The Forgotten History of Gay Marriage

The Forgotten History of Gay Marriage


* by Paul Canning 
* March 14, 2012

The Forgotten History of Gay Marriage

 

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 
http://www.allmercifulsavior.com/icons/Icons-Bacchus.htm  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 http://www.gaychristian101.com/Gay-Marriages.html
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" 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Same-Sex-Unions-Premodern-Europe-Boswell/dp/0679432280 
(1994).

In ancient church liturgical documents, he found the existence of an "Office of 
Same Sex Union" http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/2rites.html (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 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/uocp-acu082307.php,

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.

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