“Marriage Week” is an international Christian movement which has spread to 25 countries, including ours. About 2 million people from 20 countries of the European continent took part in the activities of Marriage Week last year. Orthodox believers were actively involved in these activities this year to affirm the values and the importance of marriage. In our Church, marriage is one of the seven main sacraments and the believers are constantly called to have the kind of marriage that God intended it to be. During the weekend of 9-10 February 2013, with the blessing of Archbishop Anastasios, several activities were held in this context. One activity which took place at the new St. Vlash Monastery was one-day training where young people from Tirana, Durrës and the students of the Theological Academy participated. The program was quite varied and all the participants received the clear message that marriage should have God at its centre and a commitment by the couple to each other.
An activity for “Marriage Week” was also held with married couples in the city of Durrës, on Sunday, February 10, at the Church of the Apostle Paul and St. Asti. After the Divine Liturgy they gathered and shared the importance and the beauty of marriage. The Sermon during the Divine Liturgy was focused precisely on the importance of this great mystery. His Grace Nicholas explained to the believers the beauty and the majesty of marriage; he explained as well the serious efforts and the dedication that it requires.
On Sunday, February 10, after the Liturgy, in Tirana, many married couples gathered for the activity that was held at the Cultural Center of the new “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral. Father Jani Trebicka talked to the couples about the Orthodox Christian view of marriage, and the importance that it has for the harmony of the couple and child rearing.
Archbishop Anastasios was also present at this event , and said that this week has a special importance in the whole of Europe, where a wide variety of activities have been organized in many countries, to stress the importance of commitment in marriage. The Archbishop also stressed the importance of family participation in liturgical life, as a source of life-giving in marriage.
Participant couples had the opportunity to spend some beautiful moments in the decorated hall of the Cathedral and everything in this activity urged them to reflect and meditate more on commitment in the marriage.
All the participants in these activities received prepared materials on marriage. Also Radio “Resurrection” (FM. 88.5), offered programs on this topic throughout the week, until February 14.
Ana Meni
