EN
The main distinctive feature of the humanist rites of passage, indicated by their propagators is their individual and human-oriented character. This is shown among others in marriage oaths, constructed by the young couples. Humanist vows are personalized, elements from practice sphere and every-day life are blended into them. The pattern of “romantic love” constitute a framework for majority of oaths, but it is more often replaced by the idea of “confluent love”. Previous analysis of interviews with masters of ceremonies has made possible to formulate the hypothesis that meanings displayed in humanist marriage ceremonies are the testimony of change which is concerned with marriage, love and intimacy. Marital vows do not indicate the relationship of a lifetime but (polemical against Catholicism) a relationship “to the end of love”. Love is also declared by phrases such as “long-lasting as possible” and not by “until death do us part”. The performative “I vow” is increasingly being replaced by “I promise” or “I swear”, which indicates less power of influence. The promise of fidelity was eliminated from the majority of oaths. The analyzed data mainly comes from the semi-structured interviews with masters of humanistic ceremonies, but also from the quality content analysis of the humanistic ritual’s scenarios, speeches and oaths.