The Pope Just Welcomed Luxembourg's Gay Prime Minister And His Husband To The Vatican
The Pope has welcomed the world’s only openly gay leader and his husband to the Vatican.
Catholic officials invited Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and his partner Gauthier Destenay to the See of Rome late last month.
Xavier Bettel, primer ministro de Luxemburgo, recibido en el Vaticano junto a su marido. Y aquí Cañizares dice que los gays van al infierno? pic.twitter.com/EM6tzRqEwh
— Pablo Iglesias (@Pablo_Iglesias_) March 24, 2017
The pair were greeted by Archbishop Ganswein, the personal secretary to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Bettel and Destenay joined other European heads of government for the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome.
Pope Francis later held a meeting with the leaders, including Bettel, in the Vatican.
"It was a great pleasure and honor for me and Gauthier to be welcomed by the leader of the Catholic church," Bettel wrote on Twitter following the meeting.
@Pablo_Iglesias_ It was a great pleasure and honour for me and Gauthier to be welcomed by the leader of the Catholic church. XB
— Xavier Bettel (@Xavier_Bettel) March 25, 2017
The Vatican welcomed Bettel and Destenay like any other married couple, even as the Pope continues to condemn same-sex marriage.
In 2015, Pope Francis met with a newly appointed gay French ambassador and reportedly rejected the appointment due to his sexuality.