Gay marriage has been a major issue for many across the country for the past few decades. Now, a church in the US has announced support for the same-sex relationships. The Presbyterian Church has approved gay marriage and has recognized it amid many beliefs and disbeliefs in such marriages.

Last year, the redefinition was permitted by the church General Assembly, or top legislative body. However, approval from a majority of the denomination's 171 regional districts, or presbyteries was also required. The 86th vote, which was required to approve the same-sex marriage in the church, came on Tuesday. With this vote from the Presbytery of the Palisades in New Jersey, same-sex couples can tie the knot in church.

According to the Rev. Robin White, a leader of More Light Presbyterians, which supports for gay acceptance, "So many families headed by LGBTQ couples have been waiting for decades to enter this space created for their families within their church communities".

Same-sex couples can go to the church from June 21 for committing to each other for the whole life. There are approximately 1.8 million members and about 10,000 congregations of the denomination. It has now become the largest Protestant group, which has approved gay weddings in churches.

According to the Rev. Paul Detterman, national director of The Fellowship Community, which is a network of conservative Presbyterian churches that supported the denomination, his organization will continue conversing with those, who have different opinions. According to him, the Fellowship's opposition to the amendment is not done against gays, but they want to take care of the traditional Bible view of marriage.

The 1.1 million-member United Church of Christ became the first major Protestant denomination, which supported the same-sex marriage in 2005.