Servants
of Christ AACC
An Independent Old Catholic Church
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
Commitment Ceremony
Aramaic |
Social
Justice |
Book of |
Congratulations
for finding your
special one!
A commitment ceremony is a proclamation to family and friends of a unique
relationship, a relationship of sharing life and mutually gifting one another with love.
The ceremony is a special event, a "setting apart" of the usual everyday routine
to recognize and celebrate the love of two people for each other in an emotional and
spiritual bond.
The ceremony should also
be reflective of how both
partners feel, their unique experiences and values,
as well as their hopes,
dreams and aspirations.
It is important to articulate this, not only to each other, but also to your guests at
your ceremony.
I will listen closely as to how I can help both of you express your commitment to each
other in the prayers, vows, homily and readings you select, plus in the
"environmentals" such as symbols, decorations, gestures and other ways.
We will plan your ceremony together and when the "script" is approved by you, I will print and bind a beautiful, customized ceremony book which I will use at your ceremony and present to both of you at the conclusion as a gift. To see what the book looks like, click here.
To commit me to perform your ceremony, we must sign an agreement. To look at it, click here.
Contact
me, Fr. Steve, and let's meet and talk
about
your special ceremony.
Ss Sergius and Bacchus
Ss. Sergius and Bacchus are ancient Christian martyrs who were tortured to
death in Syria because they refused to attend sacrifices in honor of Jupiter. Recent
attention to early Greek manuscripts has also revealed that they were openly gay men and
that they were erastai, or lovers. These manuscripts are found in various libraries in
Europe and indicate an earlier Christian attitude toward homosexuality.
After their arrest, the two saints were paraded through city streets in women’s
clothing, treatment that was meant to humiliate them as officers in the Roman army. They
were then separated and each was tortured. Bacchus died first and appeared that night to
Sergius, who was beginning to lose heart. According to the early manuscripts, Bacchus told
Sergius to persevere, that the delights of heaven were greater than any suffering, and
that part of their reward would be to be re-united in heaven as lovers.
The feast of these saints is October 7. The inscription at the bottom of the icon is their
names in Arabic. The saints are particularly popular throughout the Mediterranean land, in
Latin America, and among the Slavs. For nearly a thousand years they were the official
patrons of the Byzantine armies, and Arab nomads continue to revere them as their special
patron saints.
"Ss. Sergius and Bacchus" courtesy of and © Br. R. Lentz ofm. Reproductions available from Trinity Stores • www.trinitystores.com