The Archdiocese of Corrientes pledges canonical action after a trans couple’s Church “marriage” sparks controversy and debate in Argentina.
Newsroom (11/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) In an incident that has stirred debate across Argentina’s religious community, the Archdiocese of Corrientes announced it will initiate canonical disciplinary measures after a “sacrament of marriage” was celebrated between two transgender individuals at the parish of Our Lady of Pompeii on January 28. Church officials said the ceremony was not authorized and warned that altering essential elements of the sacrament could lead to “confusion among the faithful.”
A Controversial Ceremony
The event involved two transgender people—one biologically male and the other biologically female—who each legally changed their names and genders on their National Identity Documents under Argentina’s Gender Identity Law. One of them, Solange Ayala, a well-known activist and trans leader from Corrientes, described the ceremony in an interview with Radio Sudamericana as “a blessing that recognized our love in the eyes of the Church.”
Ayala said the couple’s journey toward the altar began when they heard about the Pompeii parish’s openness to LGBT members. “We went through the process like anyone else,” she explained. “We started our marriage application, met with the friar, and he welcomed us warmly.”
According to her account, the priest consulted the archbishop before the ceremony and reportedly found “no obstacle” to proceeding. “He told us there was nothing he could object to because, biologically, we were a man and a woman—so we could be blessed under the sacrament of marriage,” Ayala said.
She added that the parish managed their documentation properly, noting that although their baptismal certificates carried their former names, the new marriage record reflected their current legal names.
Denial and Disciplinary Action by the Archdiocese
Soon after news of the ceremony spread, the Archdiocese of Corrientes released a formal statement denying any authorization for it. The statement emphasized that the archdiocese had “at no time received the ecclesiastical documentation corresponding to the formalities required for the treatment of these cases.”
The archdiocese reaffirmed that Christian marriage “requires the fulfillment of certain essential conditions for its validity and licitness, as established by Canon Law and the living tradition of the Church.” It warned that omitting these conditions “distorts the profound meaning of the sacrament and can generate confusion within the community of the faithful.”
In response, Church authorities announced an internal investigation and the adoption of “formal canonical disciplinary measures that may correspond,” acting in accordance with Canon Law.
The Parish’s Response
Friar Fernando Luis Gómez, the parish priest of Our Lady of Pompeii, also issued a statement clarifying that the parish “acted following the pastoral guidance and ecclesial norm of the ordinary.” He reiterated that a valid Christian marriage requires specific canonical conditions—legal competence, absence of impediments, and genuine consent as understood by the Church.
“It is not simply a matter of ceremony or documentation,” Gómez explained. “It demands integrity and faith in what the Church teaches.” Respecting the privacy of those involved, he declined to offer further details but reaffirmed his commitment to “an authentic pastoral welcome, always united to the truth of the sacrament.”
Strengthening Future Procedures
Following the controversy, Gómez announced that the parish will reinforce its interview and verification procedures “to safeguard the sanctity of the sacraments and avoid confusion in the community.” The Archdiocese echoed this commitment, emphasizing its mission to be “a Church that welcomes, accompanies, and walks alongside people—always in fidelity to the Gospel, to the doctrine of the Church, and to the proper legal order ensuring the fruitful celebration of the sacraments.”
This episode has become emblematic of broader tensions within Catholicism in Argentina, where Church leaders balance pastoral openness with adherence to longstanding doctrine. As the Archdiocese of Corrientes moves forward with disciplinary proceedings, the case highlights both the complexities of identity in the modern Church and the enduring debate over the boundaries of tradition and inclusion.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Infocatholica
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