Westminster Cathedral welcomed over 430 couples for the annual Mass in thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony on Saturday 14th May, celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. The couples came from 144 parishes, representing all 22 deaneries. Together they celebrate over 5,000 years of marriage.
Just as the cathedral is decorated with a variety of mosaics, of differing styles and textures, the couples create a mosaic of married love. In his words of welcome, Cardinal Vincent explains: ‘Marriage is a mosaic that you build with your spouse: it is as diverse as the smalti, and can shimmer, like them, catching the eye of the world. Just as there are millions of mosaic pieces in this cathedral, there are millions of stories, events and tiny moments that go into creating married love.’
During the Mass the couples renewed their marriage vows and were blessed by the Cardinal. Thirty-five couples were celebrating at least 60 years of marriage, with a further 74 celebrating 50 years together.
Deacon Roger Carr-Jones, Marriage and Family Life Coordinator, spoke about the witness of these couples: ‘Each couple who joined us in the cathedral are heralds of married love, a beautiful and demanding vocation, each of which tells a unique story. Through them, the good news of married love and the quietly lived out vocation of that love, will gleam, glisten and sparkle. Now that is something to celebrate.’
