A quarter of the 333 gay and lesbian couples who got married last year did it in the Norwegian Church.
Gay and lesbian couples were allowed to marry legally in Norway in 2009. In February of last year, it was allowed to be wed in the Norwegian Church. According to Stavanger Aftenblad, there were 194 civil weddings, and 82 same sex weddings by the church last year. There were also 46 marriages in other religious communities and 11 abroad.
Acting bishop in Stavanger, Anne Lise Ådnøy says the figures are as expected.
– “Many had been waiting for this day and have planned for a very long time to marry as soon as possible. Therefore, I do not believe that the number of weddings in the church between people of the same sex will increase in the coming years. Perhaps either the opposite,” says Ådnøy.
Chairman of the Free Rogaland Association for Gender and Sexuality, Benjamin Erikstad does not care about the figures.
– “The number of marriages is not important. What matters is that same sex couples have the opportunity to marry in the church if they wish,” says Erikstad to the newspaper.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
