But you can have either. It is only a sacrament if you make it so by having a religious marriage ceremony.
Marriage is indeed one of the seven sacraments but it doesn't have to be a sacrament to make it legal.
In days gone by, marriage contracts were civil documents enforced in the civil and ecclesiastical courts, regardless of whether the sacrament of marriage had taken place.
I have an early marriage contract for a Holden. It goes on for page after expensive page and was drawn up shortly after the BIRTHS of the intended bride and grrom. Sadly, miss holden died shortly before the marriage ceremony could take place, so the scribe went through the document changing her name from Ann to Mary and he married Mary instead.
OC
|