In a scene that felt more like a spiritual festival than a conventional wedding, hundreds gathered this Easter Sunday at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) just outside Johannesburg to witness 55 couples tie the knot in a mass celebration of love and, for a few, a public embrace of polygamy.
Among the crowd were bride Evelyn Sekgalakane and groom Lesiba Molala — arm-in-arm with his second wife, Shirley. Their trio walked down the white-carpeted aisle together in a striking display of unity, their smiles just as bright as the sequins on Evelyn’s flowing white gown. For Evelyn, this was not just the beginning of a marriage, it was the start of sisterhood in a spiritual family that openly embraces polygyny, the practice of a man marrying multiple wives.
“I told you, you wouldn’t recognize me!” Evelyn laughed, adjusting her dress with the giddy energy of a bride caught in a dreamlike moment.
Though the Molalas’ union may seem unconventional to outsiders, it was far from out of place at the IPHC, a church that has long fused biblical teachings with African traditions. Of the 55 unions celebrated that day, seven were polygamous. And in the IPHC, such arrangements are not just permitted, they’re encouraged.
The mass wedding, a thrice-yearly tradition at the church’s sprawling Zuurbekom headquarters, was a spectacle of vibrant color, joyous song, and deeply held conviction. Outside the auditorium, a sea of churchgoers — many in the church’s signature blue-and-white attire — danced and sang beneath the midday sun. A Gucci-clad groomsman mingled with bridesmaids in electric lime green, while ushers ensured everyone was dressed according to church standards: head coverings for women, no bare arms or trousers, and jackets for men.
Inside, the mood was just as buoyant. As each bridal party made its way to the stage, applause, ululations, and gospel music filled the air. At center stage, marriages were sealed with rings, not vows. Spoken promises, the church teaches, are less important than spiritual alignment and mutual intent.
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For Lesiba Molala, now 67, polygamy isn’t a lifestyle, it’s a commitment rooted in his faith. “I only learned about polygamy when I joined the church,” he said, recounting his journey since marrying his first wife in 1991. After she passed away, Shirley, his second wife of 25 years, helped welcome Evelyn into the fold. “Rather than cheat,” Molala explained with sincerity, “I chose honesty and another wife.”
Shirley, now 48, shared her perspective with calm assurance. “Polygamy is rooted in biblical teaching. We lived as sisters before. We even wore matching outfits.” She smiled at Evelyn, who nodded in agreement. “I wasn’t sure at first,” Evelyn admitted, “but Shirley made me feel accepted and even celebrated.”
The day’s climax came with the grand arrival of the church’s spiritual leader, Leonard Frederick G Modise, affectionately called “The Comforter” by his followers. Escorted by a marching band, horses, and a procession of luxury vehicles, including a sapphire Rolls-Royce, his entrance rivaled that of any wedding party.
By sunset, the wedding ceremony began in earnest, each couple processing slowly to the altar. The formal service continued into the night, closing with blessings for each newly formed family.
In South Africa, where polygyny is legal under customary law but rarely celebrated in church, the IPHC is something of a religious outlier. As an African independent church, it blends Christianity with traditional beliefs and boasts over three million members across southern Africa.
“We don’t just accept polygamy — we guide it,” said Mpho Makwana, a senior church official. “It’s part of who we are, and it has evolved with us since the church was founded in 1962.”
For Evelyn and Lesiba, the journey began with a church-initiated search earlier this year. Evelyn, a 44-year-old mother of three, had left the church in her youth but returned recently. With her union to Lesiba, her children are now part of a growing extended family bringing his total to 13 children across multiple households.
Each of the wives lives in a separate home, and Evelyn will begin her marriage under Lesiba’s roof before moving into her own.
As the evening wound down, laughter echoed across the courtyard. Drums, voices, and celebration merged into the kind of joyous noise that no single wedding could contain. For the IPHC, it wasn’t just a day of nuptials — it was a spiritual affirmation that love, in all its forms, still has a sacred place.
