The Thirumangalyam
By Preethy Deepak
The thirumangalyam, or wedding chain, is a marriage symbol that blends Indian and Christian tradition. It is presented by the bridegroom to the bride during the wedding service as a token of his love and commitment.
The thirumangalyam features a heart-shaped pendant with a cross at its center, which symbolizes the relationship between husband and wife, analogous to the relationship between Christ and his Bride — the Church. Historically, the wedding chain served as the outward sign of the marriage sacrament, similar to the role of the wedding ring in contemporary ceremonies.
The imagery in the pendant: a cross, vine and a heart, represent the theological virtues of faith, hope and love.
The pendant for the thirumangalyam of Rachel and Mark’s wedding is inherited from Mark’s paternal grandmother - Mrs Janet Edwin - whose marriage to Mr Edwin B. Gnaniah was solemnized in 1959 in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Palayamkottai, India and which lasted for sixty years, until her death in 2019.