The Vatican has allowed gays to become priests and enter seminaries, Euronewsreports . Updated rules for training priests were published on the website of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Italy.

According to them, seminary directors should take into account the sexual preferences of a candidate for priesthood, but they should consider this only as one aspect of the personality. However, as for heterosexual priests, the requirement of celibacy remains – candidates should not engage in sexual relations.

“When it comes to homosexual tendencies in the educational process, it is also appropriate not to limit the consideration to this aspect alone, but to understand its significance within the framework of the entire personality of the young person,” the text says.

It is noted that Italian bishops approved the document in November. The text is accompanied by a note from the Vatican clergy confirming that the recommendations are valid for a three-year trial period.

The Catholic Church's leadership has not banned homosexuals from the priesthood in the past, but in 2016 it ordered that seminaries not accept men with "deep-rooted homosexual tendencies."

What else is known

In 2024, the Vatican allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, but did not allow them to perform marriage ceremonies. In addition, transgender people were allowed to be baptized, godparents, and witnesses at religious weddings.

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Cover: Illustrative photo from catholicsun.org