The primordial sacrament instituted by God to the end that, by means of the legitimate union of a man and woman, children are procreated and formed for service to God and the preservation of the human race (cf. Genesis 1:28). By the fruits of his passion, Christ elevated the dignity of the sacrament to serve as a reflection of his relationship with the Church, as St. Paul compares the husband to Christ and the wife to the Church (cf. Ephesians 5:23-25).