The 6th phase of the Interreligous and International Blessing Ceremony of 400 million couples was held in the Yu Gwan Soon Gymnasium in Chonan, Korea, at 11 a.m. on August 1, 2005. The gymnasium was packed with young couples and representatives of the religions and nations of the world who gathered for the celebration of marriage, family and peace.

Dr. Hwang Sun-jo, master of ceremonies with the translation of Dr. Kim Lin, began the worldwide blessing ceremony. Mr. Song Young-seok, chairman of the preparation committee of the World Cultural and Sports Festival 2005, offered the opening prayer. After that the chairman of the organizing committee, Dr. Kwak Chung-hwan, gave the main address. Emphasizing the importance of the family and true education within the family, he said that without the foundation of the ideal family, peace and prosperity in society cannot be realized. He said the recent conferences and seminars demonstrated to world leaders that the problems of the world today can be solved by establishing good families. Accordingly, this ceremony was not just a religious ritual by one particular religion but a ceremony for the salvation of nations and the world.

Following Dr. Kwak's address, representatives of the world's major religions -- Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism -- offered invocations and congratulations.

After the entrance of 16 attendants (exemplary couples who had been blessed in the past), the True Parents of humankind entered the main hall to officiate at the ceremony.

Dr. Kwak read the report to heaven, asking Heavenly Father to let all the couples around the world who were participating in this ceremony be blessed to establish ideal families. Following that, True Parents conducted the holy water ceremony on the stage; this was carried out by their representatives throughout the gymnasium and every corner of the world. This was followed by the affirmation of the blessing vows, in which all participants promised to become ideal men and women and ideal husbands and wives, create ideal families by giving birth to ideal children, and become ideal leaders for the future.

True Parents gave the blessing invocation. True Father poured out all his love and energy, reporting about the course of history and the trials he went through in order to indemnify all the failures of the past so that humanity could reach this stage of receiving the blessing of marriage.

After that, True Parents gave blessing rings to three couples on the stage. Each couple then exchanged rings, symbolizing the true love, true life and true lineage which will characterize their relationship for eternity. After that, True Parents proclaimed the holy blessing of 400 million couples before heaven and earth.

Then the former prime minister of Mongolia gave the congratulatory address. He said that he was so happy to be present, and he felt that the happiest participant in this celebration of love and marriage must be God. He referred to the conferences that took place during the WCSF 2005 and thanked True Parents for all their hard work for world peace. He noted that many good young people in his nation had been educated by the Unification Movement during the past ten years.

The Color of Love singing group offered a congratulatory song, followed by the presentation of flowers and gifts by two representative couples in appreciation to True Parents. Then all the brides and grooms offered a bow of appreciation, first to the True Parents of humankind and then to their parents and families in their home countries. The ceremony concluded with three cheers of eog mansei, led by True Parents.

Congratulations to all blessed couples throughout the world!

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home