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Berlin Protestant Church Backs Pastor Targeted Over Blessing of Four Men

Leaders describe the Kreuzberg rite as a blessing, not a wedding, under rules that require a prior civil marriage.

Overview

  • The Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia said the pastor has been subjected to massive online abuse and stated it stands with her.
  • Church officials clarified that the ceremony cannot count as a marriage in church records because a civil certificate is a prerequisite for an official wedding.
  • Bishop Christian Stäblein said claims of polygamy tied to the event are groundless in this context.
  • Provost Christina-Maria Bammel reiterated that evangelical weddings bless the union of two loving people.
  • Reporting identifies the pastor as Lena Müller, who offered a spontaneous blessing at a pop-up event after the men requested it, noting that multi-person relationships are legal in Germany but multi-party civil marriages are not.