Two former nuns have taken the plunge and tied the knot, and are currently celebrating their union as a "gift of God" that "no one can prevent."
When Pope Francis got wind of their union, he was reportedly deeply saddened. "What sadness on the face of the pope when I read him the news of the two 'nun' brides," reads an English translation of a tweet made by Archbishop Angelo Becciu, Vatican Undersecretary of State, Breitbart News reported.
The nuns, who were only identified as Federica and Isabel, are both in their 40s. They had their civil union in Turin at the end of September.
They reportedly met while serving a missionary trip to Guinea Bissau. Despite the threats faced by their relationship, they were encouraged to take their love to the next level after hearing Pope Francis himself say, "Who am I to judge?" when a gay person expressed interest to become a Catholic.
Federica and Isabel gave up their calling as nuns and said they wanted to "leave the religious life and begin a path of freedom and faith lived with serenity, without scandal, beneath the merciful gaze of God."
Despite society's growing acceptance of same-sex relationships and marriages, Pope Francis has remained firm on the Catholic Church's stance that marriage should solely be between man and woman only.
As for his comment, "Who am I to judge?", the Pope clarified that he was merely "paraphrasing by heart the Catechism of the Catholic Church." Even though he strongly believes in exercising compassion and inclusion, the pope does not support changing traditional Catholic teachings.
"You can advise [gay people] to pray, show goodwill, show them the way, and accompany them along it," he explained. "The Church does not exist to condemn people, but to bring about an encounter with the visceral love of God's mercy."
