Shillong: The Catholic Church in Meghalaya announced that its priests will be allowed to bless same-sex couples sans any marriage rites, days after Pope Francis approved blessings for such couples.
The declaration brought about major changes in the Catholic Church organisation in the northeastern state with over 10 lakh population.
"The Catholic Church issued the declaration 'Fiducia Supplicans' approved by Pope Francis. With this, it will be possible for a Catholic priest to bless same-sex couples but without any type of ritual of the Church that resembles a marriage rite," Archbishop of Shillong, Victor Lyngdoh said in statement on Friday.