Igbo Christian Rite Of Marriage

The problems arising from the separate celebrations of traditional marriage and church wedding in the Igbo Church of Nigeria are the main objectives of the proposed Rite. The Igbo Christian man and woman require the traditional marriage and the church wedding to be considered as husband and wife. The important fact is that marriage for the Igbo people, even for some Christians among them, is the traditional marriage. In such traditional marriages today, experience shows that in addition to Christians and Non-christians, the clergy are very often present not only to grace the occasion by their presence, but also to say the opening prayer, prayer over the kola nuts, and sometimes also the closing prayer, and give the blessing. The obvious questions arising from these separate celebrations call for attention and review in the light of the on-going liturgical inculturation and the provisions made by the reformed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. Is it then possible to evolve a unique Rite whereby the two celebrations can be validly and lawfully celebrated in one ceremony? Such a Rite would be required not only to be fully cultural and truly Christian but above all acceptable by both the culture and the church. The Igbo Christian Rite of Marriage is, therefore, a concrete proposal.