Church in Wales Votes to Make Same-Sex Blessings Permanent
The Church in Wales voted on April 16, 2026, to permanently add same-sex blessing services to its Welsh Book of Common Prayer, ending a five-year trial period. The measure passed with strong majorities across all three orders of bishops, clergy, and lay members.
The Church in Wales voted on April 16, 2026, to make the blessing of same-sex marriages and civil partnerships a permanent part of its worship, incorporating the liturgy into the Welsh Book of Common Prayer.
The governing body approved the bill with wide margins. Lay members voted 48 to eight in favor, with two abstentions. Clergy voted 32 to seven, with five abstentions. Bishops confirmed the bill with no objections.
The blessing service was first introduced in October 2021 as a five-year trial. That trial was set to expire by the end of September 2026. The vote makes the provision permanent before that deadline.
The bill includes a conscience clause allowing individual clergy to opt out of offering the service if they disagree with it.
Bishop of St Asaph Gregory Cameron, who championed the rite, said the church should not inflict the pain of rejection on its LGBT members. Bishop of Llandaff Mary Stallard called the blessing service "something good and beautiful."
Archbishop of Wales Cherry Vann, who is in a same-sex relationship, said withdrawing the welcome would feel "the very opposite of life-giving."
The decision marks a clear difference from the Church of England, which in February 2026 chose not to authorize a permanent stand-alone blessing rite. Some speakers in Wales opposed the bill, warning it could cause division within the wider Anglican community.
Church leaders have pledged to draft any future marriage proposals with protections for clergy conscience, ahead of a possible 2027 vote on same-sex marriage in Church in Wales buildings.
