Catholic bishops in most African countries will ignore the Vatican’s historic decision, announced earlier in December, to bless same-sex couples, Reuters reports.

On Dec. 18, the Vatican said in an official ruling approved by Pope Francis that Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.

Although the Holy See continued to oppose same-sex marriage, conservative priests and Catholic prelates across Africa rejected the Vatican’s decision and chose to ignore it.

Just 3 days after announcing the decision, Pope Francis responded to critics by saying that inflexible ideological positions could prevent the Church from seeing reality and progressing.

Despite his words, in many African states, including Nigeria, the most populous country on the continent, homosexual relations are prohibited and punishable by long imprisonment. Pope Francis criticized the laws in January ahead of his tour of Africa, saying it was not a crime to be gay.

Later, on a trip to Africa, he declared that laws criminalizing homosexuality were a “sin” and an “injustice.”

African bishops stand together against the blessing of same-sex relationships

Jane, a 39-year-old Nigerian woman who has lived with her partner of six years, told Reuters she did not expect the Vatican’s decision to change much in her country.

“Maybe in 20 or 30 years, but now it will be difficult for them (Catholic bishops) to accept it,” she said in an interview from her home in northern Nigeria.

So far, Catholic bishops from Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Sao Tome and Principe have publicly said they will not bless same-sex couples, arguing that the decree signed by Pope Francis could be interpreted as non-binding.

Father Patrick Alumunku of the Nigerian capital, Abuja, told Reuters that the Vatican’s announcement had confused many of his parishioners, but it could be seen as a step towards a more inclusive Church for all God’s children, rejecting the idea that it was a step towards clergy acceptance of gay marriage.

“There are laws created by God and the Church for 2,000 years that we cannot change,” the priest told Reuters.