Humanist celebrant States vary about who has the right to perform wedding services, but humanist celebrants are usually categorized as "clergy" and have the same rights and responsibilities as ordained clergy. Humanist celebrants will perform both opposite-sex and same-sex marriage ceremonies. The Humanist Society, an adjunct of the American Humanist Association, maintains a list of humanist celebrants. Humanists conduct wedding ceremonies across Canada. These typically happen under the auspices of the national Humanist Canada group or through one of the province-level groups such as the British Columbia Humanist Association. Humanist weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies are popular throughout Scandinavia, where humanist groups
Officiant when a higher-ranking cleric is present, (save the Pope), there is only one principal celebrant. Secular Officiants include Civil Celebrants, Humanist Society appointed officiants, Justices of the Peace, marriage commissioners, notaries, and other persons empowered by law to perform legal marriage ceremonies. Many secular celebrants / officiants conduct the whole range of ceremonies which mark the milestones of human life. Officiant An officiant is someone who officiates (i.e. leads) at a service or ceremony, such as marriage, burial, or namegiving/baptism. Religious Officiants are usually ordained by a religious denomination as members of the clergy. Some officiants work within congregations in