Staff photo / Bob Coupland Mary Teresa Gabriele and John Gabriele of Poland were among the 81 couples honored for their marriages at a special wedding anniversary Mass on Sunday St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. The Gabrieles have been married for 75 years, which was the longest marriage of all those in attendance at the celebration.

YOUNGSTOWN — Bishop David Bonnar said a Poland couple who has been married for 75 years could qualify for the Guiness Book of World Records.

The Diocese of Youngstown hosted a special Mass at St. Columba Cathedral on Sunday celebrating 81 couples who have been married for 25 to 75 years for a total of 5,905 years.

Mary Teresa Gabriele, 94, and John Gabriele, 99, of Poland, have been married for 75 years. The Gabrieles attend Christ Our Savior Church in Struthers.

“We thank God for every day we have together and for our loving family,” Mary Teresa said.

The couple have two sons, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

John was well known in the area as a musician.

“He supports and helps me and I support and help him. We enjoy having each day together,” Mary Teresa said. “God has been a part of our life, which has been wonderful for us.”

Louis and Barbara Szabo, who attend St. Andrew Bobola in Sheffield in Ashtabula County, were celebrating 68 years of marriage with their daughter, Andrea Szabo of Brookfield. Louis celebrated his 90th birthday on Father’s Day.

“This a beautiful event the Diocese has to celebrate and honor the sanctity of marriage. So many people have been married for many years and it is important they be recognized for that,” Andrea Sazbo said.

She said she was amazed there were 81 couples being recognized during the Mass with not only parents being honored, but many who are also grandparents with their grandchildren attending.

Andrea said her parents lived in Cleveland, where Louis was a Marine Corps veteran and a police officer and Barbara was a nurse. They now live in Ashtabula County and have five children and six grandchildren.

LONG MARRIAGE

Other couples who were honored for long marriages included Edward and Norma Kubus who attend Christ the Good Shepherd in Campbell with 70 years; Ralph and Annette Wiedner who attend St. Patrick in Hubbard with 67 years; and Richard and Paulette Nichols, who attend St. Joseph in Mantua in Portage County with 65 years.

Bonnar said the wedding anniversary Mass is an event hosted twice a year by the Diocese.

“This is something as a bishop that I always enjoy celebrating, the sacrament of marriage. Today we celebrate you and your love for one another. I congratulate each and every one of you and thank you for the life your partnership of love continues to bear today,” Bonnar said.

He said those with 65 or more years of marriage are significant milestones that he called out because of their special longevity. Bonnar said the Gabrieles with 75 years were the longest married couple.

“Mary Teresa told me when I saw her this was the greatest day of her life,” he said.

Bonnar said the couples teach the lesson of their love, fidelity and commitment to each other.

“The images of light and darkness are synonymous with life. Through light is love and through darkness is indifference,” Bonnar said.

He said the marriage vows exchanged years ago in God’s holy house were a promise to live in the promise of light through good times and bad and in sickness and health.

Bonnar said in 1978, singer Melissa Manchester sang the song “Through the Eyes of Love” for the movie “Ice Castles.”

“Since then, this song has become a wedding song. In one of the lines ‘And now I do believe that even in a storm we will find some light knowing you are beside me, I am alright,'” Bonnar said.

He said these words show the importance of comfort for married couples having a soulmate.

Bonnar said his parents were married for 49 years until his mother’s death.

“My parents loved each other. Looking back, I remember how much my dad and mom loved music. My dad had an incredible voice. My mother also loved to sing. They would sing duets and wonderful love songs of commitment,” Bonnar said.

He said the Mass celebrates the love that husbands and wives have sung throughout these years.

“Thank you for being an icon of Jesus’ love. May your light and love for each other continue to shine in the face of life’s storms. May you continue to sing a love song celebrating God’s goodness and the goodness you share every day with each other,” Bonnar said.