Catholic and Orthodox wedding sermons: An axiological aspect

The axiological study of religious discourse genres represents an important area of contemporary linguistics. The relevance of this research is determined by both linguistic factors - such as the investigation of how values are explicated in religious texts and the analysis of the sermon genre - and theolinguistic aspects, particularly the identification of relationships between the canonical requirements of specific confessions and their linguistic realization in texts. As a genre, the sermon establishes criteria for an axiological ideal, which is understood as a dogmatically conditioned set of norms and models of appropriate behaviour that believers are expected to follow. This study analyses modern Catholic and Orthodox wedding sermons with the aim of identifying and comparing the axiological preferences within each confession. In the Catholic texts, dogmatically accepted components characterizing the family are consistently reflected. Alongside the “civil upbringing of children, which is carried out by parents,” the values of “the sacrament of marriage" and “the mutual love of spouses” are explicitly linked to love for God. The concept of “fruitful love of spouses, which is open to accepting children” encapsulates the Christian view of children as a divine blessing. In the Orthodox sermons, the focus shifts towards the relationship between the spouses themselves. Key themes include the gravity and responsibility of marriage, the role of patience and humility in family life, and the indissolubility of marital bonds. Family roles are more distinctly delineated, emphasizing the husband's authority and the wife's obedience. There is also a pronounced emphasis on preserving the spiritual light and joy received during the Sacrament of Marriage. Both Catholic and Orthodox sermons draw upon the prototext of Sacred Scripture, with the divine nature of marriage and its role in achieving the goal of Christian Life being paramount. In Catholic sermons, a significant focus is placed on the upbringing of children, while Orthodox sermons emphasise the roles of husband and wife within marriage.

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