The announcement below has been taken and translated from the official Facebook page of ISKCON’s Brazilian Governing Body.

The Brazilian Governing Body ( CGB ) of ISKCON ( International Society for Krishna Consciousness ) clarifies about a same-sex marriage that would have been performed by the institution. The ceremony happened in a private space, with no formal connection to the institution, and the priest, Rama Putra Das, an active member of ISKCON since 1984, performed the ceremony that he referred to as “a blessing ceremony” (mangala) for the couple, which made a vow of fidelity during the event. He acted independently and according to his own understanding and personal convictions.

At the same time, and acknowledging that this is an important question that must be analyzed, we would like to take this opportunity to inform that in 2016 the CGB designated a comission to perform a study about the possibility of same-sex religious marriage as a means to welcome couples, within the Brazilian territory, that would desire to come closer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, also through this sacrament. Although our proceedings were inconclusive at that time, we are attentive to the resolutions of the Governing Body Comission (GBC) and the Sastric Advisory Committee (SAC), and we will submit to them a query on this subject.

We desire that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement of congregational chanting may reach its purpose as the most simple and sublime means of self-realization in the modern age, and that it may continue to equally favor all individuals to live the experience of servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Hoping that all is well with everyone, we gratefully keep on serving you.

Executive Commitee of the Brazilian Governing Body

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