Life passages As the couple All traditions 4 min read

Christian anniversary as the couple

What is available to a Christian couple marking an anniversary, across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Mainline Protestant, and Evangelical practice.

01 What an anniversary observance is

A wedding anniversary is principally a family and personal observance across the Christian traditions. There is no canonical Christian anniversary rite that all Christian married couples observe; the anniversary is the couple's own, marked in whatever way the family has built across the years of the marriage.

Some traditions publish formal anniversary rites available to couples who wish to mark a significant anniversary at church. The Catholic Book of Blessings, the Anglican Book of Occasional Services, and various Mainline Protestant worship resources each provide a rite. Orthodox practice has no canonical anniversary rite; evangelical practice has no formal liturgical observance.

02 Catholic practice

The Catholic Church provides a Blessing on the Anniversary of Marriage in the Book of Blessings (chapter 1, II). The rite may be celebrated as a brief blessing at home (read by the couple themselves or by a family member) or as a more developed rite at a Mass on the anniversary date. Many US Catholic dioceses host an annual Wedding Anniversary Mass for couples celebrating significant anniversaries (commonly 25th and 50th), often around Valentine's Day or in October during Marriage Sunday observances.

Vow renewal is a common Catholic practice on significant anniversaries. The renewal is distinct from a wedding; the original marriage remains in force, and the couple renews the commitments made at that wedding. The rite is celebrated at the discretion of the parish.

03 Orthodox practice

Orthodox tradition does not have a canonical anniversary rite. Some Orthodox couples mark significant anniversaries by attending Divine Liturgy on or near the anniversary date and asking the priest for a blessing afterward; some request a special blessing service. This is parish-level practice rather than a formal rite. The priest at the parish is the source for what the local parish will offer.

04 Anglican / Episcopal practice

The 1979 BCP itself does not include an anniversary rite, but the Book of Occasional Services (a supplement) provides A Form for the Renewal of Marriage Vows. The form may be used at a Sunday Eucharist (the couple comes forward at a designated moment to renew their vows in the presence of the gathered congregation) or as a brief private rite at home or at the church.

Practice varies sharply across TEC and ACNA parishes; some celebrate vow renewals routinely on milestone anniversaries, others rarely. The priest or rector is the source.

05 Mainline Protestant and Evangelical practice

Across Mainline Protestant traditions, anniversary observance is mostly family-set rather than liturgically prescribed. The UMC Book of Worship includes suggestions for prayers for marriage anniversaries; ELCA and LCMS supplementary resources include anniversary blessings. Presbyterian and most Baptist congregational practice is pastoral rather than liturgical.

Evangelical practice has no formal liturgical observance of wedding anniversaries. A small number of evangelical churches will offer a vow renewal service for couples marking a milestone anniversary, normally as a private service with the pastor and family present rather than as a public church service.

06 Common questions

Is vow renewal the same as getting married again?
No. The original marriage remains in force; vow renewal is a renewal of the existing covenant rather than a new marriage. Vow renewal is a family-and-pastoral choice, not a sacramental requirement, and is not normally celebrated as a wedding-style service. The Catholic Church and most Mainline Protestant traditions distinguish vow renewal from a wedding ceremony.
Do Catholic parishes host anniversary Masses?
Many US Catholic dioceses host an annual Wedding Anniversary Mass, often around Valentine’s Day or in October during Marriage Sunday observances, for couples celebrating significant anniversaries (commonly 25th and 50th). The diocesan office or the parish bulletin will announce the date. The couple typically registers in advance.
Is there a milestone tradition for anniversary gifts?
The year-themed gift tradition (paper for first, wood for fifth, silver for twenty-fifth, gold for fiftieth, and so on) is mostly secular in origin but has been broadly adopted across Christian cultures. Catholic and Anglican traditions sometimes pair the secular gift with a religious gift on milestone years; a small piece of religious art for the 25th, an icon or a piece of liturgical art for the 50th. The choice is the family’s.
What if one of the spouses is not Christian?
Anniversary observance is family-set. Where one spouse is not Christian, the family chooses what to mark and how, in keeping with the family’s practice over the years of the marriage.
What if the couple was married outside their current tradition?
Most traditions will offer an anniversary blessing or vow renewal regardless of where the original marriage took place, provided the marriage is recognized by the current tradition. Catholic couples whose marriage was originally celebrated outside the Catholic Church may have specific paperwork to address (convalidation, where applicable); the priest is the source for what is required.

07 Pastoral note

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026