A large-scale wedding ceremony was held on Easter Sunday (on April 19) by the International Pentecost Holiness Church in Heidelberg, east of Johannesburg, where approximately 3,000 congregants were wed, with many participating in polygamous unions.
The ceremonies, which have become a signature event during the church’s Easter observances, were hosted within the denomination’s vast, dome-shaped headquarters, a venue capable of seating 60,000 worshippers.
This year’s event has been described by church officials as the most expansive to date, owing in part to several grooms entering into multiple marriages simultaneously.
Bridal parties were gathered in white marquees positioned in adjacent fields, where floral arrangements, food packages, and water were distributed before couples proceeded into the church in long processions. White bridal gowns and coordinated white suits with red ties were worn by the participants, many of whom were already involved in polygamous marriages. It was stated by the church’s spokesperson, Vusi Ndala, that the practice of polygamy is not only permitted but “held in high regard” by the church, which has integrated the tradition into its religious and cultural expression.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church, founded in the early 1960s as an African-initiated movement, has blended Pentecostal Christian doctrine with indigenous customs. Polygamy, which is legally recognised in South Africa when conducted under customary law, has been a consistent feature of the church’s matrimonial rites. According to Ndala, the dramatic increase in this year’s numbers has been attributed to a rise in men marrying more than one wife concurrently, with some entering their sixth or seventh marital union. The event has once again highlighted the intersection of faith, culture, and legal pluralism in South African society.