US Episcopal Church approves same-sex marriages

he US Episcopal Church announces that it approved ceremonies for same-sex marriages, shortly after the Supreme Court legalized the practice across country.

"As state law permits, Canons now permit ALL couples to be married in TEC," the church announced in a Twitter posting, referring to the Episcopal Church, holding its general convention in Utah.

The church vote came after a landmark decision Friday by the US Supreme Court required all 50 states to recognize marriages between people of the same sex.

The US Episcopal Church will allow same-sex marriages, but also will not require clergy to perform them if they object to doing so, they said.

The church is a branch of the 80 million-member Anglican Communion, with churches across the globe and its origins in the Church of England.

Saturday, the Church elected Bishop Michael Curry as its next presiding bishop, making him the first African-American leader of the US group.