What constitutes the canonical form for marriage in the Latin Church, and who must be present?

• A. The exchange of consent between the spouses in the presence of a valid minister (a priest or deacon) and two witnesses
• B. The exchange of consent between the spouses without witnesses
• C. Only the priest can hear the vows
• D. The couple can marry by civil ceremony only.

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that a valid marriage in the Latin Church must be celebrated in a public, recognizable form: the spouses exchange their consent before a validly ordained minister and two witnesses. The minister (usually a priest or deacon) presides, while the two witnesses attest that the vows were exchanged and the intent to marry was freely professed. This combination—the mutual consent of the spouses, given in the minister’s presence, with two witnesses—constitutes the canonical form that makes the marriage valid in the Church.

Without two witnesses, or with only the priest present, or through a civil ceremony alone, the required canonical form is not met, so the celebration would not fulfill the Church’s sacramental requirements.