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While the coronavirus is spreading around the globe, people remain in fear.
Around Six thousand individuals tied the knot this past weekend at the Unification Church. The church was founded by the late evangelist reverend Moon Sun-Myung in Seoul in 1954, and he presided over mass weddings since the early 1960s.
Thousands of couples took part in a mass wedding of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Image by NurPhoto.
Korean health experts ordered the shutdown of mass events such as concerts and graduation ceremonies; however that did not stop the Unification Church from continuing with the cosmic blessing ceremony.
Taking place as part of a celebration of the 100th anniversary of church founder Sun Myung Moon’s birth, about 3 000 couples from 64 countries gathered in the hall at Gapyeong, South Korea, and over 20 000 others joined the ceremony digitally.
Thousands of couples take part in a mass wedding of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Image by Woohae Cho.
Brides came in their white wedding gowns and the grooms in tuxedos. The cosmic blessing ceremony is given to married or engaged couples.
Through it, the members of the church believe that the couple is removed from the lineage of sinful humanity and engrafted into God’s pure lineage.
Talking to Daily Mail, the senior of the South Korean church official Seuk Joon-ho said, “The mass wedding leads all mankind to be one, removing the boundaries of ethnicities, religions, and nationalities. Our goal is making the world peaceful with forming new families.”
Thousands of couples take part in a mass wedding of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Image by NurPhoto.
Some of the mass wedding participants commented on attending the ceremony with groom, Davison Zulu, a 20-year-old from Zambia, saying, “I feel so nervous, me and my bride had waited for this moment so long. Reverend Moon to me, he simply means the messiah and the sign of good (sic).”
A bride added, “I am overwhelmed that I am getting married today.” While her groom said, “It would be a lie if I said I was not concerned at all about the infection. But I feel like I will be protected from the virus today.”
Thousands of couples take part in a mass wedding of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Image by Woohae Cho.
Although this is the most significant risk you can take for love, there have been consequences for a British family of four. The family is reportedly being isolated in hospital as they were in contact with someone who is infected with the virus.
Sources: The Sun UK, The Sun Irish, Daily Mail
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