TESTIMONY. “After 31 refusals, we were finally able to get married in the church”

“It’s a day I’ll never forget. We’re surrounded by so much love. It’s the perfect wedding!” exclaims David, taking the arm of Shane, who is now her husband. Under a sky as blue as the suit of the bride and groom, the photo is beautiful. But what pains and disappointments before arriving there! On this October 21, on the steps of the church in Wanstead, England, love and immense pride shine in the eyes of the bride and groom.

Shane Yerrel, 39, and David Sparrey, 30, met in 2014 through a mutual friend. And in 2019, while on vacation in Crete, on a beach, David, an engineer, asked for Shane’s hand. Even if the two men only go to mass every six weeks, they are deeply religious, very attached to the tradition of a church wedding and they intend to seal their love before the altar. Same-sex marriage being authorized in the United Kingdom, as in France, since 2013, the couple thinks that this should not pose any difficulties…

“Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson understood that this was a sincere commitment of love”

But the Anglican Church, like the Roman Catholic Church, does not allow same-sex unions. These blessings, if they occur, are not considered “lawful”. “I couldn’t find a priest who would agree to unite us! I spent more than fifteen hours on the phone and received 31 refusals! Honestly, I was about to give up”, confides Shane to the newspaper Bristol Post.

Fortunately, some pastors agree to accompany the couples, it is still necessary to find them and convince them. However, Shane does not lose faith in his project. “I met the Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson. She understood that it was a commitment of sincere love. According to her, there was no reason to refuse us this sacrament, remembers Shane . I literally screamed for joy and jumped all over the room.”

“A lot of gay people think it’s impossible, but don’t give up!”

And in October, there were therefore a hundred diners at the church to witness the happiest day of their lives, joined by forty more guests at the party given at the town hall of Waltham Abbey, where Shane is assistant to the mayor. “A lot of gay people think it’s impossible, but don’t give up! Many priests are still afraid that their flock will reproach them for their approval, because it’s not allowed by the Bible.

But this is not the case for everyone. Fortunately, because love is love, whether you are gay or straight”, conclude our two lovebirds. As proof, these words of the Reverend Henry-Robinson: “This is a proud moment for us. It is important to be able to welcome all members of the local community on an equal footing. “Hallelujah!