This special day to salute the beauty of marriage started in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1981, and 2 years later 43 Governors officially proclaimed the day, and festivities spread throughout the United States. World Marriage Day is designated to be celebrated on the second Sunday of February and continues to grow and extend to more countries every year.

The permanent theme for World Marriage Day is “Love One Another” from the commandment given to us by Jesus in John 14. This gospel gives us a simple but challenging message of how our Heavenly Father wishes us to live. Loving one another is a daily decision – simple but challenging.

World Marriage Day can be celebrated in various ways, but most importantly it is done by uplifting those who have said YES to one another in the sacrament of marriage.

Remember: Marriages striving for holiness = Growing, thriving Church and holy vocations.

Ideas:

For those in Phase I:

• Insert bulletin blurb
• Make announcements at Masses
• Give out marriage prayer cards (see below)
• Recognize the couple married longest at Masses
• Launch recognizing and blessing married couples celebrating an anniversary on a given weekend at Mass
• Display a World Marriage Day banner or World Marriage Day poster

If you are in Phase II-IV:

• Hold a renewal of vows
• Organize prayer for those in marriage prep as a parish
• Hold a reception for married couples after Masses
• Find a couple to implement The Choice Wine, a couple’s ministry, at your parish
• Ask those married persons, who work with teens, to speak for a moment about the joys of marriage
• Ask a few married couples to speak at a celebration like a reception or dance after a renewal of vows
• The priest or deacon blesses married couples during Mass.