Same-sex couple married in historic church despite church-wide division

A same-sex couple in Lemi, Joona and Toni Sahamies, were married in their home parish’s historic 200-year-old church last summer, despite ongoing division within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland over same-sex marriages.

The church’s highest decision-making body, the Church Assembly, rejected a proposal to expand the definition of marriage last year. The motion received 60% support but required 75% to pass.

Bishops have since issued guidance allowing church buildings to be used for same-sex weddings, but practices vary by parish. Some permit same-sex weddings in their churches, while others do not.

The Sahamies couple secured their ceremony after contacting their parish’s vicar and a church council member, who initiated the use of the church for their wedding. Joona Sahamies, the son of two priests, had always wanted a church wedding, while Toni Sahamies’ dream of one grew over time.

Their wedding followed traditional customs, with Joona’s mother officiating. Instead of the standard reading from Genesis, the couple chose a passage stating, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” The celebration included rainbow-colored decorations, a groom’s “kidnapping,” and pink men’s underwear tossed instead of a garter.

“They were supposed to be epic gay weddings—and they were,” Toni Sahamies recalled.

While the couple celebrates that some same-sex weddings are now possible in churches, they note the inconsistency remains a problem, as not all couples can marry in their home parish church.

Disputes within parishes have centered on whether church buildings can be used for same-sex weddings. If a parish’s vicar and church council disagree, the matter is referred to the diocesan chapter, which has ruled in all ten cases over the past year that same-sex weddings may take place in church buildings.

Archbishop Tapio Luoma stated that parishes are free to make their own decisions on the use of church buildings. The church has no official data on how many parishes allow same-sex weddings, though some explicitly refuse.

Debate over same-sex marriages within the church has persisted for nearly a decade.