Anglo-Saxon nuptial blessings: Pontifical of Egbert and Leofric Missal (10th–11th century manuscripts)

The Pontifical of Egbert: Marriage Blessings

Prayer of matrimony. The Lord bless you, and Christ keep you; the Lord show his face unto you, and give you peace; and Christ fill you with all spiritual blessing unto the remission of sins, unto eternal life, for ever and ever. Amen.

Another. Look down, O Lord, from heaven upon this covenant, and pour forth thy holy and worthy blessing upon them.

Another. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bless you, who is three in number and one in name.

The blessing of the bedchamber. Bless, O Lord, this chamber and all who dwell in it, that they may live in thy love, and grow old, and be multiplied unto length of days. Through our Lord.

Another. Bless, O Lord, these young people, as thou didst bless Tobias and Sara the daughter of Raguel: so vouchsafe to bless them, O Lord, that they may live in thy name, and grow old, and be multiplied unto length of days. Through.

The blessing of the ring. Creator and preserver of mankind, giver of spiritual grace, eternal God, send thou the Holy Spirit the Paraclete upon this ring. Through.

The blessing of the bed. Bless, O Lord, this bed and all who dwell in it, that there may be in them holiness and chastity and gentleness and the fulness of the law, and obedience to God, to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. Through.

God the Father bless thee, the Son of God heal thee, the Holy Spirit enlighten thee; may he keep thy body, save thy soul, shine upon thy heart, direct thy understanding, and lead thee to the life above. Through.

The blessing of the Lord be upon thy wife and upon your parents, that ye may see your children and your children's children unto the third and fourth generation, and may your seed be blessed by the God of Israel, who reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

The Pontifical of Egbert: The Blessing for Spouses

The blessing for spouses. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these young people, and sow the seed of eternal life in their minds, that whatsoever they learn for their profit they may desire to do: through Jesus Christ, the restorer of mankind, who with thee and with thy Spirit liveth.

Bless, O Lord, this chamber and all who dwell in it, that they may stand fast in thy peace, and abide in thy will, and live and grow old in thy love, and be multiplied unto length of days. Through.

Another. Look down, O Lord, from heaven upon this covenant through thine angel Raphael the peacemaker, that they may be sound and worthy; pour upon them thy blessing. Through.

The Lord bless you; God keep you and have mercy upon you; the Lord turn his countenance unto you, and give you peace. Through.

The Leofric Missal: The Nuptial Mass

Prayer for those who are married. Hear us, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, and graciously assist thine ordinances by which thou hast appointed the propagation of mankind; that what is joined by thy authority may be preserved by thy help. Through.

Another, for the blessing of spouses. Hear us, almighty and merciful God, that what is done by our ministry may rather be fulfilled by thy blessing. Through.

Secret. Receive, O Lord, we beseech thee, the gift offered for the sacred law of wedlock, that thou who art the giver of the work mayest also be its disposer. Through our Lord.

Preface. It is truly meet and right, our duty and our salvation, eternal God: who hast bound the covenant of marriage with the gentle yoke of concord and the unbreakable bond of peace, that the chaste fruitfulness of holy marriage might serve the increase of the children of adoption. For by thy providence, O Lord, and by thy grace, both are ordered in ways beyond telling: that what generation brought forth for the adornment of the world, regeneration may lead on to the increase of the Church. And therefore.

At the fraction. This oblation therefore of thy servants, which we offer unto thee for thy handmaid N., whom thou hast vouchsafed to bring to the age of ripeness and to the day of her marriage, for whom we pour out our humble prayers to thy majesty, that thou wouldest graciously join her to her husband: we beseech thee, O Lord, that being appeased…

Before The peace of the Lord is said, say this prayer. Be propitious, O Lord, to our supplications, and graciously assist thine ordinances by which thou hast appointed the propagation of mankind; that what is joined by thy authority may be preserved by thy help. Through.

The blessing. O God, who by the might of thy power didst make all things out of nothing; who, when the beginnings of the universe were set in order, didst make for man, made after the image of God, the inseparable help of woman, so that thou gavest to the woman's body its beginning from the flesh of the man, teaching that what it had pleased thee to form from one, it might never be lawful to put asunder. O God, who hast consecrated the union of marriage by so excellent a mystery, that in the covenant of marriage thou didst foreshadow the sacrament of Christ and the Church. O God, by whom woman is joined to man, and the fellowship ordained from the beginning is endowed with that blessing which alone was not taken away either by the punishment of original sin or by the sentence of the flood: look graciously upon this thy handmaid N., who is to be joined in wedlock and seeks to be strengthened by thy protection.

May the yoke of love and peace be upon her; may she wed in Christ faithful and chaste, and remain a follower of holy women: may she be lovable to her husband as Rachel, wise as Rebecca, long-lived and faithful as Sara. May the author of transgression usurp nothing in her by her deeds; may she abide bound to the faith and the commandments, joined to one bed, and flee unlawful contacts; may she fortify her weakness by the strength of discipline. May she be grave in modesty, honourable in chastity, learned in heavenly doctrine; may she be fruitful in offspring, approved and innocent; and may she come to the rest of the blessed and to the heavenly kingdom, and see her children's children unto the third and fourth generation, and come to the old age she desires. Through.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

At the end (postcommunion). We beseech thee, almighty God, accompany with thy loving favour the ordinances of thy providence, that those whom thou joinest in lawful fellowship thou mayest keep in lasting peace. Through.