Just a few weeks ago, one of the biggest Catholic gatherings called World Youth Day [WYD] happened in Krakow, Poland.
WYD’s (held every three years in different host countries) usually bring together millions of people with various cultures, race and backgrounds. Imagine the diversity and think of the possibility where a person finds ‘the one’ among the millions of people they encounter. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack! Lucky for Jonathan, he found her needle – Apple.
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Jonathan and Kristine (Apple) have been together for 1 year and 10 months before Jonathan finally decided that Apple is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with.
So, in the blur of activities during the World Youth Day, one of the major events to testify the Catholic Faith, these two hearts merged and entered a new chapter in their life of faith. Below is a video of the awesome proposal!
But wait, there’s more…
Here are 3 facts that make their WYD love story one of a kind:
1. They met during World Youth Day 2013!
“We met through JMJ Rio. She was my group leader for the Dubai delegation. We were total strangers and it was not the kind of love at first sight,” Jonathan narrated.
He also said that they were lucky enough to experience the gift of friendship for more than a year before the roller coaster stage of courting her and asking her parent’s blessing began.
He courted her for 7 months, most of it spent in getting to know each other. They became a couple on September 8 which is a big deal to the two devoted Catholics because it was also Mama Mary’s birthday.
And now, they got engaged at the very event where they met! WYD will truly leave a mark on these love bird’s story…
“I proposed in WYD because it was my prayer to do so all along. The reason first and foremost is that I met her through this life changing event” The 2 year old letter that was never sent.
2. The 2-year-old letter that was never sent.
The letter Apple is reading in the video was the letter Jonathan wrote on 8 June 2014, but he never sent it to her. It was addressed to her and it said that in Kosciol Mariacki, a very special place for the two of them, a new chapter will begin.
“I wrote a letter 2 years ago when I was still courting her and within it the Kosciol Mariacki was mentioned to be the place where I would lead her to the next chapter of our story,” Jonathan said.
“I didn’t expect that I would propose that day. I’ve always planned for it to be in Kosciol Mariacki but I only knew that it would happen on the 26th after our leader’s meeting on the night before. It was such a perfect timing since I was surprised that we would have our Adoration service there. We were in charge of singing a tagalog hymn. I felt overflowing gratitude that finally we were there,” he added.
And thus, the proposal!
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3. A shoe for a proposal
The shoes symbolized the couple’s dream of traveling around the world for a mission. It’s also a symbol of their “affirmation to one another.”
“We are one another’s “solemate,” meaning that we would always walk together in life with Christ as our center – A love not based on feelings, but on sacrifice,” Jonathan reiterated.
Apple always wanted to have a Cinderella kind of proposal since she grew up watching it, and she got it!
“I did give her a ring as well, which is a simple knot ring. But the real proposal thing would be the hiking shoe. So after the adoration, we went in front of it, our delegation made a circle and I called her and gave the letter,” Jonathan recalled.
“After she finished reading [the 2-year-old letter], I got the shoe, [got] on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage,” he said.
“It was just a moment, an eternal instant that I would cherish for the rest of my life,” Jonathan added.
Tips from Jonathan
We asked Jonathan to share some tips for those people who are thinking of popping the question, and here’s what he shared with us:
Ang galing naman. Imagine, meeting on WYD, and then who is to know that years later, that would also set the stage for the proposal. Ang importante, live as couple, live as one. At the same time. To have a lasting marriage and relationship na maraming love and happiness.
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Marriage proposal never fails to leave a smile in my face. And this one is extra special bec. the relationship is anchored in their relationship with Christ. And as a couple, they will continue what used to be an individual mission.
May their relationship serve as a testimony of purity, commitment and service to other catholics