Pope Francis has stated that he believes those who criticize his decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples will eventually come to understand it, with the exception of Africans, whom he referred to as a “special case”.
According to Reuters, the Pope acknowledged that Africans perceive homosexuality negatively from a cultural perspective. He stated that “in general, I trust that gradually everyone will be reassured by the spirit of the ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ declaration by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: it aims to include, not divide”.
This refers to a Vatican document called Fiducia Supplicans, which sparked widespread debate in the Catholic Church and around the world when it allowed blessings for same-sex couples in December. However, the Vatican made it clear that blessings should not be included in regular church ceremonies or linked to civil unions or weddings, emphasizing that it continues to view marriage as between a man and a woman.
The Pope recognized that the document generated resistance, particularly in Africa, where same-sex activity can result in severe consequences such as imprisonment or even capital punishment. When giving blessings, he stated that priests should “naturally take into account the context, the sensitivities, the places where one life and the most appropriate ways to do it”. However, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria announced that Catholic churches within the country would not bless same-sex unions as it would go against God’s law, the teachings of the church, the laws of Nigeria, and the cultural sensibilities of the people. The bishops argued that there was a misinterpretation of Pope Francis’s decision to allow the blessing of same-sex marriage.