What is marriage?
What Does marriage Mean
The term marriage comes from the Latin matrimonĭum . In the past, it was exclusively about the union of a man and a woman that takes place through certain rites or legal procedures. In recent years, more and more states have accepted the marriage between persons of the same sex, so this conjugal union is no longer heritage of heterosexuality.
The marriage bond is recognized at the social level, both based on legal norms and customs. By entering into marriage, the spouses acquire various rights and obligations. Marriage also legitimizes the filiation of the children that are procreated by its members .
It is possible to distinguish, at least in the Western world, between two major types of marriage: civil marriage (which takes place before a competent state authority) and religious marriage (which legitimizes the union in the eyes of God ).
For the Catholic Church , marriage is a sacrament and an institution whose essence is in the divine creation of man and woman. Catholic marriage is perpetual: it cannot be broken according to religious precepts (unlike civil marriage , where there is divorce). A separated person, therefore, cannot remarry in the Church.
In colloquial language, the couple formed by husband and wife is called marriage: "We are going to rent the house to an elderly couple" , "A couple entered the business and spent more than five hundred pesos" , "I can't believe, yesterday they robbed the married couple who live next to my house ” .
In this context, the rights and duties of the spouses are discussed , a series of points that the Civil Code indicates and that is complemented by the education of each culture. In principle, each person should learn to treat others with compassion and respect , so that it is never necessary to go to the authorities for cases of violence; However, since this is not always the case, it is vital to establish certain rules to remind both parties of how to behave within the marriage.
Before going into the details, it is necessary to emphasize that the two parties must fulfill the same duties and deserve the same rights, both within the relationship and before the law. Unfortunately, machismo often leads to a clear imbalance in this commitment in heterosexual unions, which puts women at a disadvantage.
The marriage must be built and maintained between the two partners. Precisely, the Civil Code indicates to newlyweds that they must live together in an environment of respect and collaboration, always acting in favor of the family group. In more everyday and precise terms, the following obligations should fall on both parties :
* get the money to meet the expenses. Although each couple can be organized in different ways, the obligation to work is not exclusive to either party, but to both. Historically, machismo has placed this burden on man;
* keep the house clean and tidy. We have been living for centuries in a world in which women are associated with this series of tasks , but little by little we are entering an era of equality, in which men have fifty percent of the responsibility;
* take care of the children. This point includes taking charge of their upbringing, helping them study, take care of their health, play with them, teach them the bases of morals and life in society and many other things that we need to develop as good people. If the child has two elders in their care, then both must share these obligations.