Marriage is a union that is established through a rite or procedure.
The term marriage comes from the Latin matrimonĭum . In the past, it was exclusively about the union of a man and a woman that took place through certain rites or legal procedures. In recent years, more and more States have accepted marriage between people of the same sex, which means that this marital union is no longer the heritage of heterosexuality.
The marriage bond is recognized at the social level, both through legal norms and customs. Upon marriage, spouses acquire various rights and obligations. Marriage also legitimizes the filiation of the children that are procreated by its members .
Types of marriage
It is possible to distinguish, at least in the Western world, between two major types of marriage: civil marriage (which takes place in front of a competent state authority) and religious marriage (which legitimizes the union in the eyes of God ).
For the Catholic Church , marriage is a sacrament and an institution whose essence is in the divine creation of man and woman. Catholic marriage is perpetual: it cannot be broken according to religious precepts (unlike civil marriage, where divorce exists). A separated person, therefore, cannot remarry in the Church.
In colloquial language, the couple formed by the husband and wife is called a marriage: “We are going to rent the house to an elderly couple,” “A couple entered the business and spent more than five hundred pesos,” “I can't do it.” Believe it, yesterday they robbed the couple who lives next to my house .”
The members of a marriage have rights and obligations.
Obligations and rights of spouses
In this context, we talk about the rights and duties of spouses , a series of points that the Civil Code points out and that is complemented by the education of each culture. In principle, each person should learn to treat others with compassion and respect , so that it would never be necessary to resort to the authorities in cases of violence; However, since this is not always the case, it is vital to establish certain rules to remind both parties how they should behave within the marriage.
Before going into the details, it is necessary to highlight that both parties must fulfill the same duties and deserve the same rights, both within the relationship and before the law. Unfortunately, machismo often means that in heterosexual unions there is a clear imbalance in this commitment , which puts women in a disadvantaged position.
Duties of the members of a marriage
Marriage must be built and maintained between the two members. Precisely, the Civil Code tells newlyweds that they must live together in an environment of respect and collaboration, always acting in favor of the family group. In more everyday and precise terms, the following obligations should fall on both parties:
* get the money to cover expenses. Although each couple can organize themselves in different ways, the obligation to work is not exclusive to either party, but to both. Historically, machismo has placed this burden on men;
* keep the house clean and tidy. We have been living for centuries in a world in which women are associated with this series of tasks , but little by little we are entering an era of equality, in which men have fifty percent of the responsibility;
* take care of the children. This point includes taking charge of their upbringing, helping them study, taking care of their health, playing with them, teaching them the bases of morality and life in society and many other things that we need to develop as good people. If the child has two adults in his care, then both must share these obligations.