by Bento D’Souza
BHINGAR-AHMEDNAGAR, FEBRUARY 21, 2014: World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 9th) is an opportunities “to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage 
World Marriage Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of February every year, was started in 1983 by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (ME). It wishes couples to place Valentine feelings within the context of married love and commitment, where they rightfully belong. The second Sunday of February is World Marriage Day worldwide. They believe in not letting the week pass without celebrating the sacrament of marriage. It can be something as simple as talking about memories of your wedding day.
To celebrate the 5th World Marriage Day, St John the Baptist church, Bhingar focused on the image of marriage is the bible is that of a tent that protect two loneliness people in the midst of the pressures and tensions of life on 16th February. Thirty couples in the morning (Marathi Mass) and fifteen couples the evening (English Mass) gathered together to celebrate the sacrament of Marriage in the Church at the Eucharist.
The celebrations began with a procession of couples into the church, welcomed by the priests at the entrance of the church. The homily reflected on the gift of marriage to society and the church. An offering of gifts followed. After the communion, the couples gathered said a prayer for their marriage, and prayed for themselves and their marriage friendship. Vianney and Fiona Carvalho who celebrated their wedding anniversary on the 12th February led the music and songs for the celebration. The dual vocations of priesthood and marriage lie firmly founded on the marriage of our parent’s sacrament of marriage.
The Eucharistic breaking of bread is par excellence a reflection of the life of couple who break themselves to give life to their nuptial friendship and their family. WMD makes us reflect that the sacrament of Marriage is an image, icon and prototype of Christ’s love for the Church.