The diocese has now said it will remove it from the altar - but not because the Lutheran Church of Sweden had a problem with the gay couples. Instead, it said it feared the painting could be interpreted as showing a transperson as evil or the devil, as a snake traditionally symbolises evil in Christianity. The diocese decided to remove it from the alter on Wednesday, but not because the Lutheran Church of Sweden had an issue with the gay couples depicted.

'The fact that there are two homosexual couples in the artwork is completely uncontroversial,' the diocese wrote in a statement. 'But the fact that there is a snake, which traditionally symbolises evil, and that it turns into a transperson could lead to the interpretation that a transperson is evil or the devil.' 'The Swedish Church can absolutely not stand for that.' Artist Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin, 58, said she was disappointed the mural had been removed from the church.

She aims to create Christian artwork that LGBTQ people can identify with. Ms Wallin made headlines 20 years ago for her depiction of a stiletto-wearing Jesus surrounded by 12 transvestite apostles. The pastor of Saint Paul, Sofia Tunebro, also regretted the decision. 'We've been marrying gay couples for 10 years, and with this artwork, it was a bit like hanging up a wedding photo in the church,' she said. 'Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin has done so much for the integration and representation of [LGBTQ people] in the Christian world.'