Overview
- Pope Leo XIV, speaking Thursday on his flight back from Equatorial Guinea, said the Holy See does not accept formalized ceremonies for same‑sex couples beyond what Pope Francis allowed.
- Munich’s Cardinal Reinhard Marx recently authorized blessings for same‑sex couples in his archdiocese, citing a 2025 German handbook that proposes concrete liturgies for such rites.
- By Saturday, Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing and ZdK president Irme Stetter‑Karp defended the handbook, saying the rites are pastorally needed and do not mimic marriage.
- Leo drew a line between set ceremonies and broad pastoral blessings, noting priests may bless all people at the end of Mass but should not stage rites that resemble weddings.
- Practices now diverge across Germany, leaving couples’ access to a blessing dependent on their diocese, while bishops say they will consult on next steps in light of the Pope’s remarks.