34th Anniversary of 6,500 Couples Blessing

Photo courtesy of Sunhak Institute of History

Happy 34th anniversary to all the participants of the 6,500 Couples Holy Marriage Blessing! Officiated on Oct. 30, 1988 by True Parents at Ilhwa, Korea, it was the largest Blessing ceremony at the time. Some 2,400 couples were Korean-Japanese unions, and True Father said that, representing historical enemy nations, these couples signified the first step toward world peace. 

Many of the couples were matched by photograph a week before the ceremony. Candidates then met their future spouse in person at the holy wine ceremony the day before the Blessing. Most couples, who were matched internationally, held hands and smiled since they could not communicate with each other. 

“Fifteen thousand people gathered [in person], so if they had let go and lost their spouse, it might have been difficult for them to find each other again,” said True Father after the event. “They could not converse with one another, but it was beautiful the way they held each other’s hands. The Unification [movement] is the only place where one can see such a thing.”

Congratulations to all the couples worldwide celebrating their Blessing anniversary!