Jewish wedding in Andalusia.
We celebrated in Ecija, the wedding of Maria and Ivan.
Actually it was 2 weddings. The bride and groom celebrated first the catholic wedding in the church, and then the Jewish wedding, under the chuppah, in Ecija.
Ecija, is a city declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1966.
It is located in Andalusia about 90 km from the city of Seville, and belongs to the Province of Seville.
It is estimated that, in ancient times, Ecija was founded in the eighth century BC.
This beautiful stately city is dominated by its grandiose towers and baroque domes.
In addition to its churches, palaces and museums, Ecija also has beautiful natural sites and approved routes.
Two ceremonies instead of one.
The first ceremony was in the Church of Santiago.
In this place, bride and groom had a beautiful traditional Catholic ceremony, with all the elements and traditions.
The Church of Santiago is the most interesting ecclesiastical building in Ecija’s historic center.
It is one of the most elegant churches in Andalusia, with its 15th century Gothic-Mudejar style.
In the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, the building underwent major renovations in the tower, the Sacramental Chapel, the beautiful cloistered courtyard, the choir, the oratory, the tachas room and the sacristy.
The Jewish Wedding in Andalusia.
After the Catholic wedding the bride and groom, their families and guests went to the Palacio de Los Palma, which is 800 meters from the church to celebrate the second ceremony of the day.
The Palacio de los Palma, where the banquet was held, is a place of Cultural Interest, an exceptional place for the celebration of large events.
This palace is located in the center of Ecija, next to the Santa Cruz Church.
The building is located on the former site of the disappeared convent of the Holy Spirit of the Dominican Order, whose main dependencies are integrated into the current building next to the baroque additions of the late eighteenth century.
Ivan’s family is of Jewish origin, so the couple arranged a chuppah, to enjoy a traditional Jewish ceremony, before the reception and banquet.
It was a complete ceremony, with the 7 blessings, the 2 glasses of wine, the exchange of the wedding rings.
The bride and groom made their promises of love in the signing of the special ketubah for the occasion.
Breaking of the glass
Finally, the groom broke the crystal glass.
All Jewish wedding ceremonies end with the breaking of the glass.
If you have been to a Jewish wedding, you will have witnessed this tradition, but do you know what it means and/or why it is done?
On the one hand it is considered a reminder of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
On the other hand, the fragility of the crystal suggests the fragility of human relationships. Since even the strongest love is subject to disintegration, the crystal breaks as a kind of incantation: “As this crystal breaks, may our marriage never break.”
Likewise, the tradition reminds the bride and groom to care for their marriage as if it were a fragile crystal goblet.
Therefore, it reminds us to love, protect and respect each other; always.
Chazan Danny