Blessings for the union of gay couples can be officially given in the Catholic Church in Germany from 2026, with the majority of German bishops and laity Catholic organizations gathering at a synod on Friday.
The decision causes German Catholics to once again challenge the Vatican, which considers homosexuality a sin.
In 2021 and 2022, some Catholic priests will hold weddings for gay couples across Germany. Friday’s vote could expand the movement.
Of the delegates who attended the Synod on Friday, 176 spoke out to celebrate homosexual union, 14 opposed it and 12 abstained. This equates to her 92.6% approval.
A majority of bishops also voted in favor, with 38 “yes”, 9 “against” and 12 abstaining from celebrating gay marriages.
In their dioceses, bishops are free to act despite the decision of Friday’s Synod.
In 2021, the Vatican’s Ministry of Doctrine issued a memo deeming homosexuality a “sin” and confirming that same-sex couples cannot undergo the Sacrament of Marriage.
In January 2022, 100 gay German Catholics, priests, or people associated with their parish came out to denounce the church’s “discriminatory” policies.
Despite the fact that the number of believers is declining, Catholicism is still the first confessor in Germany, followed by Protestant churches.
Source: Diario.Elmundo
