Chapter 3

A few months passed and the wedding day arrived. Balian and Sibylla were excited, nervous, and happy that the fateful day had finally come. Balian was in his room getting ready. He wore his Ibelin armor. A servant strapped the belt with his distinctive sword around his waist. There was a knock on the door. "Enter," Balian said. Almaric, Balian's loyal second in command, came in. "It's time, my lord." He said. Balian left the room and Almaric followed him. 

Balian waited at the altar in the chapel in Ibelin. His friend, the Knight Hospitaller, stood on his left. The Hospitaller had agreed to marry him and Sibylla. Almaric stood on his lord's right side. The pews of the chapel were filled with as many of the inhabitants of Ibelin as the chapel had room for. The groom didn't want to make the rest of his people occupy standing room in the chapel. The former Princess and Queen of Jerusalem agreed with her soon-to-be husband. So the rest of Ibelin's inhabitants waited outside. 

Tiberias entered with Sibylla, who wore a beautiful white dress and veil. She held a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Tiberias walked Sibylla down the aisle. When they reached Balian, Tiberias placed Sibylla's hand in Balian's hand. The Hospitaller began the ceremony by leading all faithful Christians present in the Sign of the Cross. Since the life-changing events the previous year, the groom had begun to regain his faith in God.

Then, the Hospitaller said, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Every Christian present responded, "And with your spirit."

The Hospitaller addressed everyone present. "Welcome, all of you. We are gathered here today for one of the happiest occasions in all human life, to celebrate before God the marriage of a man and woman who love each other. Marriage is a most honorable estate, created and instituted by God, signifying unto us the mystical union, which also exists between Christ and the Church; so too may this marriage be adorned by true and abiding love."

He paused and then spoke again. "Who is it that brings this woman to this man?"

Tiberias, who was still standing beside the bride, spoke up. "I do, in the place of her dearly departed brother."

"Very well." The Hospitaller responded.

Sibylla handed her bouquet to Tiberias, who went to take his seat in the front pew. Everyone else sat down while Balian and Sibylla kneeled on the two kneelers in front of them for the Liturgy of the Word. The Hospitaller read the first reading, which was from the Old Testament. He concluded the reading by proclaiming, "The word of the Lord."

 All Christians in attendance replied, "Thanks be to God."

Then, the Hospitaller led the Christians in reciting the responsorial psalm. After, he read the second reading, which was from the New Testament. He concluded the reading by once again proclaiming, "The word of the Lord."

All Christians once again responded, "Thanks to be God."

"Alleluia. Alleluia." The Hospitaller acclaimed.

Everyone stood up and the Christians repeated, "Alleluia. Alleluia."

The Hospitaller read the Gospel and concluded by proclaiming, "The Gospel of the Lord."

The Christians responded, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ," and then took their seats. The Hospitaller gave a Homily* on the readings. In his Homily, he offered spiritual insight on life, love, union, and God's graces related to the bride and groom. 

After that, it was time for the Celebration of Matrimony. Balian and Sibylla stood up. The Hospitaller addressed the couple. "Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the Church so that in the presence of the Church's minister and the community, your intention to enter into Marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal. Your love may be enriched with his blessing, so that you may have the strength to be faithful to each other forever and assume all the responsibilities of married life. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions."

"Sibylla and Balian, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

"I have." Balian and Sibylla answered in unison.

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and to honor each other for as long as you both shall live?" 

"I am." The couple answered in unison.

"Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"

"I am." The couple answered together.

"Since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."

The bride and groom joined right hands. 

"Lord Balian of Ibelin, do you take Sibylla to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do." Balian answered.

"Sibylla of Jerusalem, do you take Balian to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," Sibylla answered.

The Hospitaller told Balian to repeat after him. 

"I, Balian, take you, Sibylla..."

"I, Balian, take you, Sibylla..." Balian repeated. 

 "to be my lawful wife,"

 "to be my lawful wife," repeated Balian. 

 "to have and to hold, from this day forward,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forward,"

 "for better, for worse,"

 "for better, for worse,"

 "for richer, for poorer,"

 "for richer, for poorer,"

"In sickness and in health,"

"In sickness and in health,"

 "Until death do us part."

 With that, the Hospitaller finished guiding Balian in saying his vow. The Baron repeated that final phrase of his vow. 

 "Until death do us part."

The Hospitaler told Sibylla to repeat after him and began to guide her in saying her vow. 

"I, Sibylla, take you, Balian,"

"I, Sibylla, take you, Balian," She repeated.

 "To be my lawful husband,"

 "To be my lawful husband,"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward,"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward,"

"For better, for worse,"

"For better, for worse,"

"For richer, for poorer,"

"For richer, for poorer,"

"In sickness and in health,"

"In sickness and in health,"

"Until death do us part."

"Until death do us part." Sibylla concluded. 

"May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before the Church and graciously bring to fulfillment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder. May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who joined together our first parents in paradise, strength and bless in Christ the consent you have declared before the Church, so that what God joins together, no one may put asunder." After a brief pause, the Hospitaller spoke again. "Let us bless the Lord."

All in attendance replied, "Thanks to be God."

Almaric presented the rings to the Hospitaller, who blessed them with the following prayer: "Bless, O Lord, these rings 

which we bless in your name,

so that those who wear them

may remain entirely faithful to each other,

abide in peace and in your will,

and live always in mutual charity.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen."

The Hospitaller then sprinkled the rings with holy water and gave the first ring to Balian.

Balian placed the ring on Sibylla's left ring finger and professed, "Sibylla, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The Hospitaller gave the other ring to Sibylla. She placed the ring on Balian's left ring finger and professed, "Balian, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Balian and Sybilla kneeled on the kneelers once again. The Hospitaller recited a solemn blessing over the newlyweds and every Christian present. 

Then, the Wedding Mass proceeded with the Hospitaller offering petitions/prayer intentions to God on behalf of all Christians present. With each petition that the Hospitaller offered, all Christians responded, "Lord, hear our prayer."

After the Prayers of the Faithful,* the Mass continued with the Liturgy of the Eucharist.* Balian and Sibylla received Holy Communion.* Then, Tiberias, Almaric, and Christian members of the congregation received Holy Communion: 

The Hospitaller recited a prayer after everyone had received Communion. Then, he led the Christians in the Sign of the Cross once more. Then, he dismissed everyone, declaring, "The Mass is ended. Go in peace to serve and glorify the Lord with your lives."

All Christians replied, "Thanks be to God."

"By the power vested in me by holy God, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The Hospitaller announced.

Balian grasped the edge of Sibylla's veil and pulled it back over her face. They kissed passionately, to the applause of Tiberias, Almaric, the Hospitaller, and the inhabitants of Ibelin. Sibylla tucked her hand through the crook of Balian's elbow and rested her hand on his forearm. Tiberias handed Sibylla her bouquet. The newlywed couple went down the aisle. The rest of the inhabitants of Ibelin, who had formed a large crowd, applauded and cheered as their lord and his new bride emerged from the chapel. The new Baron and Baroness of Ibelin kissed once more. At this, the crowd cheered louder. 

They were very happy. A few days later, the noble couple were still happy and elated. They were in love and married. The new Baroness loved her new life. She loved it more than her life as Princess and Queen. She had a brave, sensible, and selfless husband. She felt complete. Balian felt complete, too. He was happy in Ibelin with his new wife by his side forever. Balian and Sibylla lived happily for the rest of their lives.

*Liturgy of the Word: The first of the two main rites of the Mass in Catholicism. It consists of three Scripture readings: the first from the Old Testament, the second from the New Testament (one that is not from one of the four Gospels), and the third from one of the four Gospels. Also includes the responsorial psalm, the Gospel Acclamation, the Homily, the public profession of faith, and the Prayers of the Faithful. The public profession of faith is done by the Christian faithful in the congregation reciting the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. 

*Homily: the Catholic term for a sermon given after the Scripture readings. While the inspiration of a Homily draws upon the Scripture readings themselves, a Homily is more of an educational sermon with spiritual insights for the people, rather than spiritual directions/instructions. 

*Prayers of the Faithful: A series of intercessory prayers led by the priest, bishop, a deacon, or a lay member of the congregation. These short prayers (usually one or two succinct sentences long) are requests offered to God for the salvation of the world, those in positions of authority, the church, and the parish/local faith community. At a Catholic Wedding Mass, requests for the bride and groom's health, happiness, prosperity, fidelity, and love are included. At the end, the faithful are invited to silently offer their personal requests to God. The Prayers of the Faithful ends the Liturgy of the Word. 

*Liturgy of the Eucharist: the second of the two main rites of the Mass and the central act of worship in Catholicism. It consists of the bread and wine being brought to the altar, the priest presenting the bread and wine at the altar, the consecration (in which the substance of the bread and wine, but not the appearance, gets transformed in the Body and Blood of Christ, the faithful reciting the Lord's Prayer, the exchange of the Sign of Peace and the distribution of the sacred elements (the Body and Blood of Christ) to the faithful. 

*Holy Communion: The faithful eating the bread and wine (for Catholics, the Body, and Blood of Christ) as a community in commemoration of the Last Supper, and Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection.