Accra (Greater Accra), 14th June 99 -
Fifty-seven couples on Saturday had their marriages blessed at a grand ceremony at the St Paul's Catholic church in Accra with a call on them to protect their marriages which "is the most precious gift God has given you".
The mass wedding, the largest to be organised in the Catholic church, is aimed at encouraging couples, especially those who cannot afford expensive weddings, to have their marriages blessed.
It also saw the conversion of six of the couples, who were not Catholics, into the Catholic faith while 17 others were baptised.
In his message, The Most Reverend Dominic K Andoh, Archbishop of Accra, said the wedding is important to the church as it allows couples to take the holy communion which, he noted, reigns high in the church.
He said what the church needs from them is a pure heart and a peaceful marriage rather than material wealth, adding that ''what we are witnessing today should not be a nine-day wonder but should be long lived for others to emulate''.
The Most Rev Andoh urged the couples to take their husbands, wives and children as a valuable possession and asked for God's blessing to strengthen their marriages.
The couples included administrators, police inspectors, traders, plumbers, civil servants and a journalist.
The youngest bride and groom were 24 and 34 years old, and the oldest, 57 and 69 years respectively.
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