engleski

Marriage witnesses in the parish of Ravno in the first half of the 19th century and their customary role

Godparenthood in general and the customs regarding the choice and role of marriage witnesses in particular so far has not been a subject of scientific analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study of marriage witnesses in the parish of Ravno, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but still part of the Dubrovnik hinterland, shall offer new insights in this matter. On the basis of marriage registers for the first half of the nineteenth century (1804-1854), an analysis of marriage witnesses has been made. In the aforementioned period, 233 marriage ceremonies were performed. In accordance with the recommendations of the Council of Trent it was customary for the bride and bridegroom to have one marriage witness (kum) each. As this rule has been respected without exception in all cases of marriage, the analysis was therefore based on 466 marriage witnesses. Using the analysis of marriage witnesses, an attempt was made to determine the interconnectedness of social networks and their relations within the community, the method of choosing a marriage witness, the kinship between the newlyweds and marriage witness, the habitual marriage witnesses and other particularities. The circular letter of the bishop's pro-vicar Vidoje Maslać sent to the parish priest of Ravno and other parish priests of the Trebinje-Mrkan bishopric in 1847 shed light on a phenomenon that the marriage witness takes the bride in the marital bed.

marriage witness ; Ravno parish (Bosnia and Herzegovina) ; parish registers ; marriage customs

nije evidentirano