There are three conflicting beliefs about the history of Handfasting
Belief 1 that handfasting was more than trial marriage or betrothal is attested to by at least two kings ensuring their heirs were by their handfasted partner and not their church married wife.
The grandfather of William the Conqueror had both a handfasted AND a church wed wife who was the daughter of a neighbouring king. He never had a child by the church wife, she being consigned to a monastery as soon as married.
He ensured his heirs were by his chosen and handfasted wife.
Belief 2 "Handfasting" was the word used by the ancient Celts to describe their traditional trial-marriage ceremony, during which couples were literally bound together. The handfasting was a temporary agreement, that expired after a year and a day. However, it could be made permanent after at that time, if both spouses agreed.
Belief 3 "Handfasting" was the word used throughout the once-Celtic lands of Scotland and Northern England to refer to a commitment of betrothal or engagement. It was a ceremony in which the couple publicly declared their intention to marry one year and a day in the future. In 1820, Sir Walter Scott used the term to refer to a fictional sacred ritual that bound the couple in a form of temporary marriage for a year and a day. He wrote of it in his book "The Monastery:"
"When we are handfasted, as we term it, we are man and wife for a year and a day; that space gone by, each may choose another mate, or, at their pleasure, may call the priest to marry them for life; and this we call handfasting."
Handfasting was partly suppressed following the Synod of Whitby in 664 CE, when the Celtic Christianity of the British Isles was abandoned for the Catholic Church.
Then, the Church's Council of Trent in 1565 declared that marriage could take place only in structured form, meaning within a church with a priest presiding.
However, and wonderfully so, the Roman Church NEVER succeeded in stamping out the Celtic traditions of Scotland. So much so, that in Scotland, handfasting became an act of Legal marriage continuing so until 1939, when the English bureaucracy and not the Church finally won. After all, bureaucrats like clean cut vows that can be recorded on paper!
So resistant to loss of their ways was Scotland that when King Robert the Bruce stood up to the Pope, not just he, but his entire nation was excommunicated. By the time of the Council of Trent, Scotland had joined the Protestant Reformation.
As I understand it, there is, today, a move within the Scottish Free Parliament to reintroduce handfasting as a form of Legal marriage - fantastic!
Even though the historical legitimacy of handfasting as a form of trial marriage is in doubt, some Wiccans and other Neo pagans today create handfasting rituals for their own use or adopt ceremonies written by other Neo pagans.
During the 1995 movie, Braveheart, Mel Gibson, in the role of William Wallace, was handfasted with his girlfriend Murron. Handfasting has since grown in popularity among Cowans (non-Pagans) -- particularly those whose distant ancestors lived in ancient Celtic lands
|
That handfasting was (and still is) a spiritual act is undeniable
Consider, too, that reincarnation was intrinsic to the deeply spiritual Celtic belief system. It is therefore easy to understand why the Celts believed the souls of the couple were merged during handfasting.
I have found the absolute majority of my couples today look favourably on handfasting as THE act of spiritual marriage, one bride telling me she regarded the spiritual commitment more deeply than the Legal vows.
As a practicing spiritist, I am simply stunned by the number of couples - brides especially, who have rejected Christianity out of hand, they, instead, believing in the never ending life of the soul and the numerous physical lives the soul must undertake on its long journey towards spiritual evolvement.
When is handfasting performed?
There is simply only one place in the ceremony to perform handfasting as the act of Spiritual Marriage and that is before the act of Legal Marriage - the vows.
What is required for Handfasting?
Single Strand
If using a single strand, either 3m length of satin ribbon 5cm wide, or 3m length of sash cord, both preferably red or green. Ideally, you should have a small pouch to carry the ribbon in. That’s it, easy!
Six Stand
Of course, if you seek the 6-ribbon handfasting, then ensure you purchase the correct colours: white, pink, light blue, red, gold and green.
Who can perform the actual Handfasting?
Normally, the celebrant would, but I welcome another person. I once had bride who insisted her father perform the handfasting. In fact, it often flows better if someone else does the binding while I carry out the reading of the various verses, statements etc.
How should the hands be bound?
A good question. There are 4 ways this can be done are as follows:
(1) Hands joined with a left handed handshake with a right handed handshake over the top, thus forming from the shoulders of the couple, a figure representing infinity. This was the ancient way.
(2) All 4 wrists laid one on top of the other alternating (from bottom up) groom, bride, groom, bride..
(3) A left handed handshake
(4) A right handed handshake.
Which way to I do things?
No 1
Consider also that today, Hindu handfasting involves the Hindu priest pointing the groom’s right hand fingers upwards, then wrapping the the fingers of the bride’s right hand around the groom’s fingers, then tying a red cord around the clasped fingers and hand. Why is this important? Incredibly, some researchers believe they share a common heritage and, today, one acts as a guide to the ancient history of the other.
Call me at
philip.greentree |
|
