Pope Francis Met With Same-Sex Couple Before Kim Davis, Internet Rejoices

Vatican released a statement saying he doesn't endorse her views

After the Internet seemingly took away Pope Francis' "cool card" once the world found out he met with Kim Davis, the Vatican is clearing something up: Just because he met with her doesn't mean he supports her views.

The Vatican released a statement Friday that said the pontiff's encounter with her was part of a series of other meetings with countless other people and shouldn't be interpreted as an endorsement.

"The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects," the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said in a statement released Friday morning.

The statement also described their encounter as "brief," and clarified that the "real audience" was none other than "one of his former students and his family."

Rest at ease, people of the world, the pope is cool again. Not only is the Vatican distancing itself from his meeting with the Kentucky clerk, it's also going on record and saying that the religious leader met with a same-sex couple before Davis. According to CNN, he held a private meeting with a longtime friend from Argentina who has been in a same-sex relationship for 19 years.

Yayo Grassi brought his partner and several other friends to the Vatican Embassy for a brief visit. "Three weeks before the trip, he called me on the phone and said he would love to give me a hug," Grassi told CNN.

Grassi later clarified that the "former student" mentioned in the statement was him. He also said that Pope Francis knew he was gay for a long time but never "condemned" his sexuality. 

"He has never been judgmental," Grassi said. "He has never said anything negative."

"Obviously he is the pastor of the church and he has to follow the church's teachings," Grassi explained. "But as a human being he understands all kinds of situations, and he is open to all kinds of people, including those with different sexual characteristics."

Needless to say, the Internet is rejoicing and more than willing to restore its faith in Pope Francis again.

In other exciting news about the pope, find out if he's making a cameo on one of TV's biggest shows by watching the video!