2015 Event Pope Francis continues Catholic reforms by changing the marriage annulment process to make it faster and less expensive; earlier this month, the pope also declared that priests may forgive the sin of abortion during next year's Year of Mercy 2014 Event The Vatican issues a document indicating that the Catholic Church is taking a softer stance on relationships outside of traditional marriage, upholding the church's views but advocating respect for unmarried couples and homosexual unions 2014 Event Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin announce their intention to divorce after 11 years of marriage; the announcement on Paltrow's website was titled 'Conscious Uncoupling' 2014 Event U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticizes Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, for legislation he signed last week to ban same-sex marriage and criminalize gay rights groups and their activities; the law includes penalties of up to 14 years imprisonment 2014 Event After a federal judge ruled that Utah's same-sex ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, the Supreme Court had to place the lower-court ruling on hold pending an appeal by the state 2013 Event An overwhelming 65% of Croatian voters vote yes for a referendum on a proposal to outlaw same-sex marriage 2013 Event Hawaii joins 15 other states in legalizing same-sex marriage 2013 Event The Australian Government institutes a legal challenge to same-sex marriage in its High Court in response to the Australian Capital Territory becoming the first territory in Australia to legalize same-sex marriage 2013 Event New Zealand's first same-sex marriages take place since the country's parliament passed the Marriage Equality Bill in April 2013 Event The upper house of the U.K. approves of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill; starting in 2014, gay marriage will be allowed in England and Wales 2013 Event In the state of California, the 2008 Proposition 8 ballot measure is upheld in an appeals case, allowing same-sex marriage to continue 2013 Event Russia's President, Vladimir Putin and his wife appear on live television to announce they have divorced after thirty years of marriage 2013 Event In the House of Commons, MP's approve of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, advancing the right for gay marriage in England and Wales 2013 Event In France, an amended bill legalizing same-sex marriage is passed, opening the door for Francois Holland to promulgate it 2013 Event In Paris, hundreds of thousands of people protest the legalization of same-sex marriage in France; the protest turns violent after access to the Champs-Elysees is denied 2012 Event The U.S. elections result in three states approving same-sex marriage: Maine, Maryland and Washington 2012 Event After five years of marriage, American actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes announce their plans to divorce 2012 Event The State Senate of Maryland approves a bill allowing same-sex marriage in the state 2012 Event California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in that state was overturned by the U.S. States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2012 Event In the state of Washington, the State Senate passes legislation allowing same sex marriage 2011 Event At its conference in Sydney, Australia's Labor Party turns to support gay marriage, laying the groundwork for legislation 2011 Event New York becomes the largest state to legalize same-sex marriage when Governor Andrew Cuomo signs the New York State Marriage Equality Law 2010 Event The parliament in Portugal approves a bill legalizing same-sex marriage 2005 Event Canada becomes the 4th country to permit same-sex marriage 2005 Event Spain becomes the 3rd country to permit same-sex marriage 2000 Death Deborah Laake, writer, Secret Ceremonies: A Mormon Woman's Intimate Diary of Marriage and Beyond, dies at 47 1996 Event Winnie Mandela divorces Nelson after 38 years of marriage 1993 Event Jane Seymour and James Kesch, Marriage 1989 Event Danish parliament allows legal marriage among homosexuals 1989 Event Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden separate after 16 years of marriage 1988 Event Robin Givens files for divorce after 8-month marriage to Mike Tyson 1986 Event NBC's Ahmad Rashad marriage proposal is accepted by Phylicia Ayers-Allen during halftime of Det Lions-New York Jets football game 1985 Event South Africa will repeal sex and marriage laws against whites and non-whites 1979 Event Liza Minnelli's 3rd marriage (Mark Gero) 1976 Event Liz Taylor's 7th marriage to John Warner 1975 Event Liz Taylor's 6th marriage (re-marries Richard Burton) 1969 Event Marriage of 12 year old Marcella Rosciglione in Palermo 1965 Event Netherlands 2nd Chamber accept marriage princess Beatrice and Claus von Amsberg 1964 Event Liz Taylor's 5th marriage (Richard Burton) 1961 Death Joan McCracken, actress (Claudie The Story of a Marriage), dies at 38 1959 Event Liz Taylor's 4th marriage (Eddie Fisher) 1952 Birthday Jennie Lynn, born in San Diego, California, actress, Love and Marriage 1952 Event Liz Taylor's 2nd marriage to Michael Wilding 1950 Event Liz Taylor's 1st marriage to Conrad Hilton, Jr. 1950 Event New marriage laws enforced in People's Republic China 1950 Birthday Maria Ewing, born in Detroit, Michigan, opera singer, soprano, mezzo-soprano, debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 'The Marriage of Figaro', 1976 1946 Birthday Rainer Werner Fassbinder, German director, Marriage of Maria Braum 1943 Birthday Joanna Shimkus, Halifax NS, actress, Marriage of a Young Stockbroker 1938 Event 1st U.S. law requiring medical tests for marriage licenses 1938 Event New York makes syphilis test mandatory in order to get a marriage license 1936 Birthday Klaus Lowitsch, born in Berlin, actor, Despair, Marriage of Marla Braun 1934 Birthday Bibi Andersson, Sweden, actress, Scenes From a Marriage 1928 Birthday Jeanne Bal, born in Santa Monica, California, actress, Pat-Love and Marriage 1927 Birthday William Redfield, New York City, actor, Jimmy Hughes Rookie Cop, Marriage 1926 Event Turkey allows civil marriage 1922 Birthday Joan McCracken, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, actress, Claudie Story of a Marriage 1913 Birthday Jimmy Van Heusen, songwriter, Love and Marriage 1900 Birthday Lester Vail, actor, Dance Fools Dance, Consolation Marriage 1893 Birthday Bernard Rogers, New York City, composer, Warrior, Marriage of Aude, Passion 1880 Event Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Arcanum about Christian marriage 1838 Event Emma Wedgwood accepts Charles Darwin's marriage proposal 1836 Event British parliament accept registration of birth/marriage/death 1810 Event French church annuls marriage of Napoleon I and Josephine 1786 Event Mozart's opera "Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Wien (Vienna) 1764 Event John Adams marries Abigail Smith, marriage lasts 54 years 1755 Birthday Sarah Kemble Siddons, Brecon England, tragic actress, Fatal Marriage 1743 Death Jean-Baptiste Lully, Italian/France composer (Forced Marriage), dies at 77 1731 Death Mary Astell, English writer and feminist, wrote 'Some Reflections upon Marriage', dies soon after having breast cancer 1666 Birthday Mary Astell, born in Newcastle, England, English writer and feminist, wrote 'Some Reflections upon Marriage' 1661 Event Marriage contract for Charles II of England and Catharina of Portugal 1650 Event Henry Robinson opens 1st marriage bureau (England) 1540 Event England's King Henry VIII 6-mo marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled 1533 Event England's archbishop voids King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage 1533 Event King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon marriage declared null and void 1476 Event Emperor Frederik III of Habsburg and duke Charles the Stout arrange marriage of their children 1428 Event Pope Martinus V declares Jacoba van Beierens marriage invalid
