Liber ab Matrimonium (Book of Marriage)^121
Marriage as Matrimony
Like Coven or Household Initiation, marriage is a second rite of Initiation. It is the
second rite of passage of Llew Llaw Gyffes, who was denied a mortal wife. That he
would not be alone, he was given an immortal wife. That is the key to the Wiccan
concept of marriage. When a Wiccan greets someone ‘Thou art God’ or ‘Thou art
Goddess,’ that is exactly what he or she means. When a Wiccan makes love with a
woman, that Wiccan makes love with our Lady Immortal. When a Wiccan makes love
with a man, that Wiccan makes love with our Lord Immortal. Not only is this the build-
ing block of the family, it is the very foundation of the household or coven—not the act
of making love, but the act of two people seeing our Lord and Lady incarnate in each.
From this foundation, children are born and adopted. From this foundation, friend-
ships are forged. It is a foundation not only in the sense that the living space of that
couple provides a place to meet (a household) but that their kith and kin are also in the
order of the term household (coven). This is as it was among the pre-Christian fertility
religions on which Wicca is based and it will likely be the way Wicca continues in the
future. Why? Because the natural foundation of love and union is much more stable
than covens built by Super Wicca Man.
Although handfastings are commonly entered whimsically by some Wiccans, it is
fairly easy to see that such behavior is not unique to the Wiccan community. Interest-
ingly enough, this conduct is probably more likely a recent phenomenon than anything
else. If it were not, I doubt we would see as many gods and goddesses of matrimony as
we do:Gods and Goddesses of Matrimony
Atahensic (Also known as Ataensic)—Female—North America
Iroquois goddess who presides over marriage and childbirth.Bhaga—Male—Near East
Hindu god and patron of marriage who is also associated with wealth and
prosperity.Chalchiuhtlicue—Female—North America
Aztec goddess of all the waters of the Earth who presides over the Rite of
Marriage and the agreements made during those rites.Cinxia—Female—Mediterranean
Roman goddess of marriage and particularly of the struggles of life being
overcome by the joys of marriage.o WB Chap 07.p65 121 7/11/2003, 5:52 PM