Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster hosts its first official wedding in New Zealand
Marriage rings made out of pasta, colanders, pirate costumes and a cake topped with a Spaghetti Monster – these were the “attributes” of the world’s first official Pastafarian wedding held in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in New Zealand.
The noodle-themed ceremony was held on Saturday on a sea boat. The world’s first official Pastafarian wedding was a lot like a traditional one, although there were some nuances.
The guests, dressed as pirates, shouted a lot of hearty “Arrrrrrs”, while the groom made some “serious” vows, including a promise to never forget to add salt before boiling his pasta. And when the “big” moment came, the couple, who had been wearing pirate costumes, slurped either end of the noodle until their lips met.
“The Flying Spaghetti Monster created the world. We know that,” said marriage celebrant Karen Martyn and a “ministeroni” as quoted by AP. “We weren’t around then and we didn’t see it, but no other religion was around to see it either, and our deity is as plausible as any other,” she added.
Originally, another couple was said to be the first to wed in such a way. However, there was a change of plans and the newly-weds Toby Ricketts and Marianna Fenn took the rare opportunity instead.
“I would never have agreed to a conventional marriage, but the idea of this was too good to pass up,” Fenn said. “And it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate my relationship with Toby, but in a way that I felt comfortable with.”
Church founder Bobby Henderson said that it was strange how in most weddings religion still seems to intertwine.
“It’s sad that so many people feel pressured to do the traditional Christian wedding even when they don’t relate to much of the religion,” he said in an email as reported by AP.
“If people can find some happiness in having Pastafarian weddings, that’s great, and I hope no one gives them any flack about it.”
Last Month New Zealand announced Pastafarian faith as an officially-recognized religion and gave legal right to the celebrant Karen Martyn to conduct marriages.
“It's a formal recognition that we are a church and that's just great,” Martyn said ahead of the ceremony, noting that many more weddings are planned in the future, including same-sex unions, which became legal in New Zealand in 2013.
“We will marry any consenting legal adults who meet the legal requirement,” she said. “I've had people from Russia, from Germany, from Denmark, from all over contacting me and wanting me to marry them in the church because of our non-discriminatory philosophy.”
Formed in 2005, the church has been attempting to gain recognition around the world. Originally, it was set up as a way to mock Kansas authorities’ decision to introduce a new subject called “intelligent design” into public schools. The subject was to teach about the creator of the universe and was viewed as an alternative to the teaching of evolution.
The church affiliates believe that the world was created by a deity made of spaghetti and worship pirates who are thought of being the original Pastafarians. They also think that heaven has a Beer Volcano and a Stripper Factory. Many do not take Pastafarianism seriously, viewing it as “parody” on real faith.
