NEW YORK — Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA, commonly referred to as the “Unification Church”, wishes to congratulate the 2,075 couples wed at Madison Square Garden on July 1, 1982, on the extraordinary accomplishment of celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. “The men and women gathered here for this wedding have dedicated themselves to the highest standards of love and service to God, to each other, and all mankind,” said Rev. and Mrs. Moon on that occasion. Several children of those couples were Blessed in marriage earlier this year, continuing the tradition of their parents.

The Holy Marriage Blessing is a worldwide tradition where couples dedicate, or re-dedicate, their marriage to a greater purpose and God.

Mass marriages are becoming more popular around the world, and we are proud to say that we have led this effort for over 60 years. Beginning from their own Marriage Blessing in 1960, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon have called men and women to transcend race and religion, rebuilding the family as the vessel of true lasting love, and the cornerstone of world peace through the Blessing. This tradition of God-centered marriage provides a powerful model for building a family of true love, and expanding at life, to establish a foundation for lasting peace.

While many couples go on to have individual wedding ceremonies, the mass wedding ceremonies of the Unification Church are a unique experience for couples to receive the Holy Blessing upon their union. We see marriage as not just a ceremony to bring two individuals together, but as representatives of what world peace can look like through generational and cultural healing. By committing to a relationship alongside other couples, they are making a public promise to bring joy to God through loving each other.

Based on current projections, it is estimated that 45% of all marriages in America will end in divorce. From 2012 to 2018, fewer than 5 percent of couples who have received the Blessing have divorced.

For more information on the Holy Marriage Blessing, please visit familyfed.org. 

###

Family Fed USA
Nancy Jubb 
212-997-0057 
[email protected]

Irving Street Rep
Ron Lucas
973-643-6262
[email protected]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.