2075 Couples International Marriage Blessing at Madison Square Garden in New York City

-.. .- . ’ · … .-, , •. -. ~l ,… … .. ·~·, .._…,,_ • ·t’ . . . /, -.~. 1.’ ,,,,… ~, .·.. _; --.. ··r -~,. ., - ) ’

~--· t: . - - . , — ,· . . ’ .

This number eclipsed the previous record of 1,800 couples wed by True Parents in 1975, which the Guinness World Records Sunhak reference bool< recorded as the largest Institute of Histo1y mass wedding in history.

Among the 2075 couples were 37% who shared the same language and culture, 35% who spol<e the same language but were of different cultures, and 28% from the same race but with unique upbringings. With extensive coverage by American media outlets (newspaper and satellite television), news of the event spread instantly across the world.

• ·• -r·, Sm1hak.,.- · .,- r,.. ‘--’ ·. Institute of Histo1y

-- ;_; ,;t( -··1, ~- I .~

.i .. ._ . ft,~ … ~ ✓ ;r, ’ 11 -

The event was officiated under the theme, ‘’World Peace through Ideal Families’’. During the blessing ceremony that lasted approximately forty minutes, True Parents sprinkled the couples with Holy Water, and proceeded with other traditions that ultimately signified each couples’ complete absorbance of the blessing as a foundation for the future ahead of them.

. .. . •. . ~-… “ ’ . . t, “ ‘-’,

‘., . . •

. “.’ “ ~ - ~ ’ ¼mr• ’ ;:-•· - . … •\ \ . ’ I

. -· “ •. \J.,ri. t ~ ’ • • . • ’

.l·~-\I”? ,, -.’=• ’ I , : : • ·~ • I .. , . , ’ •, .,, ’ .,, ,; ~,\’ …, .;, ~- Fi, I -~ . ,r …_ y · > a ’ ..~”f>ll7· · ~ ’ • ~ ,. :\~ -~.”’;

.. ~ , • ;._, I “\

I\ .. ,~, .·/ …,,.,_., . ’ -, ~ .

On July 1, 1982, the Marriage Blessing Ceremony of 207 5 Couples was held. When there is a wedding in a village of even only one couple, it is cause for celebration, so opposing a wedding of tl1ousands of couples is surely wrong. I a1n sure tl1e police were sl1ocked to see that tl1ere were no protesters at this Blessing cere1nony. It must have been a l1uge sl1ock to Weste1n society. Fro1n now on, you should all be ve1y proud of our marriage Blessing ceremonies. True Parents’ words [CBG4.2.3:8] ‘’

~~~ ~2.l~A~21 _!i!jl Report of Cheong II Guk Providential History

Ai a•o~ At~ L.: - , - , ~tS.J L.: L.: ~

Sunhak Institute Of History