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| Saints Sergius and Bacchus. 7th Century icon. Officers of the Roman Army in Syria who were tortured to death for their refusal to worship Roman gods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Republicans and other opponents of gay marriage often speak of
marriage as being a 2,000 year old tradition (or even older). Quite
apart from the fact that the definition of marriage has changed from
when it was a business transaction, usually between men, there is ample
evidence that within just Christian tradition, it has changed from the
point where same-sex relationships were not just tolerated but
celebrated.
In the famous St. Catherine’s monastery on Mount Sinai, there is
an icon
which shows two robed Christian saints getting married. Their
‘pronubus’ (official witness, or “best man”) is none other than Jesus
Christ.
The happy couple are 4th Century Christian martyrs, Saint Serge and Saint Bacchus — both men.
Severus of Antioch in the sixth century
explained
that “we should not separate in speech [Serge and Bacchus] who were
joined in life.” More bluntly, in the definitive 10th century Greek
account of their lives, Saint Serge is described as the “sweet companion
and lover (erastai)” of St. Bacchus.
Legend says that Bacchus appeared to the dying Sergius as an angel,
telling him to be brave because they would soon be reunited in heaven.
Yale historian John Richard Boswell discovered this early Christian history and wrote about it nearly 20 years ago in “
Same Sex Unions In Pre-Modern Europe“ (1994).
In ancient church liturgical documents, he found the existence of an “
Office of Same Sex Union” (10th and 11th century Greek) and the “Order for Uniting Two Men” (11th and 12th century Slavonic).
He found many examples of:
- A community gathered in a church
- A blessing of the couple before the altar
- Their right hands joined as at heterosexual marriages
- The participation of a priest
- The taking of the Eucharist
- A wedding banquet afterwards
A 14th century Serbian Slavonic “Office of the Same Sex Union,”
uniting two men or two women, had the couple having their right hands
laid on the Gospel while having a cross placed in their left hands.
Having kissed the Gospel, the couple were then required to kiss each
other, after which the priest, having raised up the Eucharist, would
give them both communion.
Boswell documented such sanctified unions up until the 18th century.
In late medieval France,
a contract of “enbrotherment” (affrèrement) existed for men who pledged
to live together sharing ‘un pain, un vin, et une bourse’ – one bread,
one wine, and one purse.
Other religions, such as Hinduism and some native American religions,
have respect for same-sex couples weaved into their history.
When right-wing evangelical Christians talk about “traditional marriage,” there is no such thing.
This article was written by Paul Canning and was originally posted at Care2. If you like it, visit their site to read more on this and other subjects. Care2 is a community of 26 million standing together for good. People
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The Forgotten History of Gay Marriage | Care2 Causes
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