila on June 24.