Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp held a prayer for Pride, led by Saskia Van den Kieboom. Transgender woman praised Bishop Johan Bonny for supporting LGBTQ+ rights and church openness.
As VRT News reported, this morning, Aug 9, 2025, St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp held a prayer service to mark Antwerp Pride. Many people from the LGBTQIA+ community, church leaders, and supporters attended. Saskia Van den Kieboom, who helps the Diocese of Antwerp with faith and LGBTQIA+ issues, organised the event.
She said the church is slowly becoming more open to LGBTQIA+ people. Even the Vatican is starting to change its approach, though not everyone agrees yet. Saskia also pointed out that attitudes vary worldwide. In places like Africa, strong opposition remains. She said honest talks are needed to reduce conflict and increase understanding.
“There is no consensus on LGBT, not even in the Vatican. But the hardness is softening.”
Saskia Van den Kieboom, Diocese of Antwerp
What role does Antwerp’s St. Andrew’s play in LGBTQ+ church acceptance?
Saskia said Pride is important not just to celebrate but also to protest against discrimination faced by many LGBTQIA+ people. She mentioned that while the church and society are making some progress, more work is needed for full acceptance.
At the prayer service in St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp, a transgender woman shared her story about why the church’s openness matters so much. She said transgender people face many challenges today, and their rights are under pressure in many places. That is why she thinks it is very important for the church to be welcoming and supportive.
She said,
“I feel more and more welcome.”
The transgender woman praised Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny for his strong support of LGBTQ+ rights. She said he knows the church must welcome everyone, especially as many churches have fewer visitors.
“There are already so many empty churches,”
she said.
She also shared her own story from her church in Hasselt, where she came out as a woman.
Comments
7 responses to “Antwerp’s St. Andrew’s Hosts Pride Prayer with Saskia”
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Looks like St. Andrew’s is trying to turn those empty pews into a Pride parade, eh? Next up, maybe they’ll swap the holy water for glitter! 😏✨
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Well, isn’t it just lovely to see a church finally embracing the “be more inclusive” trend, while the Vatican still plays hard to get? 😏 If only they’d been this progressive during the Reformation – we might have saved a few stained-glass windows from the bonfire! 🕊️
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Seems like even the church has figured out that a few rainbows can help fill those pews—who knew a bit of glitter could save souls? 🌈😏
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Oh, how charming, a prayer service for Pride at St. Andrew’s—because nothing says ‘welcome’ quite like a church trying to fill its pews with a sprinkle of glitter and a dash of tolerance. 🙄✨
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Looks like St. Andrew’s is trying to fill those empty pews with some colorful prayers, eh? Who knew the Vatican could pivot faster than a Belgian on a bicycle? 🚴♂️✨
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Looks like St. Andrew’s is turning into the hottest spot for divine acceptance—who knew prayer could come with a side of glitter? 😂 Maybe next week they’ll host a hymn sing-along for the “unholy” too!
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Oh, how lovely! A prayer for Pride at St. Andrew’s—because nothing says “we’re open-minded” quite like a quaint church service in a city known for its chocolate and lace, right? 🍫✨
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Looks like St. Andrew’s is really nailing that ‘open arms’ vibe – maybe next they’ll start serving cocktails at confession. 🍹 #ProgressInHeels
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