A rite of passage is basically merriment of the passage that occurs when a person leaves one specific group to join another. Rites of passage involve very significant change of the status in the society. There are three phases in each rite of passage which are; separation, transition and introduction (D'Agostino, 2006). The separation phase constitutes symbolic behaviors that signify an individual’s detachment from his/her earlier fixed point in the cultural/social structure. The second phase which is the transition phase is the period between the two states, the period during which an individual has left one state or place but he/she is yet to join or enter the other (Passarella, 2012). The third phase is the introduction phase where an individual has already completed the rite and is now incorporated to a new status in the society. We are going to look at marriage as a rite of passage in the Christianity setting.
In Christianity, by the time a young man or woman is ready to get married, he or she will have believed that marriage comprises of joining two people in to a union based on love and faith (Passarella, 2012). At a Christian marriage, the ceremony is overseen by a priest and the ceremony is held in a church. It is believed that the marriage is done in God’s sight. Rings are used as a symbol of the eternal nature of the prospective couple’s vows.
The young men and women are separated from other youth in the church even as the service begins. The couple to be is not seated with the other youth in the church. This marks the separation phase (D'Agostino, 2006). The transition phase is marked by the couple making declarations where they make promises to each other before God that they will love, they will comfort, and they will honor as well as protect each other till death. In the transition phase the couple makes vows to each other (Passarella, 2012). The introduction phase is marked by ululations, singing and dancing. The priest proclaims the couple as husband and wife.
As we have seen marriage is a rite of passage where the couple undergoes the three phases witnessed in every rite of passage.
References
D'Agostino, R. (2006). Rite of passage. Palm Beach, Fla: Medallion Press.
Passarella, J. (2012). Rite of passage. London: Titan Books.
