Nivin and Sachin. (image/theknot.com)
Kerala: Kerala-born couple Nivin and Sachin made history by becoming the first same-sex couple to receive a formal blessing at the 1,000-year-old St John the Baptist Church in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, UK. Their relationship, which began in 2017, has blossomed across borders, endured long-distance trials, culminating on Sunday, June 29, in the presence of close friends, family, and a warmly supportive congregation.
The couple’s journey started in Kerala, India, where they were introduced by mutual friends. Their bond strengthened over months of online conversations, shared life experiences, and the common struggle of coming to terms with their sexuality in a conservative society. Rejecting societal pressures of entering a forced heterosexual marriage, the two embraced their identities and chose love on their own terms.
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Following a long-distance phase, the couple reunited in the UK when Sachin moved to Northampton in 2018 to pursue an MBA from the University of Northampton, the same institution where Nivin had studied years earlier. Their partnership grew stronger through travel, the 2018 Kerala floods and even a pandemic that tested but solidified their bond. They purchased a home in Northampton in 2019 and supported each other through studies, careers, and home renovation projects.
The couple celebrating Onam together in 2024. (image-Facebook/Sachin Sachu Sajeesh Johny)
In 2023, the couple took a brave step and came out to both their families. Their decision was met with unexpected warmth and acceptance, first from Nivin’s family and then from Sachin’s parents during a visit to the UK in the summer of 2023. The acceptance brought them a sense of healing, closure, and joy. With acceptance came frequent visits to India over the next two years to deepen ties with family.
In June 2024, during a birthday trip to Paris, Sachin proposed to Nivin in a heartfelt moment with the Eiffel Tower as the perfect backdrop, setting the stage for their wedding plans.
But what followed was a significant breakthrough, not just in their personal lives, but for their community. In July 2024, they approached St John the Baptist Church and Northampton Council to organise their marriage blessing ceremony. While the council promptly provided a legal date, the church took time to deliberate. As the first same-sex couple in the church’s millennium-long history to request a blessing, their plea triggered reflection within the parish.
The church responded with empathy and education, holding study sessions on same-sex relationships and inviting the couple to share their story. Over six months, the community’s perspective shifted. They recognised Nivin and Sachin’s love as rooted in the same values as any other relationship – mutual respect, commitment, and shared dreams.
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Their perseverance paid off. The parish agreed to grant the couple a full blessing, marking a significant and progressive milestone in the church’s long history.
Ending Pride Month in the best way possible, the couple, on June 29, officially tied the knot. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory lunch and an evening of dancing at the parish hall. Nivin and Sachin’s union stands as a symbol of growing acceptance, inclusivity, and the power of love to reshape tradition with grace.
