Pope met and hugged Kim Davis, told her to stay strong

America’s most famous anti-gay public servant has a new ally it seems. The Pope himself.

It emerged on Tuesday that Pope Francis met with Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis, who broke the law and ignored court orders by refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

According to Liberty Counsel, Davis’ legal representatives, the Pope met privately with Davis and her husband, Joe, at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday last week, during his visit to the US.

Francis reportedly spoke with Davis in English and said, “Thank you for your courage,” and urged her to, “Stay strong.”

He held out his hands and asked Davis to pray for him. She held his hands and said, “I will. Please pray for me,” and the Pope said he would.

The two embraced and the Pontiff presented Kim and Joe Davis each with a Rosary that he personally blessed.

“I was humbled to meet Pope Francis. Of all people, why me?” Davis said. “I never thought I would meet the Pope. Who am I to have this rare opportunity? I am just a County Clerk who loves Jesus and desires with all my heart to serve him.”

The Pontiff was later asked about the issue of government officials who refuse to do their job or disobey the law, such as denying same-sex marriage licenses, as an act of “conscientious objection.”

Speaking to reporters on a flight returning to Rome from his trip, Francis replied in Italian: “I can’t have in mind all cases that can exist about conscience objection. But, yes, I can say the conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right.”

He insisted, according to a Vatican transcript, that, “Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure” and must be respected “if we want to make peace.”

Francis went on to add, “It is a human right and if a government official is a human person, he has that right.”

He failed to elaborate on how governments would function if all officials were to pick and choose which instructions or laws to obey based on their personal beliefs or values

The Pope has repeatedly stated his objection to same-sex marriage, describing it as a threat to the family and humanity itself.