In Mormonism, a sealing is an ordinance (ritual), generally performed in temples, that "seals" familial relationships, purportedly making possible the existence of family relationships throughout eternity.

Sealings are typically performed as marriages or as sealing of children to parents. They were practiced for a few years prior to the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. (the main founder of the Latter Day Saint movement), and are currently performed in many Latter Day Saint denominations, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other denominations, such as the Community of Christ, view sealing as an artifact of Smith's practice of plural marriage.

Sealings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LDS faithful believe civil marriages are dissolved at death if they are not later solemnized with a sealing, but that a couple who has been sealed in the temple will be married beyond physical death. An illustrative difference in the marriage ceremony performed in LDS temples is the replacement of the words "until death do you part" with "for time and all eternity".

The LDS church recognizes other monogamous, heterosexual marriages, both civil and religious, although they believe that such marriages will not continue after death because "Eternal Marriages" must be performed by a Priesthood authority. However, "Eternal Marriages" are also performed vicariously for the deceased so that once all the prior temple ordinances are completed for a deceased individual, couples who were not sealed during their life may accept the proxy sealing to each other and their children.

Couples who

Divorce rates for sealed couples were reportedly far lower than national rates for decades but have risen significantly over the last several years. Although a divorce legally dissolves a civilly-recognized marriage, the Church still recognizes a sealed couple as being sealed. A couple who has been sealed may request to have their sealing "cancelled", but this is uncommon, occurs only under special circumstances and is only granted by the highest LDS officials. Some refer informally to a "cancellation" as a “temple divorce”, but the terminology designated by Church leaders is "cancellation of a sealing".

A cancellation typically follows after a civil divorce and when the woman then seeks to be sealed to another man. Some have criticised the LDS church for allowing a man to be "sealed" to multiple wives while a woman can be "sealed" to only a single man, and some further argue this is tacit approval of the LDS church's purportedly abandoned practice of plural marriage.

The LDS church’s policy on sealings and cancellations reflect its doctrine of plural marriage although that doctrine is currently prohibited from being practiced in the Church: a man can be sealed to multiple women, but women can only be sealed to one man. A man sealed to one or more women, but civilly divorced or a widower, may be sealed to another woman assuming the couple is worthy and the union is permitted by Church authorities. Although a woman can only be sealed to one man, she can be married civilly

The union of a sealed couple is regarded as valid only if both individuals have kept their religious commitments and followed LDS teachings. A sealed couple who have successfully kept their religious covenants, and whose sealing remains in force after death is said to have their sealing “sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise”. The sealing of a sealed couple whose union has been disrupted by a civil divorce (amicable or acrimonious) is not likely to remain in force. Just as deceased individuals may refuse any temple ordinance (such as a sealing) done by proxy on their behalf, couples, parents and children who were sealed to each other during their own life may exercise their agency to refuse to accept a sealing of which they were a part. No one will be sealed to any one with whom they do not want to be sealed.

Since the LDS church rejects same-sex marriages, these unions are not performed in temples nor recognized by the LDS church.

Excommunication voids all ordinances performed for a person, including sealings. If an excommunicated member rejoins the Church, he may have these blessings restored.

Only worthy members of the LDS Church, who hold current valid temple recommends, can attend and witness sealings. Non-member family and friends generally wait in the temple waiting room during the sealing ritual.

Recognition of sealing

Not all countries recognize marriages that are performed by non-government representatives or by clergy outside of the state religion. In these cases, temple marriages are not seen as legally binding, and a civil marriage officiated by a government representative must be performed for the marriage to be recognized. In other cases, marriages must be performed in a public forum for any to witness or to formally object in a ceremony (in most cases, this is strictly a historical law). In this case, government representatives or authorized clergy will perform the civilly-recognized public wedding, prior to a temple sealing. In many cases, those who wish to be married in a religious ceremony in these countries would be civilly married by a government representative first and afterward go to their clergy to have a religious ceremony performed.

In the United States and some countries, Bishops and temple sealers have the civil authority to perform marriages. In these cases, marriages performed in the temple by a duly authorized temple sealer are recognized by the government.

In Argentina, all marriages are performed at the local municipality by a registrar who is duly authorized to perform marriages. In these cases, the couple will then go directly to the temple to have the sealing ordinance performed.

In Brazil, all marriages must be performed in the state in which the couple resides. Since not all Brazilian states have a temple within their boundaries, the couple may then have their sealing performed at the nearest temple upon completion of the civil marriage.

In Britain law requires that a marriage must be performed at a public ceremony (same holds true for Austria). Since attendance at a temple sealing is restricted, a couple will be married locally by a person who is duly authorized to perform marriages. This person will usually be a registrar of marriages. The marriage can be performed at the local registrars office, or sometimes in an LDS chapel. Some Bishops or Branch Presidents have been officially given the title of a deputy registrar, so are legally able to perform a civil ceremony in the chapel. The couple will then travel to the nearest LDS temple (London or Preston) for their temple marriage.

See also

• Celestial marriage