Imagine a world without divorce. Imagine families without separation. Imagine no children or hearts torn apart.

by Michael Mullan, LC | Source: Catholic.net

Imagine a world without divorce. Imagine families without separation. Imagine no children or hearts torn apart.

People of one place in this world do not have to imagine.

In the town of Siroki-Brijeg in Herzegovina not one of the 13,000 inhabitants can recall a single divorce or broken family.

What is their secret? One look at their marriage rite says it all.

When the bride and bridegroom go to the church to be married they carry a crucifix with them. The priest blesses the crucifix and exclaims, “You have found your cross! It is a cross to love, to carry with you, a cross that is not thrown off but rather treasured.”

When they interchange the marital vows, the bride puts her right hand on this crucifix and the groom puts his right hand over hers. Both are united to the cross. The priest covers their hands with his stole while they pronounce their promises to love each other in good times and in bad.

Then they both first kiss the cross, not each other. If one abandons the other, they abandon Christ on the cross.

Afterwards, the newly-weds cross the threshold of their home to enthrone that same crucifix in a place of honor. It becomes the reference point of their lives and the place of family prayer.

In times of difficulty and misunderstandings, as all human relationships experience, they do not turn immediately to the lawyer or psychologist, they turn to the cross. They kneel, cry and open up their hearts begging for the strength to pardon and implore the Lord’s help.

The children are taught to reverently kiss the crucifix daily and to thank him for the day before going to bed. These children dream of enthroning one day a crucifix of their own.
The family is indissolubly united to the cross of Christ. Is this simply a morbid outlook on marital and family life? Or is it a piece of wisdom that few in our modern world can understand. Until our world does, it will continue to imagine and long for the unbroken hearth.

-Information taken from Marian Observer Feb. 2002.

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	Published by: judy
	Date: 2012-04-23 07:49:50
where is this town? I cannot find it on the internet. Herzegovina is part of Bosnia, but I cannot find the town of Sirold-Brijeg...can anyone help?
	Published by: Alba Lucia
	Date: 2011-12-28 09:14:17
This is wisdom to share, to bring up to our parrishes,familiy tables, youth groups, courts. Wonderful article.
	Published by: Abbey
	Date: 2011-12-22 11:34:48
Beautiful! An absolute inspiration.
	Published by: Armando Saavedra
	Date: 2011-12-16 09:30:34
Nice teaching. It would be good if our church adopt this marriage rite as official part of the marriage liturgy.
	Published by: Maribel
	Date: 2011-08-19 16:38:34
wonderful story! I need to do that in my family
	Published by: Johanna M. Stegman
	Date: 2011-08-10 19:14:53
My prayer group loves this information and some of our children getting married we have "enthrolled" in this. Thank you so very much for this info!!!!!
	Published by: norma ramirez
	Date: 2011-07-08 01:49:41
u will like it
	Published by: Mora
	Date: 2011-03-04 20:49:02
This is an amazing story! I wish everyone would learn from the people in Herzegovina. God BLESS THEM! Thank you for sharing with us.