Homosexual bishop participates in civil union ceremony

AP - 6/9/2008 10:00:00 AMvar addthis_pub = 'onenewsnow';

CONCORD, NH - The first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop and his partner of 20 years have been united in a private civil union.

The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire has announced that the Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson was legally joined to Mark Andrew, his partner of 20 years, in a civil ceremony Saturday. Civil unions became legal in New Hampshire this year.

The union was performed five years to the day after New Hampshire Episcopalians elected him as their bishop. The civil ceremony and a following religious service of thanksgiving were both held at St. Paul's Church in Concord.

Robinson had made public his intention to join his partner, but had kept the date secret out of concern about security. About 120 family and close friends attended.

New Hampshire's civil union law gives homosexuals all the rights and responsibilities of marriage, which includes inheritance and other rights enjoyed by married couples.