Introduction The sacrament of matrimony in Catholicism was an amalgamation of various influences, cultures and decisions. A large number of these conditions existed in the 12 th Century. Therefore, it is necessary to trace the history of the sacrament, and thus link it to modern occurrences today. Practices and characteristics of marriage in the Catholic faith The Catholic wedding is a rite that has the same format as the other six sacraments. All conventional weddings in this religion consist of the following practices: storytelling, gathering, action and then commission. Gathering in a marriage ceremony occurs in more or less the same way that a mass does. Family members accompany the bride and groom in most instances. In some settings, the bride and her father come after the arrival of the groom and his party. Modern couples prefer processions that convey mutuality by walking in together. After the procession, which is often the highlight of the event, attendants will listen to a portion of scripture; this is the storytelling bit. Here, couples will select a story that captures the meaning of their marriage. In most circumstances, many will talk about the creation of new life. Alternatively, others may refer to the unification of two entities into one. Sometimes participants may opt to combine both messages. ‘Action’ involves the exchange of vows. In traditional weddings, priests would read all the vows while the bride and groom would merely say I do. Nowadays, a good number of couples prefer reading their vows to one another. Most vows will consist of a pledge of faithfulness and love. In addition to the latter aspect, the bride and groom ought to exchange rings, where the physical element (ring) complements the verbal element. This part of the ceremony often ends with a kiss. Lastly, the attendants will partake of the Holly Communion in the commission phase. The priest will perform the Eucharist prayer then invite the group to receive the communion. Afterwards, he will bless the wedding couple and thus send them to the world as representatives of Christ’s love. Why marriage is a sacrament in the Catholic faith A sacrament is understood as a sign of grace that Jesus gave to the church in order to bring life into it. One ought to look at scriptural teachings in order to understand why Catholics treat marriage as a sacrament. The book of Ephesians serves as a critical starting point for this analysis. In chapter five and verse twenty two, Paul urges the Christian brethren to follow Christ’s example when relating to one another in marriage. He advises women to submit to their husbands in the same way that the church subjects itself to Christ (Lehmkuhl par 14). Paul explains that since the husband is the head of the home, then he must follow Christ who was the Church’s head. He then adds that husbands ought to love their wives and cherish them; they ought to proclaim the same love that they have for themselves to their wives. After this, Paul discusses how man and woman must forget about their separateness and become one. The Apostle concludes this declaration by stating that Christian marriage is a sacrament. Catholic leaders made the deduction that marriage was a sacrament from the words of the Apostle himself. They depended on his comparison of the ceremony to the relationship between Jesus