Pope Francis met with high school students as he left the Vatican embassy in Washington on the third day of his first visit to the United States on Thursday (24 September 2015). (REUTERS/Gary Cameron)
Washington - Kim Davis, clerk of the court the state of Kentucky in the United States (US), which refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, declaring that secretly met Pope Francis in the midst of a visit to Uncle Sam's country.
Davis, who was born embraced Catholic, told ABC News that he met Pope Francis on September 24, 2015 in Washington after receiving phone calls from employees of the Holy See.
"Very humble that he wanted to meet with me. Before leaving, he advised, stay strong," said Davis like AFP.
In Rome, the Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi ensure the meeting, but declined to comment.
Davis became a hero to opponents of same-sex marriage in the US after being detained six days for refusing issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even though the US Supreme Court has endorsed same-sex marriage across the country.
He was released after a deputy clerk of the court in the city of Rowan, Kentucky, states will issue the marriage certificate is.
"I reached out my hand and he grabbed it, then hugging me, he said thank you for your courage," Davis said about his meeting with Pope Francis.
He said, "Being a great spirit that the Pope remained on track, that he approved and ratified what we do."
In a meeting at the US Embassy in the Vatican, the pope gave Davis two rosary necklace black and red, the lawyer said Davis, Mathew Staver told CNN.
"Parents Kim Davis throughout their lives is a Catholic, then he can give his mom and dad a gift rosary from the Pope," said Staver.
During his visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia last week, Pope Francis called on religious freedom, but not once mention the name of Davis.
In the flight back to the Vatican, the Pope told US reporters that "protests are part of human rights".
(antaranews)
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