A woman in Newport, Rhode Island, understandably became emotional as she was getting married to the love of her life. Thinking that the priest was handing over a tissue to wipe her tears, she grabbed the piece of cloth and did exactly that. It wasn’t a tissue. It was the priest’s “holy cloth.”
The emotional-turned-hilarious moment was shared online by Lauren Bruce. She is a lifestyle content creator who often shares clips with her family, including her now-husband. The clip attached above went viral, becoming the woman’s most-watched video ever as it garnered 22.7 million views, 1.9 million likes, and more than 19,700 comments.
The Rhode Island woman, as seen in the clip, was holding hands with her husband. They were getting married, and Lauren became visibly emotional, shedding some tears. After all, it was the biggest and most important day of her life.
Then, to continue with the ceremony, the father extended his hand, ready to bless their union. However, Lauren, mistaking his liturgical garments, or “holy cloth” as she called them, for a tissue, grabbed them and began drying her face. She patted her nose and her two cheeks, hoping to get rid of the running tears.
Lauren’s husband, confused, just watched the priest, perhaps seeking a reaction. It was only when his wife finished with the “tissue” that she finally realized her mistake. Panicking, she began to laugh uncontrollably. The priest attempted to say the blessing prayer, but was cut off mid-sentence. According to Lauren, he was “too stunned to speak.”
Reactions
The very brief, albeit hilarious moment got many reactions, mostly from viewers who got themselves caught in second-hand embarrassment. One said, “Find another church IMMEDIATELY.” Another one asked, “Does this keep you up at night by any chance?” Lauren responded, “It sure does.”
Other viewers shared stories of their own. One wrote, “During my confirmation classes, I did my first face-to-face confession… Then, the priest put his hand up to bless me, and I high-fived him.” Another one remembered walking toward the front of the church, believing it was the Children’s Moment. She added, “It was a family I didn’t know that was baptizing their babies…and I just awkwardly stood up there with them.”
At the end of the day, the wedding went great, as Lauren and her husband can be seen smiling shortly after getting married in their photos. The priest, applauding in the background, smiled, perhaps remembering the tissue moment.
