On February 12^th at the Cheong Shim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-Do, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification held the “2014 Cosmic Blessing Ceremony by the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind.” The event, also known as the “International Mass Wedding Ceremony,” was attended by 2,500 couples from about 50 countries entering into marriage on this day (small picture here). AFP and various other foreign news outlets came to Korea to report on the event. In addition to the couples on site, a total of 20,000 couples from 194 countries joined in the event via live Internet broadcast.

Head of Family Federation, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, performed as master of ceremonies for the event. The opening ceremony, performed by Korean FFWPU president Kyeung-Seuk Ryu, was followed by the exchange of rings and the proclamation of marriage. “The family is the center of the world and the starting point of happiness,” President Ryu said in remarks to reporters. “In the blessing ceremony, a good man and a good woman return to true love in order to start an ideal family. International marriage promotes cultural exchange…”

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