Philippines LGBT church holds mass wedding for same-sex couples

Manila, June 24 (IANS) A LGBT church in the Philippines' Quezon city on Sunday held a mass wedding for same-sex couples.

The mass wedding at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight (LGBTS) Christian Church started at 8 a.m. in the morning, reports Efe news.

The Church, which had been at the forefront of a campaign urging the Philippines government to pass a marriage equality bill, holds mass LGBT weddings, known as Holy Unions, every year.

The Church's website clarifies that the ceremony is pure rituals, without the legal sanctity of a heterosexual marriage ceremony.

"Unfortunately, in the Philippines we have no Marriage Equality Law or the Same-Sex Marriage Law yet," a guideline on the same sex Holy Union on the website said.

The country's Supreme Court on June 19 began hearing a petition that urged the government to legalise same-sex marriage in the country.