The Holy Matrimony: "Panta pisteúei"

Following Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’ heartfelt reflection on the beauty of love, Chapter 4, "Love in Marriage," becomes our map and our melody -- reminding us where we are heading and why we began this journey together; a journey to trust each other's sincerity even in imperfection, to see its growth as ongoing and not finished, and in the end, to let love build a bridge rather than a wall.

(114.) Panta pisteúei. Love believes all things. Here "belief" is not to be taken in its strict theological meaning, but more in the sense of what we mean by "trust". This goes beyond simply presuming that the other is not lying or cheating. Such basic trust recognizes God's light shining beyond the darkness, like an ember glowing beneath the ash.

—

"Panta pisteúei" teaches us about the quiet courage of trusting one another, even in moments that feel fragile or uncertain. We remember how nervous Ibreyna was -- the way her hands trembled ever so slightly, the words she practiced slipping out differently than we intended. She made mistakes in that moment, not because she did not care, but because she cared so deeply that the weight of it pressed into her breath. Yet even in that imperfect moment, Stefan did not turn away. Stefan surely understood. Stefan saw Ibreyna's heart beneath the stumble, the sincerity beneath the nervousness, the love beneath the hesitation. And that is the grace of panta pisteúei -- love that believes in the intention, not just the execution.

It is the love that says:
"I know you are trying."
"I know your love is real."
"I believe in who you are, even when words fall short."
This trust is not loud or dramatic; it rests quietly between us. It shows itself in the softness of each other's gaze, in the way Stefan reach for Ibreyna's hand, in the warmth that returns after silence. It is the kind of trust that makes room for imperfection -- not by ignoring it, but by holding it gently, as something human, something growing.

"Panta pisteúei" reminds us that we are learning each other every day. That love is not measured by how perfect we appear in important moments, but by how we continue to choose one another after the moment passes. In this, we find both humility and peace: that being loved is not about being flawless, but about being seen, completely, and still cherished.

As ever,
Stefan & Ibreyna.