Scores of Unificationist Youth Heading to Korea for Marriage Ceremony

Douglas Burton
October 8, 2010

Unificationist Wedding Tradition continues in the Second Generation

Close to 100 Americans will exchange vows at a marriage ceremony organized by the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon at Sun Moon University in South Korea on Sunday, October 10, 2010. Of these, 41 will attend the ceremony in South Korea. They will be joining approximately 15,000 couples arriving from more than 40 nations. The wedding event will be webcast to marriage participants in New York City, Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles and San Francisco on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. The ceremony in New York will begin with a banquet at 6 p.m. at 4 West 43rd St. in Manhattan. Organizers there expect 24 young people. The majority of these young adults were initially matched by their parents.

Most of the participants, including both those in Korea and in the four cities, are second-generation Unificationists, meaning that their parents were matched and married by Rev. Moon. Other couples are made up of long-time, committed members of the Unification Church, and married couples of other faith traditions who are rededicating their marriage vows at the ceremony.

Since 1992, approximately 1,300 second-generation Unificationists have participated in marriage-blessing ceremonies, and of these, more than 80 percent are still together, according to the Blessed Family Department of the Unification Church.