As the rate of divorce in Iran increases, a strange new phenomenon is reportedly emerging in Tehran Province: ‘divorce ceremonies’. While some divorces may mark the necessary end to an abusive or adulterous marriage, Christians should pray earnestly for the many who are enduring the pain of divorce, and pray that fewer people would want or need to go through such ‘divorce ceremonies’. The Islamic Republic has the fourth highest divorce rate in the world, according to its office for births, marriages and deaths. The year Tehran alone saw a 6% rise in couples splitting up. Now middle class intellectuals in Tehran who are going through divorce have started a new trend: elaborate ceremonies involving invitations, a ‘divorce cake’ and a hammer used to destroy the wedding ring. The father of one divorcee explained he was attending her divorce ceremony to celebrate his daughter's freedom and raise her self-esteem. God’s intention for marriage is for it to be a blessing to both partners, to their family and to the wider community. Let us pray that marriage in Iran will increasingly reflect this good model. Let us pray that many broken marriages would soon find healing and a new start in Jesus and that divorce ceremonies will become a thing of the past. Pray for: •The children affected by divorce and by unhealthy marriages •Healthier and happier marriages •Decrease in divorce