Israelis tie giant knot in mass Cyprus wedding — France 24

Scores of couples from Israel held a mass civil-wedding ceremony in Larnaca, Cyprus on Friday in an attempt to set the world record for the largest matrimonial event in a single day.

According to the Israeli and Cypriot organisers, the record they were hoping to beat stands at 163.

It may still stand, however, as less than 170 mainly Russian-speaking couples from Israel attended the mass ceremony on the southern shores of the Mediterranean island.

"We were told by Guinness that the most couples who got married in a civil ceremony inside 24 hours was 163. We were aiming for 170 but I think we might have fewer than that, although we are hoping to break the record once the certificates are counted," Israeli organiser Natan Uretsky told AFP.

He wasn't sure whether the record had gone but vowed to come back again if the attempt fell short of official recognition.

Uretsky has been bringing Israeli couples to nearby Cyprus for more than 20 years and said the birth place of Aphrodite — the goddess of love — is the main destination for Israelis who want to get hitched without the fuss of a religious wedding.

It is estimated that 1,000 civil marriages involving Israelis take place on Cyprus each year, with many couples coming to the island because they are unable to have a religious ceremony at home.

Larnaca municipality was keen to promote and support the record attempt, held outside the resort town's medieval fort.

Larnaca mayor Andreas Moyseos addressed the gathering, which was officiated in English and Russian, ending with the words: "Always be happy".

Among the rows of smiling, kissing couples enjoying a balmy evening while attempting to make history, the youngest bride was 17-and-a-half while the oldest groom was 84.

Israeli couple Aviram and Hila said they came to Cyprus because they didn't want a religious ceremony with a rabbi but wanted to be part of a crowd.

"I did not want the spotlight just to fall on me, so we decided to take part," said 30-year-old Hila from Elat. Her diving-instructor husband Aviram Avigal agreed it was 'great' to be part of something special.

Russian-born partners Vladimir Levchin, 30, and Natalie, 34, said they participated partly because they couldn't get married in Israel because they were a mixed-faith couple. But Natalie, a nurse, enjoyed "being part of something historic and unique."

Hundreds of lovers, relatives and friends had arrived at Larnaca port by boat from Haifa and, after treating themselves to champagne and some traditional Cypriot hospitality, it was back on the boat for a trip to Limassol further along the island's southern coast.

"We're going back on the boat to party and then it's back to Israel on Sunday," said Uretsky.

Новостной сайт France24.com, публикация от 17 июня 2011 г.