Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
JOHANNESBURG – In a significant display of devotion, a Pentecostal church in South Africa marked Easter Sunday with a mass wedding ceremony for approximately 3,000 individuals, many of whom entered into polygamous marriages. The event underscored the church’s incorporation of cultural practices.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church stated that these mass nuptials are a traditional part of their Easter celebrations. According to church officials, the practice of polygamy, a tradition observed in certain African cultures, is integrated into the church’s teachings.
Church spokesperson Vusi Ndala reported that Sunday’s ceremonies included some men marrying their sixth or even seventh wives. Furthermore, Ndala indicated that other grooms were marrying multiple brides in a single ceremony.
Ndala emphasized the church’s perspective, stating that “polygamy is not only embraced but highly valued” within their community.
International Pentecost Holiness Church Conducts Mass Polygamous Weddings
Church Tradition and Polygamy
The International Pentecost Holiness Church, an African-initiated church, was established in South Africa in the early 1960s. Being African-initiated signifies its foundation by Africans rather than foreign missionaries. The church uniquely blends Pentecostal doctrines with indigenous African traditions.
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Largest Mass Wedding to Date
The church has conducted mass wedding ceremonies in the past, including an event in 2023 involving roughly 400 couples. However, this year’s event was described as the largest of its kind to date.
Increased Participation Explained
Ndala attributed the unusually large turnout this year to “a substantial number of men marrying more than one wife at once.”
Grooms Accompanied by Existing Wives
Reports indicated that some grooms were accompanied by their current wife or wives to participate in their subsequent marriages.
Heidelberg Headquarters Venue
The mass weddings were held at the church’s headquarters, a vast, dome-shaped structure situated in Heidelberg, near Johannesburg. The headquarters boasts a seating capacity of 60,000 individuals.
Ceremony Procedures and Participant Attire
Participants awaiting the ceremonies gathered in expansive white tents erected in open fields adjacent to the main church building. They received bridal flowers, food provisions, and water. Subsequently, they proceeded into the church building in lengthy lines. Women were uniformly dressed in white bridal gowns, while many men were attired in matching white suits and red ties.
Polygamy Legality in South Africa
In South Africa, polygamy is legally recognized if the marriage is officially registered as a customary union.