Couples Clutch AR-15s in Commitment Ceremony at Pennsylvania Church

Worshippers wearing crowns and clutching AR-15 rifles exchanged or renewed vows in a commitment ceremony at a Pennsylvania church.

On Wednesday, brides wearing white and grooms dressed in their best suits, all wearing crowns, some of which were made of bullets, brought AR-15s with them as they entered the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The church, led by Rev. Sean Moon, the son of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded the Unification Church, believes that the AR-15 symbolizes the “rod of iron” in the Biblical book of Revelation. The church, which has a worldwide following, has oftentimes been described as a cult.

During the ceremony, which was said to be a ceremony for a blessing of couples and not “inanimate objects,” Moon prayed for “a kingdom of peace police and peace militia where the citizens, through the right given to them by almighty God to keep and bear arms, will be able to protect one another and protect human flourishing.”

The ceremony led to a nearby school cancelling classes, and the Wallenpaupack Area School District moved students from an elementary school down the street to other campuses. It also prompted protesters to stand outside the church with signs.

“I don’t need a freaking assault weapon to defend myself. Only thing they’re good for is killing. Period. That’s all that weapon is good for, mass killing. And you want to bless it? Shame on you,” Lisa Desiena said, calling the church an “armed religious cult.”

The ceremony came just two weeks after confessed gunman Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 students and adults with an AR-15 inside of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The shooting has sparked a fierce debate about gun reform, with many companies severing ties with the NRA and others, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart, announcing that they will be raising the age of purchasing a firearm to 21.