Catholic churches around Germany were offering blessings for gay couples on Monday in a protest against the Vatican s refusal to approve same-sex partnerships.
More than 100 churches around the country have signed up to host services under the motto love wins on or around May 10 in the scheme initiated by priests, deacons and volunteers.
At the services, all couples will be invited to be blessed - regardless of sexual orientation.
A rainbow flag is seen on the wall of a Catholic church as the building is open for same-sex couples to receive a blessing in Cologne, Germany, May 10
Vicar Wolfgang Rothe, left, blesses the couple Christine Walter, center, and Almut Muenster, right, during a Catholic service in St Benedict s Church in Munich, Sunday, May 9. Germany s Catholic progressives are openly defying a recent Holy See pronouncement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions by offering exactly such blessings at services in about 100 different churches all over the country
Protestant Tanja and Catholic Claudia have been together since 2017 and married since 2019. We are both people of faith, and we find it immensely important to testify to God that we are committed to each other, that we belong to each other, Ms Hollas told AFP.
The pair also wanted to show that people no longer have to hide , she said, adding: Love can never be wrong.
Vicar Wolfgang Rothe, center, blesses two men during a Catholic service with the blessing of same-sex couples in St Benedict s Church in Munich on Sunday.
DPA Cannot bless sin
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the powerful Vatican office responsible for defending church doctrine, handed down a ruling in March that same-sex unions could not be blessed despite their positive elements .