As the last strains of the Marian hymn As I kneel before you faded away, an attentive hush fell over the gathered family and friends who sat in the pews amid the flowers and candles that decorated Our Lady of Perpetual Misery. The priest took his place before the altar, gesturing with a gentle smile for the bride and groom to rise and stand before him for the solemnity of the Catholic Marriage Rite.
"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions."
He paused, looking from one to the other, giving them a moment to compose themselves before continuing on. "Anthony and Anastasia, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage" Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives" Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"
Anthony solemnly listened to the strains of the hymn and the words that were very nearly like a prayer. He had always been a faithful and devout Catholic, even after he'd moved to Rhy'Din. Though he was by no means perfect, as flawed as anyone, he took his faith seriously, and wanted to be joined to Anya not only legally, but in the eyes of the Church and the Lord. He linked his fingers with Anya's as together they approached the altar, hand in hand, to say their vows before each other, their friends and family, the church, and most importantly, the God that had put them together.
Tony listened to the priest's words, taking them to heart, hardly believing this day had finally come. There was no question what his answer would be to the questions that were posed to him and to Anya. He had been waiting for five years to make Anya his wife, and he was more than ready to agree to all the church asked of him. "I have, and I will," he replied, looking to Anya for her answer.
New to the Western Catholic Church after converting from Russian Orthodoxy only recently, Anastasia had been captivated by the words of the hymn her soon to be mother-in-law had insisted upon including in the Mass, enchanted by the simple devotion those words evoked. Drawn to her feet by the priest's gesture, she listened closely to the words he spoke, not quite able to keep the smile from her face. This day had been too long in the making, and yet if they had not parted ways when they had, perhaps it might never have come at all. Under the watchful eyes of her family, she smiled as she, in her own turn, answered the questions put to them. "I have, and I will."
The priest nodded, his own smile deepening as he drew the watchful silence around them. "Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church. Anthony, do you take Anastasia to be your wife" Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?"
Tony turned to face Anya at the priest's beckoning and reached for her right hand. He had this rite memorized from boyhood, years spent serving as an altar boy in the neighborhood parish back home in New York. Once again, he listened intently to the priest's words, eyes meeting hers, a smile on his face, soft and warm with adoration. "I do," he vowed, two simple words that promised so much. He had loved her well all these years. He'd been lost without her. Would he love her all the days of his life" Yes, he already did.
"Anastasia, do you take Anthony to be your husband" Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?"
One hand, one heart. Anya gazed into Tony's eyes as he spoke his simple vow, her fingers tightening on his as her smile reflected the tender adoration he bestowed on her. The vows were simple, in their way, but deeply traditional, promises that had been made by countless couples down through the centuries, and now, finally, to be made by them. "I do," she made her own vow in return with a vehemence she had not expected of herself, certain that there was no circumstance that could possibly make her a liar. She adored her Tony, and had done so for years. There was no conceivable way that would change.
The priest nodded, allowing the guests to absorb that the vows had been exchanged, and discreetly signaled for Tony's nephew, Marcus, to bring forward the rings even as he continued. "You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide."
The gathered congregation murmured their assent with a shared "Amen" as Anya leaned closer to Tony, curling both her hands about his one. Technically, they were already married, and just like that, the nerves dropped away. She was comfortable once again, even in a stunning wedding gown, standing in front of all her family and friends, because from this moment on, she was Mrs. Anastasia De Luca.
The priest retrieved the rings from the pillow Marcus held up to him, holding them out between the couple before him to bless the delicate bands of white gold set with diamond. "Lord, bless and consecrate Anthony and Anastasia in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love. Through Christ our Lord."
Tony smiled adoringly at his Anya, blue eyes shining with happiness as she leaned close and curled her hands around his. In the eyes of the church, they were at last man and wife, though Tony had given her his heart five years ago, ever faithful to her, even when she was so far away, patiently waiting for her to finally find her way back to him. Now that they were joined in holy matrimony, he would never lose her again. He turned to pluck the ring from the priest's hand with a brief wink at his nephew before turning back to Anya to carefully slide the ring onto her finger - a circlet of white gold, like his undying love. "Anastasia, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
A loud sniffle from the pew immediately behind Tony caught Anya's attention for a moment in time to see Mataya stifling a laugh as she let her mother hide her face in her shoulder, so proud of her little boy that she was sobbing too loudly to actually hear the last part of the rite. The grins on Tony's sisters' faces, even Theresa's, were too infectious to discount, and thus, when Anya looked back to her husband, she was grinning right along with them.
Slender fingers took up the second of the rings, a matching circlet of white gold that would adorn his hand, gently sliding it into place as she repeated the final part of their promise. "Anthony, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
Tony didn't wait for permission to kiss his bride, feeling none was needed. He had waited long enough for this day to come at last, and his heart soured with happiness to know she was at last truly his, to have and to hold, to love and to honor, to care for and cherish for the rest of his life. The kiss was soft and tender, yet full of passion and all the love that was overflowing in his heart.
Enfolded into her Tony's embrace as he kissed her, Anya was at once aware of everything and nothing at once. She could hear her own mother sniffling along with Rosita; she could imagine the grins on her brothers' faces, the pride on her father's; hear the soft crackle of the candles burning all around them, the click of the photographer's camera ....and yet she was incredibly focused upon one man who had just become, officially, the center of her world. Gentle and tender, they lingered in that kiss for a long time, for what seemed like eternity in a heartbeat, drawing back only when the priest discreetly cleared his throat and murmured a soft congratulations to them both. They had finally done it. After years of waiting, unknowing if they would ever be together again, Tony had finally taken his Anya to be his wife, and no power on any Earth could part them now.
"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions."
He paused, looking from one to the other, giving them a moment to compose themselves before continuing on. "Anthony and Anastasia, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage" Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives" Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"
Anthony solemnly listened to the strains of the hymn and the words that were very nearly like a prayer. He had always been a faithful and devout Catholic, even after he'd moved to Rhy'Din. Though he was by no means perfect, as flawed as anyone, he took his faith seriously, and wanted to be joined to Anya not only legally, but in the eyes of the Church and the Lord. He linked his fingers with Anya's as together they approached the altar, hand in hand, to say their vows before each other, their friends and family, the church, and most importantly, the God that had put them together.
Tony listened to the priest's words, taking them to heart, hardly believing this day had finally come. There was no question what his answer would be to the questions that were posed to him and to Anya. He had been waiting for five years to make Anya his wife, and he was more than ready to agree to all the church asked of him. "I have, and I will," he replied, looking to Anya for her answer.
New to the Western Catholic Church after converting from Russian Orthodoxy only recently, Anastasia had been captivated by the words of the hymn her soon to be mother-in-law had insisted upon including in the Mass, enchanted by the simple devotion those words evoked. Drawn to her feet by the priest's gesture, she listened closely to the words he spoke, not quite able to keep the smile from her face. This day had been too long in the making, and yet if they had not parted ways when they had, perhaps it might never have come at all. Under the watchful eyes of her family, she smiled as she, in her own turn, answered the questions put to them. "I have, and I will."
The priest nodded, his own smile deepening as he drew the watchful silence around them. "Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church. Anthony, do you take Anastasia to be your wife" Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?"
Tony turned to face Anya at the priest's beckoning and reached for her right hand. He had this rite memorized from boyhood, years spent serving as an altar boy in the neighborhood parish back home in New York. Once again, he listened intently to the priest's words, eyes meeting hers, a smile on his face, soft and warm with adoration. "I do," he vowed, two simple words that promised so much. He had loved her well all these years. He'd been lost without her. Would he love her all the days of his life" Yes, he already did.
"Anastasia, do you take Anthony to be your husband" Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?"
One hand, one heart. Anya gazed into Tony's eyes as he spoke his simple vow, her fingers tightening on his as her smile reflected the tender adoration he bestowed on her. The vows were simple, in their way, but deeply traditional, promises that had been made by countless couples down through the centuries, and now, finally, to be made by them. "I do," she made her own vow in return with a vehemence she had not expected of herself, certain that there was no circumstance that could possibly make her a liar. She adored her Tony, and had done so for years. There was no conceivable way that would change.
The priest nodded, allowing the guests to absorb that the vows had been exchanged, and discreetly signaled for Tony's nephew, Marcus, to bring forward the rings even as he continued. "You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide."
The gathered congregation murmured their assent with a shared "Amen" as Anya leaned closer to Tony, curling both her hands about his one. Technically, they were already married, and just like that, the nerves dropped away. She was comfortable once again, even in a stunning wedding gown, standing in front of all her family and friends, because from this moment on, she was Mrs. Anastasia De Luca.
The priest retrieved the rings from the pillow Marcus held up to him, holding them out between the couple before him to bless the delicate bands of white gold set with diamond. "Lord, bless and consecrate Anthony and Anastasia in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love. Through Christ our Lord."
Tony smiled adoringly at his Anya, blue eyes shining with happiness as she leaned close and curled her hands around his. In the eyes of the church, they were at last man and wife, though Tony had given her his heart five years ago, ever faithful to her, even when she was so far away, patiently waiting for her to finally find her way back to him. Now that they were joined in holy matrimony, he would never lose her again. He turned to pluck the ring from the priest's hand with a brief wink at his nephew before turning back to Anya to carefully slide the ring onto her finger - a circlet of white gold, like his undying love. "Anastasia, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
A loud sniffle from the pew immediately behind Tony caught Anya's attention for a moment in time to see Mataya stifling a laugh as she let her mother hide her face in her shoulder, so proud of her little boy that she was sobbing too loudly to actually hear the last part of the rite. The grins on Tony's sisters' faces, even Theresa's, were too infectious to discount, and thus, when Anya looked back to her husband, she was grinning right along with them.
Slender fingers took up the second of the rings, a matching circlet of white gold that would adorn his hand, gently sliding it into place as she repeated the final part of their promise. "Anthony, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
Tony didn't wait for permission to kiss his bride, feeling none was needed. He had waited long enough for this day to come at last, and his heart soured with happiness to know she was at last truly his, to have and to hold, to love and to honor, to care for and cherish for the rest of his life. The kiss was soft and tender, yet full of passion and all the love that was overflowing in his heart.
Enfolded into her Tony's embrace as he kissed her, Anya was at once aware of everything and nothing at once. She could hear her own mother sniffling along with Rosita; she could imagine the grins on her brothers' faces, the pride on her father's; hear the soft crackle of the candles burning all around them, the click of the photographer's camera ....and yet she was incredibly focused upon one man who had just become, officially, the center of her world. Gentle and tender, they lingered in that kiss for a long time, for what seemed like eternity in a heartbeat, drawing back only when the priest discreetly cleared his throat and murmured a soft congratulations to them both. They had finally done it. After years of waiting, unknowing if they would ever be together again, Tony had finally taken his Anya to be his wife, and no power on any Earth could part them now.