A Christian couple in the Dominican Republic has become the first pair to marry under a new law recognizing religious weddings not held in a Roman Catholic Church.
The newly effective Law 198-11 allowed Baldwin Rodriguez and Leidy Laura Cabreja to have an officially recognized Jehovah’s Witness wedding ceremony on Wednesday, 28 August.
Instead of holding it at their church, though, the couple was married at the headquarters of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), which oversees civil records, so they could immediately have their marriage certificate recorded. They were married by Pastor Rafael Ortiz Wessin in a ceremony conducted by JCE president Roberto Rosario.
Up till now, marriages only received legal recognition if held at the civil registry or in a Catholic ceremony.
The second non-Catholic wedding is due to take place on 19 October in the Christian Incorporated Church.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/8/29/290080/Una-iglesia-no-catolica-casa-a-primera-pareja-en-emotivo-acto
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dominican-republic-catholic-weddings-20101908