The intention of marriage is that one husband should have one wife and one wife should have one husband. It is a gift for the preservation of man’s health in this world and for his salvation in the world to come.
(Abba Yesehaq)
Order and Canon Law of Marriage
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
The Holy Bible: Romans: Ch:1 V:22-31
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable and unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (The Holy Bible: Romans: 1 22-31)
Ethiopian Tewahedo
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, an indegenous and integral Church of Africa, comes to the West as a light in the time of greatest need. This Church can be likened to the "Good Wine" as stated in St. John Chapter 2:1 - 10 "...And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine......... the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now..".
Among other branch churches of the Western Hemisphere, Jamaica in particular, there were several hundreds of denominational Churches before the arrival of the Ethiopian Church, and even then, many did not know of this church.
Order and Canon Law of Marriage
The sacrament of Matrimony is important for the Life of mankind. It is holy and ordained by God. Through it the husband and wife are united and given divine grace that sanctifies their union and makes it perfect and spiritual, like the unity of Christ and the Church. This order is significant not only for the life of the couple but further demands the moral support and protection of all nations and their states. Moreover the Kingdom of God and the church are involved in this great mystery. Marriage is important for at least three reasons:
For the propagation of humanity as it was commanded: “ Be fruitful and multiply.”
To keep man and woman from the temptation of carnal lust.
For the good relationship and mutual help between husband and wife.
Victory
The intention of marriage is that one husband should have one wife and one wife should have one husband.
It is a gift for the preservation of man’s health in this world and for his salvation in the world to come.
Marriage was institiuted from the very begining along with other commands which God first gave to Adam. The Conditions
of the institution are as follows:
Audacious
As Adam was created by God alone he had no mate with him. God became concerned because of the loneliness of
Adam and He said"...It is not good that the man should be alone. Let us make a helper fit for him." God then took a rib from Adam and dressed up the place
with flesh. The rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into woman and brought her unto the man.
Then the man said "This is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man."(Gen. 2:18-25)
After a very sucessful journey,the queen and her people reached Jerusalem at the South Gate, where they were met by thousands who gathered to greet her, having heard of her coming throughout Judah.
The Queen of Ethiopia, Makeda, was received by Azarias, the son of Zadok, the high priest, and by a large company of priest and noblemen. “...They wore robes broidered in gold and belts of gold about their loins, around their necks chains of gold and golden crowns on their heads.”
Quite impressed by all she had seen and by King Solomon's knowledge of the worship of the One True God, she admitted that she was a sun worshipper, and she became converted to the worship of the One True God. Her conversion was the light she found in King Solomon's wisdom.
The conversion was her first step toward the wisdom she so desperately sought. She emphasized that she had absorbed wisdom and was encouraged by it. She described the teachings of King Solomon,
which benefited her greatly: "...I went in through the door of the treasury of wisdom and I drew for myself the waters of understanding." She had seen a great light in the Knowledge of God and states“ …Through wisdom I have dived down into the great sea and have seized in the place of wisdom’s depth, a great pearl whereby I am rich. I went down like the great iron anchor whereby men anchor ships for the night on the high seas, and I received a lamp, which lighteth me, and I came up by the ropes of the boat of understanding. I went to sleep in the depths of the sea, and not being overwhelmed with the water I dreamed a dream. And it seemed to me that there was a star in my womb and I marveled thereat and I laid hold upon it, and it lighted me with the splendor thereof…”.
Thus began in Ethiopia the Solomonian dynasty of kings that lasted to the twentieth century. The Solomonic kingdom in Ethiopia should not be considered as the root of the Ethiopian kingdom but as an additional blessing from God, for the country had been ruled by kings for thousands of years before Menelik I came to the Throne.
The removal of the Ark of the covenant was a truly historic event which is venerated greatly by Ethiopians. Today the Ark of the Covenant of God lies in the St.Mary of Zion Church in the sacred city of Axum, which is the birthplace of the Ethiopian Empire and center for Christian worship.
The Ethiopian Tewahedo* Church is an indigenous and integral church of Africa.It is one of the oldest churches in the world, if not the oldest, and is one of the founders of the World Council of Churches.
"...His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I is the defender of the faith. He attends Church services regularly and strictly observes the frequent Fast days and Holy days. He never misses Sunday morning services. He brought a strong Unity among the Eastern Orthodox Churches with their central office being organized in Addis Ababa Ethiopia and the central committee of the world council of churches had it’s meeting in January 1971 in Addis Ababa through His Majesty."