PROVIDENCE — Some 500 people gathered at the rain-swept stairs of the State House yesterday to protest California’s passage of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and to urge Rhode Island lawmakers to legalize gay marriage here.

“I think it says a lot that this many people are willing to stand out in the rain for marriage equality in Rhode Island,” Susan Heroux told the crowd. Heroux, chairwoman of the board of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, served as the emcee for yesterday’s rally, which included speeches by politicians, gay-rights activists and everyday people who support gay marriage.

“In spite of some religious folk on our right that are in favor of discrimination, God is not in favor of discrimination,” said the Rev. Eugene Dyszlewski of Riverside Congregational Church, who is also a member of the Marriage Equality board. “I am pleased to personally take a religious position that same-gender marriage is God’s will. God does not make mistakes. God makes all people to be equal.”

The rally was prompted by voter approval Nov. 4 of an amendment to the California Constitution that reversed a state Supreme Court ruling that had legalized gay marriage there. Similar rallies across the country yesterday, including one in Boston, protested the California vote.

But the gathering here also served to give voice to Rhode Island’s gay community, which hopes the Ocean State will become the first to legalize gay marriage through the legislative process. Connecticut and Massachusetts, the only states to allow gay marriage, did so only after their supreme courts ruled that barring same-sex couples from marrying violated their state constitutions.

“We expect to be able to get marriage equality within three years based on the legislature,” Heroux told the crowd.

“This State House is going to bring you marriage equality,” said state Rep. Frank Ferri, D-Warwick.

Eve Condon, who dressed as the Statue of Liberty, said that that would be appropriate “especially in Rhode Island, a state that was founded on the idea of equality, of separation of church and state.”

She made her remarks on the south steps of the State House, below an inscription excerpted from Rhode Island’s 1663 charter: “To hold forth a lively experiment that a most flourishing civil state may stand and best be maintained with full liberty in religious concernments.”

“I am certain that we are going to be the next state to pass this,” Condon told the crowd. “We are going to be the next state to have marriage equality.”

The rally offered many of the typical trappings of political protests, including signs and T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as:

“When do I get to vote on your marriage?”

“Let love determine who I marry”

“How will my marriage affect the sanctity of yours?”

“Equal taxes? Equal rights!”

And one sign that had a map of Connecticut and Massachusetts in blue and Rhode Island in red with the inscription: “Join the free states!”

The rally also offered personal stories, including one from Paige Parks, who told of her grandmother being born in Mississippi in 1915, the daughter of sharecroppers.

“She was told over and over again that she was not equal, and she made it her mission to teach my mother and aunts to not believe these people,” Parks said. “My mother shared that message with me.”

It is a message that Parks said she took to heart.

“Today, I’m here in a very similar position as my grandmother. I’m denied the right to marry my wonderful, wonderful fiancée. And that’s not right.”

Rodney Davis, co-chairman of Rhode Island Pride, addressed the crowd.

“What took place on Nov. 4 really broke our hearts,” he said. “We need to be vigilant. We need to be awake. What we have must be worked on. Now is the time for action.”

And, as the rain bore down, he sang a song whose lyrics included:

“When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm is a golden sky.”

After his song, the rain abated, and the dark clouds lightened a bit.

pparker@projo.com