German Catholic Church to give blessing to gay couples from 2026

The Catholic Church in Germany will officially be able to hold blessing ceremonies for homosexual couples from March 2026, an assembly focussed on reforming the Church decided on Friday.

Of the 202 members of the Synodal Assembly, 176 voted in favour, 14 against and 12 abstained. The required two-thirds majority of the bishops was therefore exceeded.

The three years until the change takes effect are to be used to work on the liturgical format of the ceremony with the participation of the bishops.

Allowing blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples was a key demand in the Synodal Path reform process, which has been under way since 2019, and was seen as a litmus test for the Catholic Church's ability to reform itself in Germany.