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Espousal

The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

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Dictionaries
American Church Dictionary
• Espousal
American Tract Society
• Espousals
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Espouse
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Espousal
King James Dictionary
• Espoused
• Espouse
• Espousals
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Espousal
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Spiritual Espousals
• Espousals, Spiritual
• Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• Espoused
• Espousals
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Espoused
Wilson's Bible Types
• Espouse
Webster Dictionary
• Espousing
• Espouser
• Espousement
•   (only first 3 shown)
Encyclopedias
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Espousal; Espouse
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Espousals
• Espouse
• Ring (in Espousals).
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Espousals
• Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lexicons
• ܡܟ݂ܰܪ
• ἁρμόζω
• μνηστεύω
• אָרַשׂ
• חֲתֻנָּה
• כְּלולֹּת

That portion of the Marriage Service in which the contracting parties answer "I will" to the questions, "N. wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife" and "N. wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband." This seems to be the remains of the old form of espousals, which was different and distinct from the Office of Marriage, and which was often performed some weeks or months or perhaps years before. Something similar to what is now called "engagement," only that it had the blessing of Mother Church upon it. In the Greek Church at the present time there are still two different offices, viz.: the one of espousals and the other of marriage, which are now performed on the same day, although formerly on different days.