Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo on Saturday told the clergy in the Archdiocese of Nairobi not to bless same-sex couples in a move seen to be defiant to the declaration by Pope Francis who had earlier in the week issued a declaration calling on priests and bishops worldwide to bless same-sex couples.
In his statement, Archbishop Anyolo protested at Pope Francis' decision holding that the Catholic Church and the Christian religion in general only recognise the institution of marriage as being between a man and a woman.
The clergyman stated that any deviation from this goes against the principles of religion.
"This Declaration confirms and reiterates the perennial teaching of the Church that marriage is to be affirmed as an "exclusive, stable and indissoluble union of a man and a woman, naturally open to the generation of children" (n. 4)," the statement read.
The Archbishop went further to state that the church did not have the power to be able to bless same-sex couples.
He further pointed out that same-sex marriages go against African cultural traditions, affirming that such a proposal was unwelcome.
"The word of God also strongly condemns such unions. The African cultural traditions equally detest it as it is dearly against transmission of life," he stated.
The Nairobi Archbishop added that it is due to these reasons that those who live in irregular situations of marriage are not allowed by the church and are excluded from full sacramental participation.
In his declaration, Archbishop Anyolo called on all clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi not to bless same-sex couples.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria lauded Archbishop Anyolo's statement remarking that the declaration by the Pope is not acceptable in Kenya.
“The decision by Archbishop Anyolo on blessing same-sex couples is the position of all of us from the Roman Catholic Church in Kenya. We will never accept same-sex couples in the Kenyan Church, with utmost and profound respect and reverence to the Pope,” Kuria stated in a post
Catholic bishops in Kenya Led by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Chairman Archbishop Martin Kivuva came out on Wednesday to issue a clarification claiming that the Pope did not allow priests and bishops to bless same-sex marriages.
The clergymen had stated that the Pope only referred to simple blessings that are not given in a liturgical setting.
