One of these ceremonies is the latest washing of your bride to be, which had been useful for casting an enchantment over her husband to be, to make certain that he’d like their own permanently:

Always, 1 / 2 of it amount is kept in money as well as the most other half of inside possessions (e.grams., gold, silver, pearl, items, outfits, ponies, carriages, servants, an such like.). Whether your lady had no brothers, brand new dowry could even were belongings.(13) New oral arrangement of your dowry between the fathers concluded the latest age of “courtship.”

The next step of betrothal is the newest “greet.” Towards a beneficial pre-establish go out, brand new groom-to-be stumbled on their betroth’s domestic “into the a flush clothing” with their father or older brother. these people were met of the girl’s father exactly who sat them down from the hearth, into home’s ideal benches (the brand new bride-to-getting, not, existed concealed). Brand new contractual files, detailing the fresh purpose to wed while the specifics of brand new dowry was demonstrated and you may signed. Zero priest are establish at that experience (whether or not if each party was in fact illiterate, good clerk might possibly be expose). The brand new sgovor didn’t come with religious meaning, but was only a corporate exchange. Following finalizing, merchandise were replaced and girl’s father presented the fresh house’s icon to your traffic so you’re able to hug. Brand new people after that went for the straight back area — an interior waiting place where the female, being usually segregated in the men, was in fact gathered (except tomorrow bride-to-be by herself who was simply prohibited to get present) — to generally meet the brand new fiancee’s mother in order to congratulate their own. She kissed new bride-to-be along with her ladies in turn followed her analogy. This new ritual completed, this new traffic departed.(14)

A few days later on, this new boy’s mom came to the newest bride’s family towards the “inspection” to ascertain the profile and you may chastity of your girl. Through to passageway their particular acceptance, brand new boy’s mommy offered the fiancee a ring. Later on, she may also send the brand new girl a cross, particular fruit, and several headwear toward servants.(15)

There can be a unique succession of events suggested inside the historic data. New Chapel failed to accept having betrothals happen outside of the Chapel and you will needed that sgovor plus the investing regarding bands occur in a church and stay sanctified by the a good priest. Just like the Levin shows you, betrothals was in fact often treated rencontrer des femmes Danemark because the giving official consent so you’re able to fornicate. Brand new Church noticed, for the area, that in case partners was going to possess sex just before relationship upcoming it might too result in the betrothals as the binding because relationship by itself: “The chapel kept that a pledge ahead of Jesus and witnesses is to become upheld; a formal guarantee so you can wed are joining upon both sides.”(16)

Eventually till the matrimony, it had been preferred to arrange a ritual bath [ bania ]. Following the bride’s routine ablution, the new ‘charmed water’ is actually cautiously spared and you will provided to the new spouse for adopting the relationships.(17)

Even though the Church is strongly go against so it habit (simply because of its pagan root), you’ll find symptoms so it survived towards the sixteenth century.

This new conservation of your own pre-Christian customs of ‘charmed water’ in the tenth so you can 15th-century matrimony traditions is actually told me by the appeal of fiance so you’re able to winnings brand new love and you will affection of her future mate of the a style of enchanting traditions

A special pre-relationships custom try the fresh new “maiden’s team” — a sort of medieval bachelorette cluster — in which the feminine gained on bride the night until the relationships. Immediately it actually was traditional to remove this new girl’s headcovering [ kokoshnik ] and comb out their particular locks. Their unique single tress (the new icon regarding maidenhood within the gothic Russia) try braided for the last go out.(18)