Claim. The Blessing Ceremony is the bequeathal of love — God’s love handed down through True Parents to the receiving couple, with the ritual choreography of the procession recapitulating six thousand years of providential history.
Elaboration. SMM defines the ceremony functionally rather than aesthetically: “The Blessing Ceremony is the bequeathal ceremony of love. Just as True Parents received love from God, you should receive love from Parents in place of the love of God” (2.4. Three stages in changing the lineage, 96-236, 1978.1.22). The procession itself encodes history: “Forming an entrance are twenty-one or twelve best men and bridesmaids representing three stages, which signify formation, growth and completion. … After taking seven steps, you must stop and make three bows as the condition that you have passed through the formation stage. This whole ceremony represents the providential course of history from the time of Adam until now” (ibid, 19-268, 1968.2.20). The mass form is the point: “the ceremony is an international holy wedding ceremony that transcends nationality, race, language, culture and customs. … the place where the ceremony is held is one of reconciliation” (ibid, Blessed Family 565). The ceremony is therefore both bequeathal-of-love and condition-of-indemnity at the same moment.
See also. blessing, true-parents