Pope Francis's recent decision authorizing Catholic Church officials to bless same-sex marriages has spurred a wave of backlash online.

A Vatican document approved by Francis was circulated on Monday, establishing that Roman Catholic priests may now provide blessings to same-sex unions, a significant shift for the church, which has traditionally opposed such marriages. As recently as 2021, the Vatican's official stance on the matter was that the church could not "bless sin."

The move is, however, not a complete shift to endorsing same-sex marriage. The blessings can only be performed outside of regular church rituals or liturgies and cannot be conducted at the same time as the actual wedding or whenever else the union officially begins.

Chosen to lead the Catholic Church in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Francis has made notable strides in advocating for culturally progressive ideas within the church. This has included softening the church's stance towards the LGBTQ+ community, as well as speaking out against consumerism, war and climate change. While these steps have been well-received by many, they have also been met with scorn by others, as was the case online in the wake of the same-sex blessings decision.