On Easter Sunday, a South African church married off about 1,500 couples during a huge celebration.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church organized the mass weddings. It’s a regular Easter tradition for them.
Many grooms took more than one bride. Some men were marrying their sixth or even seventh wife.
The church supports polygamy, which is part of many African cultural traditions. They’ve blended that into their Pentecostal Christian beliefs.
“Polygamy is not only embraced but held in high regard in the church,” said church spokesman Vusi Ndala.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church started in the early 1960s. It was founded by Africans, not missionaries, and mixes local customs with Christian worship.
Polygamy and Worship Under One Roof
This year’s event was their biggest ever. Last year, around 400 couples were married. This time, the number nearly quadrupled.
Ndala explained why: “A large number of men [are] marrying more than one wife at a time.”
He said some grooms came along with their current wives to take more brides. In some cases, all the wives joined the ceremony together.
The church hosted the wedding at its headquarters in Heidelberg, near Johannesburg. The main building looks like a giant dome and can seat 60,000 people.
White tents were set up outside to manage the crowd. The couples received flowers, food packs, and water while they waited.
The brides wore white gowns. The grooms wore white suits with red ties. They walked into the church in long lines.
Legal and Cultural Background
South African law allows polygamy under customary marriage. This means men can have more than one wife if the marriage follows traditional customs and is legally registered.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church says their weddings respect both religious beliefs and cultural traditions. Many followers see polygamy as a way of growing families and community bonds.
The church continues to draw thousands of followers with its colorful mix of worship, culture, and shared life events.
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