Definition of ‘Until Death Do Us Part’

The phrase “until death do us part” means death should be the only thing that will separate the married couple for their whole lives. At times, a euphemism for death might be substituted instead, like “until the Lord takes us home.”

Though this common phrase doesn’t mean that the couple can’t separate if they want to later on, it’s used to emphasize the importance of trying to make a marriage work to the best of your ability.

This phrase is also an important part of the ceremony due to the emphasis that parting in marriage should only be for serious matters, not trivial ones.

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Origin of ‘Until Death Do Us Part’

The origin of the phrase “until death do us part” is uniquely Christian and dates back to 1549 where it is found in “The Book of Common Prayer.” The original phrase was slightly different and read “till death us depart.”

The phrase underwent slight variations further down through the years as language evolved and eventually became “till death we do part” in the 1662 version of “The Book of Common Prayer.” Later on, the “do” and “us” were switched and the phrase has remained the same to this day.

Originally, the phrase didn’t start as a way to emphasize the importance of making a marriage work out. Instead, it was quite literally a decree that a husband and wife could not be separated for any reason other than death. For Catholics, divorce has historically been unacceptable for any reason except for death.

Even today, the Catholic Church does not recognize divorce. Societal norms, however, have adjusted and divorce is now a much more acceptable part of life. In light of changing views on marriage, the phrase has now become a customary phrase uttered in Christian and non-Christian weddings, even if religion doesn’t factor into the practice of the couple’s daily lives.

Where You’ll Find ‘Until Death Do Us Part’

As the world has become more modern in social and moral values, the traditional phrase has found its way into pop culture and can be seen everywhere from songs and movies to sitcoms and Broadway plays.

Movies

While the majority of movies with wedding scenes use the popular phrase, two movies use the phrase as the title itself — but it may not be for the reason you expect.

Till Death Do Us Part – 2008, Australia

This Australian movie used the famous phrase as the title but certainly not in the context you’d imagine.

The use of the phrase was rather ironic since the plot of the movie was about an Italian man falling in love with a gangster’s wife who found out and set out to kill his wife’s lover to make them part ways.

Till Death Do Us Part – 2017, United States

The phrase was used a second time for the title of a movie in 2017 to address the seriousness of abuse in marriage.

In the movie, a happy marriage becomes toxic and the husband becomes completely controlling. The wife is able to escape the marriage only to be found again by the husband.

Songs

These songs highlight the lifelong commitment of marriage and are appropriately named ‘Till Death Do Us Part.’

“Till Death Do Us Part” by White Lion

This is a rock song that expresses true love, praises love, and fights against the injustice of fate. It reminds the author of a scene in A Moment of Romance, where Andy Lau rides a motorcycle with his bride, and under the shining of gorgeous neon lights, this moment seems to be eternal; this band was born and became known to the public in a very short time, but this song became popular in Jiangnan and was widely used in weddings and romantic mixtapes.

Lyrics that highlight the forever nature of marriage include, “All through your life, I’ll be by your side. Till death do us part, I’ll be your friend” and, “My love will never end, till death do us part. When I wake up every day, with you lying in my arms.”

“Till Death Do Us Part” by Brian Nhira

An up-and-coming artist who did well on “The Voice,” Brian Nhira penned a love song so beautiful that it can be used in weddings everywhere. The song is filled with sentiments about the lifelong nature of marriage as seen in lines such as, “You’re the one I wanna dance with for the rest of my life. You’re the one I wanna hold and never let go. I need your love till death do us part.”

Much of Nhira’s work revolves around love and relationships. In another marriage-focused piece, he asks his wife-to-be if she will still love him when he is old and gray or if their health should fail.

In this rock song, he fulfilled his promise to his lover. He could directly say that due to the “till death do us part” nature of marriage, leaving is not giving up. On the contrary, his song encourages married men and women to stay together and fight against difficulties together when they go through hardships in life, instead of letting each other face it alone. Love is eternal.

Sitcoms

Even popular household sitcoms have used this phrase, both explicitly and implicitly.

Till Death Do Us Part – 1965 to 1975, Britain

This comedy debuted on British television. The show is humorous and interesting, and its popularity has increased rapidly after it was broadcast.

By the late 1990s, sequels were being produced under different names. By then, some of the characters and titles had become household names in the region.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. – 1994 to 2004, United States

There is probably no other show with a more famous wedding scene than Friends. In the play, the actors break up and get together, separate under dim lights, and reunite under warm neon lights.

At Mo and Qian’s wedding, Qian gazed at Monica affectionately and said, “You are the one I am destined to spend the rest of my life with.”

The scene repeats itself during Mike and Phoebe’s wedding. Mike says, “I can’t wait to share my life with you forever.” Though they didn’t use the exact phrase, the implied meaning is the same — they hope to remain married until death parts them.

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