When Was The Word Obey Removed From Wedding Vows?

The word “obey” does not appear in Catholic wedding vows, although it is often taught to be so. It was introduced by the Church of England in 1549 and was removed from most historical texts in 1928 with the Women’s Suffrage movement. In the 1970s, the term was officially removed from vows, coinciding with the introduction of the new rite of marriage. The love, honor, and obey wedding vows were eventually changed during the 1920s due to the Women’s Suffrage movement, which urged couples to respect, communicate, and collaborate.

The word “obey” was removed from traditional wedding vows in the 1970s, coinciding with the introduction of the new rite of marriage. Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, chose to follow Princess Diana’s lead and omit the word “obey” from her wedding vows on April 29, 2011. The Episcopal Church voted to remove the word “obey” from the bride’s section of wedding vows in 1922, and today, “love, honor, and cherish” have largely replaced the historical vow for the wife to honor and obey.

The word “obey” was a translation from the Latin and meant “listen deeply.” The Episcopal Church removed the word “obey” from the woman’s part of the vows, and the word “cherish” has been used outside of some religious ceremonies since the 1970s. The word “obey” has been removed from most historical texts since 1928, but many women still desire it to be dropped from traditional wedding vows.