The first gay couple in New York state to marry including many different faiths in their ceremony including the ancient Celtic tradition of handfasting.
Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd, who were married at Niagara Falls at midnight on July 25, had Baptist, Jewish and Episcopalian clergy over see their wedding vows. Their ceremony was capped by a Celtic handfasting ceremony followed by dancing on the lawn to Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory".
Handfasting originally was a ceremony carried out to mark the trial marriage of a couple or engagement. It was a public ceremony where the couple would make known their intention to marry in one year and a day from the date of the ceremony. The ritual died off when Celtic Christianity was abandoned for the Catholic Church. The ceremony has recently regain popularity among non-Pagans and especially among those who have distant ancestors in distant Celtic lands.
The local couple, Lambert and Rudd, had the honor of being the first gay couple married in New York state. They exchanged rings, completed the handfasting ceremony, sent out wishes to the 44 states that don't recognize same-sex marriage ceremony and then danced on the lawns next to the waterfalls.
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Lambert (54) said "We’re so proud of everybody who crawled up this hill with us. This wasn’t done with just the two of us. Every single person here played a part in getting this law passed.”
Lambert, wore a light blue dress, another tradition which is carried on from the Celts.
The couple, who have been together for 12 years, started the advocacy group OUTspoken together. Their fight for marriage equality has been difficult. During the last 12 years Rudd has battled cervical and thyroid cancer and Lambert has suffered three heart attacks.
Lambert pointed out to the Buffalo News "By law, because I had my last heart attack in Arizona, if I had died, they wouldn’t have notified her, they couldn’t have notified her. And those are critical issues, those are critical things that people have to consider."
"At this exact moment in time, New Yorkers still stand without any protection,” Lambert told reporters as the sun came down Saturday on Goat Island. "But when that bell tolls with us at midnight tonight, and a new day dawns, literally a new day will dawn in New York. In not just the physical sense, but in that grand romantic sense that things are changing and life is good.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.JimMcGarity | Jul 29, 2011, 11:12 PM EDT
They will never have it the same, so what next?
EgoSumLamia | Jul 28, 2011, 04:07 PM EDT
@OrenTruitt I would like to point out to you, that Adam & Eve were not married. How is this an insult to your god? Where does your god say, what constitutes marriage?
jamieLM | Jul 28, 2011, 01:19 PM EDT
@michaelcollins, I appreciate your humorous comment and unfortunately, there is probably some truth to it. I think all of us who are married, gay or straight, would agree that it isn't always "a bed of roses" 24/7. Congratulations to all of us who enter into marriage anyway.
michaelcollins | Jul 28, 2011, 10:50 AM EDT
now gay people can be just as misreable as different sex couples
krissangel | Jul 28, 2011, 08:55 AM EDT
congratulations to all who fought this fight for equality.
sirpeter | Jul 27, 2011, 01:45 PM EDT
Now that lesbian/gay couples can get legally married.Let's just hope now they shut up.
LunaFae | Jul 27, 2011, 12:53 PM EDT
I'm happy for my lesbian/gay New Yorkers who can finally be legally married... Congratulations to you all, it was only a matter of time! :-)
Phaenius | Jul 27, 2011, 12:44 PM EDT
In this one thing I believe the author is right concerning "Celtic Christianity." The Milisian Irish were not "Celtic" if a race here is intended, but the Irish, a branch of what is to be known as the Phoenician people, while in the area of Canaan, had invented the aleph beth (similar to the Hebrew aleph beth) for the people of Canaan. But when they came to Ireland, by that time, they imbibed the Celtic cultures mainly in Spain at the time of them coming over to Ireland, and that of the Tuatha De Danaan folk the Milisian Irish had to defeat to be supreme in the land. There was a non-Catholic Christianity until a priest by the name of Austin (from Augustine) brought his Saxon converts over into England...and no doubt continued to spread even into Ireland. We may not have been Celts but we TALKED like Celts.
Avagdu13 | Jul 27, 2011, 11:43 AM EDT
Congratulations to the couple! As a Wiccan and gay man, when I am able to marry, I will be hand fasted as well under my faith. Again, congratulations to all those who are finally able to be married!
Portia777 | Jul 27, 2011, 11:41 AM EDT
Ancient marriage was held at Tailteann using the doughnut stone. There were no third parties involved like men in dresses. The following year the couple could divorce or not.
Portia777 | Jul 27, 2011, 11:38 AM EDT
The irish are not Celts- why do people get their history wrong? Marriage in ancient Eire was in fact the inner marriage of the male and female energies in each individual and nothing to do with Christian marriage.
AreeLulibub | Jul 27, 2011, 10:40 AM EDT
GOD created these beautiful people, who happen to also be homosexuals. Shame on you so called Christians for your intolerant comments here. Blessed be and long life to the happy couple.
OrenTruitt | Jul 27, 2011, 10:11 AM EDT
Disgusting. I am ashamed of the churches that condoned this. It is an insult to God and the institution of marriage.
mamaginnty | Jul 26, 2011, 06:26 PM EDT
You have had your say ciarrai, let others do the same. Good luck to the couple they had a tough time but won in the end...
EileenL | Jul 26, 2011, 01:04 PM EDT
kitty and Cheryle well done long life and Happiness to you both i love the Celtic touch
Suivness10 | Jul 26, 2011, 11:41 AM EDT
I agree with CitizenWhy and wish you a long life of happiness together!
CitizenWhy | Jul 26, 2011, 10:43 AM EDT
Mozel Tov!
ClareDances | Jul 26, 2011, 10:32 AM EDT
Lovely ceremony! I participated in the fight to win marriage equality for NY (I think the politicians over there got quite tired of hearing from me!) and I'm also Pagan, so this article is very special to me.
CeiliGoddess | Jul 26, 2011, 10:13 AM EDT
Beautiful ceremony! Congratulations on your marriage at last! Slainte!
ciarrai | Jul 26, 2011, 10:11 AM EDT
I'm so happy to have the people of the homosexual persuasion be given their civil rights. Now, please can we just move on to something else. 2% or 5% of the population are homosexual, no? Yet we have to hear about it 24/7. Enough.