Church in Wales approves bill for gay marriage blessing/Image: Getty Images

The Church in Wales approved a bill on Wednesday (April 15) to make gay marriage blessings a permanent part of its services, with the move supported by an overwhelming majority.This means that same-sex couples can continue to have their marriage or civil partnership blessed in the Church. The words used for these ceremonies will now be officially included in the Book of Common Prayer, which guides how services are conducted.The decision was taken by the church’s 143-member governing body. To pass, the motion required a two-thirds majority among three groups, bishops, clergy, and lay members. Common members voted 48 in favor against eight, while two abstained. The clergy supported it by 32 votes to seven, with five abstentions. The bishops approved this measure without any objection.The Ashirwad service was first launched in 2021 as a temporary move, with a trial period set to run until the end of 2026. Church officials said the move to make it permanent came after several years of discussion and feedback from across the church.Even with the change, individual priests will still be allowed to opt out if they do not wish to perform such blessings.Those in favor said the decision was about making the church more inclusive. The Bishop of St. Asaph, Gregory Cameron, spoke about the harm that LGBT people face when they are rejected. He shared the example of a young man who avoided talking to his parents for years because he feared how they would react to his sexuality. He said, “Please can’t we be a church that causes this kind of pain.”The Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard, also supported the move. He said someone close to him had struggled deeply because of attitudes toward his sexuality within the church, describing it as a “culture of shame.” He said allowing the blessings in 2021 had been “something good and beautiful.”However, not everyone agreed with this change. Some members warned that this could lead to division. Andy Grimwood, a pastor, said he feared the decision would lead to unity and could lead to people leaving the church.The Rev. Melanie Prince said she had spoken to members of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, who urged the church not to move away from traditional teachings. Another member, Julia Schultz, said the blessing resembles a wedding service and raises concerns about staying true to long-held beliefs.The move also highlights the difference between the Church of Wales and the Church of England, which does not currently confer such blessings. Some see this as a possible sign that more changes may be coming in the future.The decision comes after Cherie Vaughn became Archbishop of Wales in July 2025, the first woman and first openly LGBT+ person to hold the position. She has said that she wants the church to better reflect the diversity of modern society.