THE Vicar of Llangollen and his partner had their civil partnership blessed during a special service in the town.

On Saturday, November 13, Father Lee Taylor and Fabiano Da Silva Duarte became what is believed to be the first same-sex couple to be officially blessed by the Church in Wales.

Family and friends watched on as the Bishop of St Asaph, Rt Rev Gregory Cameron, blessed the civil partnership at St Collen's church, Llangollen.

Their partnership received the blessing of the Rt Rev Gregory Cameron who said it had been a "committed and fruitful" one.

Prayers and readings were interspersed by music from the church's own resident choir and the Lleisiau'r Afon Ladies' Choir.

Later there was a reception in the adjacent parish hall.

The ceremony was made possible by the fact that the Church in Wales recently passed a historic vote to allow same-sex couples to have their marriage/civil partnerships blessed in church using a new liturgical rite.