Sunday November 23rd 2003

Ten people who were interested in this topic came together to re-enact one of the 'making of brothers' ceremonies, and to discuss it on us on Sunday November 23rd 2003. - It was a small meeting in one front room and space was limited.

The programme of the meeting was to

• Enact one version of the rite. (The rite is still valid today, and has been used a couple of times in recent years so it's not strictly a re-enactment, but we still used early texts from the 9th to the 15th centuries.)
• Discuss the ceremony - what it is and isn't, and how far it's similar to modern marriage.
• Hear the story of the 'paired saints' Sergius and Bacchus, referred to in most versions of the ceremony.
• Hear some of the historical criticism of this material.
• Look at some of the points of interest theologically.
• Discuss how relevant it is today, to modern blessings and the Government's civil partnerships proposals. (See the link 'Discussion' from the home page.)
• Consider whether it is worth doing something like this in another venue for other people.

We finished over tea, in front of a blazing fire (because the central heating broke down) and had more time to chat, swap contact numbers and so on.

We decided to try a bigger re-enactment, probably in Croydon in February, and to invite interested friends and churches. If you're interested and would like to find out more, comment on this site, contribute material or help in the re-enactment, click on the link above. If you'd like to put on a re-enactment, get in touch, for details of costume, props, sources or to see if there's another coming up that you could watch.

Click here for the plan of the meeting up to the adelphopoiesis re-enactment.

Click here for the adelphopoiesis re-enactment as we first enacted it.

See the link 'Saints Sergius and Bacchus ...' from the home page for the text of this item.

See the link 'Discussion', from the home page, as a summary of what followed.