October 17, 2023 Brian Gill

Mass wedding ceremony of 11 Christian couples in Jaranwala

Jaranwala: On October 13, 2023, a wedding ceremony united eleven couples in the Sacrament of Matrimony in the city of Jaranwala-Faisalabad Pakistan. This auspicious event saw the participation of notable figures, including Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw, Bishop Indrias Rehmat, Assistant Commissioner of Jaranwala District and several prominent businessmen.

The successful execution of this ceremony was made possible through the dedicated efforts of two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in collaboration with the Catholic Church and various other Christian denominations. Sr. Shakila CSJ, Superior of the congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery also distributed cash gifts among the couples. The entire event was conducted under the diligent supervision of Parish Priest, Fr. Khalid Mukhtar.

Also read: Jaranwala incident: Attack on Christians

While addressing the event, Archbishop Shaw talked about the tragic incident of Jaranwala when the extremists burnt the houses of the Christian community, their churches and looted the things that belonged to daughters who were about to get married. He said it was a terrible incident with us, but he was happy that so many people came together to help the daughters and families. He added that, after that incident, there was a meeting in Lahore where businessmen, Christians and Muslims all got together to help the people of Jaranwala.

At the ceremony, eleven couples got married. Two of these couples were part of the Catholic faith and the other nine belonged to different denominations.

In conclusion, Archbishop Shaw conveyed his profound gratitude to all the individuals and NGOs who played a pivotal role in supporting the daughters of Jaranwala. He offered heartfelt blessings to the newly married couples, marking this occasion as a powerful symbol of unity and compassion within the community.