Enlarge image
Demonstrators in front of the Church of England in London
Photo: IMAGO/Vuk Valcic / IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
Same-sex couples should be able to be blessed in the Anglican Church after a civil marriage in the future.
The general synod responsible, a kind of ecclesiastical parliament, voted in favor of this on Thursday after hours of debate in London.
However, couples are still not allowed to celebrate church marriages.
Some welcomed the decision as a long-awaited step forward, while for others it didn't go far enough.
The chief bishops, Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell, wrote in a joint statement that the Church of England would "for the first time openly, joyfully and unreservedly welcome same-sex couples into the church".
It was "a long way to get to this point".
In its vote, the General Synod recognized that the Church had long neglected to welcome members of sexual minorities.
It may be a few months before couples can actually be blessed.
The bishops still have to set guidelines for this, which the British news agency PA says will happen at the next synod in July.
lmd/dpa
