The decision followed what is reported to have been a heated debate in the Council of Bishops. The church leaders did, however, decided to allow a prayer for gay and lesbian couples who have civil marriages, as long as the prayer is not in the form of a blessing service.

"Only if and when the liturgy of the Church has been changed, will priests be able to marry lesbian and homosexual couples in the Church of Norway," a statement from the government said following the vote.

Parliament voted in June to make Norway’s marriage law "gender neutral." The law goes into effect January 1.

The legislation replaces a 1993 law that gives gays the right to enter civil unions similar to marriage.

Opponents, including the Christian Democrats and the Party of Progress, argued that children need both a mother and a father in a traditional family, opposed assisted pregnancy for lesbians, and said the law was rushed through the legislature.

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to offer full marriage rights to gay couples. Since then, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa and three American states – Connecticut, Massachusetts and California have allowed same-sex marriage. 

(The Games’ sole openly gay male athlete, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, took home the gold in the men’s 10m platform.)

To help you get familiar with these new out Olympic champions, we’ve created an overview of their performance at the Games — including Katja Nyberg’s four goals for Norway in the women’s handball final against Russia, Natasha Kai’s game-winning goal for the U.S. in the women’s soccer quarter-finals, and the stunning upset that earned Vicky Galindo and Lauren Lappin a silver medal in women’s softball.

We’ve divided the medalists by sport — click on one of the sections below to get started.

The 23-17 upper house vote in favor of the gender neutral marriage law was expected, since a parliamentary majority announced agreement on the legislation last month. The lower house voted 84-41 in favor last week. (story)

The Norwegian law was passed as gay couples wed in California on the first full day that same-sex marriages were allowed there.

The new Norwegian legislation replaces a 1993 law that gives gays the right to enter civil unions similar to marriage, but did not allow church weddings or adoption. It takes effect Jan. 1.

“We are so overjoyed. We have worked for this for so long,” said Jon Reidar Oeyan, leader of the Norwegian National Association of Lesbian and Gay Liberation. “Now we are going to celebrate. I didn’t dare until I heard the chairman of the upper house bang the hammer.”

Opponents, including the Christian Democrats and the Party of Progress, argued that children need both a mother and a father in a traditional family, opposed assisted pregnancy for lesbians, and said the law was rushed through the legislature.

The law gives individual congregations and clergy the right, but not the legal obligation to perform the ceremony.

About 85 percent of Norway’s 4.7 million people are registered as members of the state Lutheran Church of Norway, although far fewer are active.

Since the church is split on gay marriage, it is likely to allow each congregation to decide on whether to conduct gay weddings, as it did last year in allowing parishes to decide whether to accept clergymen living in gay partnerships.

Current legislation requires that the prospective mother be married or in a civil union with a man before they could have artificial insemination.

In 1989, Denmark became the world’s first country to allow civil unions for gays, similar to Norway’s outgoing law. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to offer full marriage rights to gay couples.

The law also recognizes both partners in a marriage as equal parents and gives lesbian couples the same access to “medically assisted reproduction” as opposite-sex couples.

Parliament voted overwhelmingly to approve the bill, despite opposition from the Christian Democrats and Progress Party.

“It is a historic day,” said Labor Party member Gunn Karin Gjul who compared passage to universal suffrage which gave women the right to vote nearly a century ago.

Socialist Left Party leader Kristin Halvorsen, who serves as Finance Minister in the coalition government said the law will ensure “‘equal rights” and bar all forms of discrimination.

The country already allowed gay and lesbian couples to enter into civil partnerships, but LGBT rights groups had long complained the law did not go far enough and had created two classes of citizenship – one for heterosexuals the other for gays.

The new law amends the definition of civil marriage to make it gender neutral.

Under the law the Church of Norway would be allowed to bless same-sex marriages.

About 85 percent of Norway’s 4.7 million people are registered as members of the state Lutheran Church of Norway, although far fewer are active. 

The church is split on the issue of gay marriage, and is likely to allow each congregation to decide whether to conduct homosexual weddings, as it did last year in allowing parishes to decide whether to accept clergymen living in gay partnerships.

Passage of the law makes Norway the sixth country in the world to approve same-sex marriages.