Catholic priests can now bless same-sex couples across a part of Meghalaya under the Archdiocese of Shillong.
The blessing, however, will be without any type of ritual of the church that resembles a marriage rite, a declaration issued by Victor Lyngdoh, the Archbishop of Shillong said on Friday.
Also read: Pope Francis approves blessings for same-sex couples if the rituals don’t resemble marriage
“The declaration stresses the pastoral meaning of blessings. This is a spontaneous prayer of a priest with informal words. This is not to be mistaken as the official liturgical and ritual blessings of the church during a marriage,” he said.
“Therefore, the declaration does not change the Catholic Doctrine of Marriage and the blessing does not signify the approval of the union,” the Archbishop’s letter addressed to the priests and faithful of the Archdiocese of Shillong said.
The Archbishop said the Archdiocese of Shillong, catering to more than 2.65 lakh Catholics spread in 5,196 sq. km of land in Meghalaya, followed the approval of same-sex marriage by Pope Francis on December 18.
Users of social media platforms appreciated the Archdiocese’s move. “Catholic same-sex couples can now request the blessing of their priest. Not yet marriage but loving acknowledgment,” Shillong-based filmmaker and activist Tarun Bhartiya said.
The Archdiocese of Shillong was established in 1934.
