Our Handfasting (Wedding)

The priest says to the groom:

If you truly desire, O Dominic,
To marry this woman,
I bid you present to her
your blade of power.
Pledge your weapon to her,
Unfailingly ever to be
At her service.

The groom draws his sword, and kneeling offers it to the bride, saying:

Gracious and lovely one,
Accept my pledge of love to thee.
I pledge this sword, as I pledge my soul,
Ever to be in your service.
Like this blade shall my love be strong,
Like this steel shall my love be enduring.
Accept it O beloved one,
For that which is mine
Shall also be yours.

The bride takes the sword silently in her hands and touches it to her forehead for the time of three heartbeats. Then she returns it to him and bids him to rise, saying:

My lord, I accept your pledge of love
As I do accept the pledge of your blade.
Thou knowest what is in my heart
As I know what is in thine.
The magic of my will, and of my love
Shall ever be yours.


Rev. 17 February 2000
© 2000 The Diodato's
All Rights Reserved.