A Moray couple have made history by becoming the first in the north-east to be married in a same-sex church wedding ceremony.
The duo, who did not wish to be named, were among the first in Scotland to tie the knot, following the Scottish Episcopal Church’s decision to implement new rules this summer.
The vote to amend canon law and allow same-sex couples to be married in church came during the church’s General Synod in Edinburgh.
The move made it the first branch of the Anglican faith in the UK to allow same-sex marriage and was welcomed by equal rights campaigners.
Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said: “I am always delighted when couples seek to affirm their love in the House of God and it is a delight all are now able to do so.”
The wedding is believed to have taken place earlier this month with other same-sex weddings also held in SEC churches in Edinburgh and Glasgow on the same day.
Peter Matthews and Alistair Dinnie made history when they were married at St John’s Church, Edinburgh, which is run by the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC).
Rev Markus Dunzkofer, the rector at St John’s, said: “I have blessed marriages in other Anglican provinces and always had to stop short of the vows.
“It felt like something was cut off, like something wasn’t right.
“Finally, being able to do the whole thing felt like the fulfilment of where the spirit had been telling us to get to. It completely made sense, it all came together.”
However, it could lead to action being taken against the church by the Anglican Communion, the international association of the world’s third largest Christian movement, at a meeting next week.
SEC members voted to remove the doctrinal clause which stated that marriage is a “union of one man and one woman”, replacing it with a clause which asserts that clergy who do not wish to preside over same-sex weddings will not be compelled to do so “against their conscience”.
Rev Dunzkofer said he will pray that Anglican leaders do not take action, adding: “Quite literally, God only knows what will happen.”