British PM Boris Johnson marries in Catholic Church, breaking Protestant tradition

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson married his now-wife Carrie Symonds in a private Catholic ceremony on May 29.

Jun 19, 2021

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds married in a private Catholic ceremony on May 29, 2021.


LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson married his now-wife Carrie Symonds in a  private Catholic ceremony on May 29.

The couple surprised Catholics after Johnson broke from Protestant tradition and married in the Catholic Church at Westminister Cathedral in London.

The twice-divorced Prime Minister stirred controversy as Catholics questioned the validity of the ceremony. However, Church authorities ensured the public of the blessed marriage.

“The bride and groom are both parishioners of the Westminster Cathedral parish and baptized Catholic,” a Westminister Cathedral spokesperson told the Sunday Times.

“All necessary steps were taken, in both church and civil law, and all formalities completed before the wedding. We wish them every happiness.”

Fr. Mark Drew of Archdiocese of Liverpool also questioned the marriage in a viral tweet.

“Can anyone explain to me how ‘Boris’ Johnson, who left the Catholic Church while at Eton  and is twice divorced, can be married at Westminster Cathedral, while I have to tell practicing  Catholics in good standing who want a second  marriage in Church that it’s not possible?”

Fr Gary Dench of Brentwood Cathedral explained the validity of Johnson’s marriage in a  Twitter thread. Fr Dench studies Canon Law at  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.

He said that despite receiving Confirmation  in the Anglican Church, his recent marriage remains blessed in the Catholic Church.

Here’s a portion of his explanation below:

“Boris Johnson remained bound by ecclesiastical laws in force and which were binding on  him as a Catholic when he contracted his previous marriages. These marriages were, therefore,  governed by both natural law and canon law,” Fr Dench said.

Fr Dench added that neither of Johnson’s  previous marriages took place in the Catholic Church. Therefore, since Johnson is a baptized  Catholic, the Church does not recognise either  of them.

“…Marriages of Catholics which do not take  place before such lawful ecclesiastical authority  are invalid. This applies to marriages in registry  offices, hotels, non-Catholic Churches, beaches,  Elvis impersonators, etc., etc,” he explained.

“These cases do not require a formal annulment procedure. It is a brief documentary process which the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of  Westminster would have investigated before  the Prime Minister’s wedding could have gone  ahead.”

Boris Johnson is the first baptised Catholic  to ever serve as Prime Minister of the United  Kingdom. He and Carrie Symonds also baptised their child in the Catholic Church on Sept  12, 2020 at Westminster Cathedral.

Let us pray for Boris Johnson and his family!  ––churchpop.com

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