Marriage is one of the defined Mysteries of the Church for the realization of salvation and the deification of man. It is considered a Mystery for three main reasons:

a) it contains Divine Grace
b) it serves as a typology of the union of Christ with the Church and
c) through marriage, the loving union of the souls of man and woman is realized.

Thus, the main purpose of marriage lies in the communion of love between the engaged persons. Just as Christ loved the Church, so the man is obliged to love his wife. In this way, through the blessing and sanctification of the "union of marriage," the beginning of the human race is sanctified.