Thousands of couples wed in a mass ceremony in South Korea this past weekend, despite the coronavirus outbreak that has instilled fear in many.

Members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, also known as the Unification Church, came together to say their ‘I do’s’ at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeongin near Seoul on February 7, 2020. This mass wedding is a popular tradition for the South Korean-based church. According to Reuters, a reported 30 000 people from over 60 different countries were a part of this event, 6000 of whom were getting married for the first time and the rest were either renewing their vows or watching the spectacle.

South Korea has reported 24 cases of confirmed coronavirus. The organisers took care to ensure everyone’s safety throughout the event. Participants were screened for coronavirus symptoms, and people who had recently been to China were banned. They also gave everyone masks to wear, although not everyone decided to wear them.

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