The first same-sex wedding in a UK Anglican church has taken place in Scotland.
The Church of England and Church in Wales are both legally banned from carrying out same-sex weddings, but the Scottish branch of Anglicanism, the Scottish Episcopal Church, is not bound by the same laws.
In a break from traditional Anglican teachings, the Scottish church voted to permit same-sex weddings this year after bishops, clergy and laity all overwhelmingly supported the change.
This month the first same-sex weddings took place in a Scottish church.
A Scottish Episcopal Church (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Edinburgh’s St John’s Church hosted the wedding of Peter Matthews and Alistair Dinnie earlier this month, believed to be the first such union in a SEC church.
Several others have followed suit, with churches in Glasgow and Moray also hosting same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Mr Matthews said: “As a young gay man I thought I would never, ever, get married, let alone married in a church.
“The opening liturgy of our ceremony emphasises how the love in our marriage reflects and reinforces the love of God and the love of Jesus, when he died for us on the cross.
“By getting married in church this is stating that this love is as bountiful for everyone equally.”
The ceremony was officiated by Rev Markus Dunzkofer, the rector at St John’s.
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