For the first thousand years of its existence, the church held that a marriage was valid if a couple claimed they had exchanged words of consent ? even if there were no witnesses and no priest to officiate.

• 在宗教的头一千年历史中，只要一对男女称他们交换过婚姻的承诺，教堂就会承认他们的婚姻，就算他们之间没有任何证人和举行仪式的牧师也行。