In a first of its kind in Zunheboto, a mass wedding was held today by the Sumi Baptist Church Zunheboto (SBCZ).
Five couples got married in the ceremony which was solemnised by Dr Hutton Sumi, pastor of SBCZ.
Dr Sumi said one of the reasons for the church to hold a mass wedding was the issue of time constraint.
Stating the norm of society where “we expect everyone for our wedding”, he drew in the example of the previous year when the church performed 104 weddings. He said many office goers and professional workers would have missed 104 days of work which equals to a span of over three months.
Dr Sumi said the church also considered the financial aspect of holding a wedding while making its decision to have a mass wedding. The financial constraints of weddings had affected many church members in the past and the church’s initiative of holding a mass wedding this year was a way to help its members, he said, adding that the plan had turned out to be a “grand success”.
The pastor informed that around 3,500 people had turned up to attend the mass wedding and further said the wedding had saved the church and those in attendance five days as five couples were married on the same day.
This being the first time for the church to hold a mass wedding, come criticisms may come up, Dr Sumi said, but added that the church was doing it for a good cause. If the mode of wedding ceremony changes from a one-couple wedding to that of a mass wedding but the holy matrimonial vows were to remain the same, then not an iota of vow would have been taken away from what it used to be, he said.
The church has to improvise with the changing times, the pastor added.
The church will be holding five more mass weddings until December this year and 28 couples will get married, Dr Sumi informed and expressed his hopes that this small change in the mode of marriage would have a great positive impact among the church members and in the long run, on the people around them.
The mass wedding ceremony at the church was led by Ghunato Asumi, Associate Pastor General SBCZ. Hilotoli Awomi, associate pastor (C) pronounced the invocation, The Music Committee of SBCZ presented a special song. The ceremony concluded with a benediction by Itokato Chophy associate pastor (C).
