The Sacrament of Love: The Nuptial Mystery in the Light of the Orthodox Tradition

For Paul Evdokimov, the conjugal union of man and woman in marriage is an image of God in Trinity a relationship of persons united in love, thus realizing their one nature. But, since the Fall, only Christ can truly reconcile man and woman and bring about the harmony of Eros and the person. The sacrament of marriage regulates the communion between man and wife in all its sacramental fullness. True love is fruitful, but this fruitfulness is not only expressed through children; in can also be manifested through hospitality, through service, and sometimes through a common creation.

The Sacrament of Love is a unique reflection on marriage, as well as on monastic and non-monastic celibacy. It places the relationship of man and woman within the context of the most perfect relationship of persons: the Trinitarian communion of the Divine Persons.