Blessing 2021: Miles Apart But Close in Heart
Congratulations to all the couples who participated in the 2021 Hyojeong Cosmic Marriage Blessing!
Getting married in a pandemic is no easy feat—but 6,100 couples from around the world received the Marriage Blessing on April 25 KST during a live ceremony broadcasted from South Korea officiated by Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) co-founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon.
“I enjoyed my Blessing experience,” said one Toronto participant, whose partner is in the U.S. “Even though we were far apart, I felt that we were close in heart. We could still FaceTime and see each other. I could at least be there to walk down the aisle with her. Although Covid has made everything tougher on everyone, we managed to still make it work.”
Sixty-six couples from North America, and another 18 with an international partner, are among the newlyweds celebrating this new chapter of their lives. Eight Unificationist communities across the U.S. held local celebrations while following Covid-19 regulations. From Los Angeles, to Dallas and Chicago, local blessing coordinators ensured every detail was perfect for their couples’ big day.
“I think we have a really beautiful culture among our Blessed couples and the Unification movement,” said Yun-A Johnson, national director of the Blessing and Family Ministry (BFM) department. “Our host communities really worked hard to create a beautiful ceremony and I just felt so proud of all of our communities… I felt they really invested so much heart and created a beautiful atmosphere.”
Elegant decorations transformed places like Belvedere Estate in Tarrytown, New York, and The Washington Times building in Washington, D.C. Whether couples shared the Blessing experience together in person, or by video call on their phones, it was a deeply cherished and unforgettable moment.
Below are a few reflections from our couples in North America:
“In my heart I feel this whole day’s experience is out of our hands. It would have been great to go to Korea, but here we are. We want to make this an offering for God, True Parents, our community, families, and friends. We just want to give gratitude to those without whom we wouldn’t be here, the love and support of our families, our friends. It wasn’t always easy growing up to hold on to the vision of the Blessing. My friends encouraged me, loved me, stood by me so I could be here today.”
“I’m thinking about what this Blessing means to us. It’s so important to take care of our families, friends, and our community as a couple. It’s so nice to have this Blessing — in supporting one another we can support something bigger than ourselves. This Blessing becomes bigger than ourselves.”
“Our journey was different from the typical matching process. It took a lot of hurdles to go over, but that made us stronger and we value it more and this experience. Thank you so much for everyone who put this on. Thank you to our families.”
“My first Blessing was 15 years ago. When it ended I felt hopeless, so being here right now to be Blessed is a very healing feeling. At the holy wine ceremony, I felt the presence of God, and I’m grateful to share this with you.”
“I want to thank everyone who put this event on… Without a support network inside and outside our movement I couldn’t have gotten to this point. My relationship with God has deepened… I feel our journey has been an opportunity to connect with God and True Parents and other people’s situations and hearts. I’ve built connections with people and gone beyond my own situation. I feel grateful that God protected my life.”
“I want to thank True Mother for giving us this opportunity and hosting this event and allowing couples to be Blessed even if they were in totally different countries. My dad passed away on April 24, 2015. He was 70 years old. Six years later, to the day, I am getting Blessed. I feel like my dad definitely had a part in how we met. April 24, 2021 will forever be a special day for us.”
You can learn more about the Marriage Blessing movement here.
