Oops… Britney Spears actually did not ask about his marriage, according to a Catholic parish. St. Monica’s Church in Santa Monica, California is defending itself after the pop star claims the church denied her request to marry there.
In a now-deleted Instagram post from late July, spears shared a photo of the shrine and wrote, “This is where I originally wanted to get married during COVID. I wanted to go there every Sunday. Then 2 years later when I wanted to get married there they said I had to be Catholic and go through [a]TEST!!! Isn’t the church supposed to be open to everyone???
Spears, 40, married Sam Asghari in June at her Los Angeles home. The singer was raised a Baptist and studied Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. During a successful legal battle to end a long guardianship, Spears accused her father of using the Christian faith to control her. For example, the mother-of-two says she was denied the opportunity to try for more children.
Spears and Asghari, who got engaged last September, announced a pregnancy in April and then miscarried a month later.
Britney Spears has never been here, says the Catholic Church
Asked about Britney Spears’ request, a rep for St. Monica says the church has no records of the singer asking for a marriage there. There is also no indication that Spears ever set foot inside the facility.
Additionally, the rep told reporters that the photo Spears posted, which shows a couple getting married in St. Monica, appears to be from a ceremony that was broadcast live. The rep adds that the couple pictured say Spears did not attend their wedding.
In response to Spears’ claims that you have to be Catholic and pass a “test” to have a church marriage, a spokesperson says that’s partly true. Either the bride or the groom must be a baptized member of a Catholic church. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles also requires a marriage preparation course for all engaged couples who want a church marriage.
A church is ‘not just a random place’
Before Britney Spears deleted her post, some of her followers corrected her. “This is a mess!” someone writes. “To marry in the Catholic Church, yes, you have to be Catholic. It’s not just a random place.
Consistent with this, one person writes, “It’s always been that way.” Another told Spears, “Some traditions have to be respected, Britney.”
