Every culture in the world has their own unique wedding traditions. These traditions are typically symbolic of one's heritage or faith, incorporated into every element from what the bride and groom wear to how the wedding guests send off the happy couple.
While wedding celebrations are a joyous event filled with food, dancing, and laughter, the service itself is also often a very sacred ceremony, frequently consisting of rituals and traditions symbolic of the coming together of two people. People may pour different colored sand into a vase, light one large candle with two smaller, separate candles, partake in handfasting, or even observe communion. One ritual that is becoming more popular in modern weddings is the foot-washing ceremony, a symbolic gesture that is deeply meaningful.
A Christ-Centered Tradition
For those unfamiliar with foot washing, the act of foot washing dates back to biblical times. In fact, the ceremony of foot washing was done by Jesus Christ Himself. The account of Christ washing his disciples’ feet takes place in John 13:1-17. One evening as Jesus and His disciples were eating, Jesus got up from the table. With a towel around His waist, He began washing His disciples' feet and drying them with the towel.
Historically, washing guests’ feet was done by servants of the household, so this act was quite a shock to the disciples who saw their Lord humbling Himself in this way by getting on the ground and washing their dirty feet.
A Sacred Ritual of Humility
Predominantly observed in Christian wedding ceremonies, a foot-washing ceremony typically occurs towards the end of the ceremony before the clergy announces the couple before the guests. Both the bride and groom take turns washing each other’s feet as a sacred ritual of humility. They are following the example of their lord and savior, Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to wash His disciples’ feet, by humbling themselves to wash the feet of their new spouse.
This act is an act of service, humility, and love. It symbolizes that no one in the partnership is greater than the other. The bride and groom respect each other enough to attend to the other’s feet. By following Christ’s example, they symbolically announce before the wedding guests how much they love each other by humbling themselves in this way.
The Reading of Scripture
As the foot-washing ceremony commences, instrumental music may play as the clergy reads from the passage in the Holy Bible where the event of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet occurs. The entire passage is found in the New Testament in John 13:1-17. While the entire passage is important to read, it is the last four verses that hold significance as to why couples perform this ceremony at their wedding.
John 13:14-17:
“14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
A Symbol of Love
For Christian couples, the foot-washing ceremony is a symbol of love, not just for their spouse, but also for their lord and savior, Jesus Christ. As they carry out the act of washing their spouse’s feet, they are telling their guests in a symbolic way that they love this man or woman enough to wash their feet on their hands and knees, as well as expressing their love for their savior, whose example they will follow.
Washing their spouse’s feet is a way for couples to incorporate their strong Christian faith and values into their wedding ceremony both sweetly and reverently. If this is a sentiment you want to express in your wedding, consider a foot-washing ceremony!
