US President George W. Bush renewed his call for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on Monday as Massachusetts became the first state in the United States to marry same-sex couples legally.

"The sacred institution of marriage should not be redefined by a few activist judges. All Americans have a right to be heard in this debate," Bush said in a written statement.

"I called on the Congress to pass and to send to the states for ratification an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of a man and a woman as husband and wife," the statement said. "The need for that amendment is still urgent, and I repeat that call today."

Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples exchanged wedding vows in various towns and cities across Massachusetts Monday as a result of a ruling by the state's highest court and despite opposition from the State Legislature.

Bush first publicly endorsed a constitutional amendment to bangay marriage in February in response to a new Massachusetts law allowing gay and lesbian couples to get married in the state.

Also in February, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom decided to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, attracting same-sex couples from across the country. The California Supreme Court has ordered a halt to the issuance of the marriage licenses.

Source: Xinhua