Lesbian politician gives Pope ‘gay’ present

The openly lesbian Vice President of the European Parliament has presented Pope Francis with a uniquely gay gift.

Austrian Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek said she gave the pontiff a colourful rainbow scarf “for gays, lesbians, and for peace.”

In video footage of the incident at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the Pope is seen accepting the symbolic scarf as he is greeted by Lunacek.

It’s not clear what Lunacek said to him, but Francis then hands over the scarf to an aide before moving on to the next dignitary.

In an interview following the Pope’s speech to the Parliament, Lunacek said that she was disappointed that he did not address women’s rights in the church nor the issue of same-sex marriage.

While Pope Francis has hinted at a willingness to be more accepting of gay people, the Catholic Church remains officially opposed to same-sex relationships and especially gay marriage.

At the Humanum conference at the Vatican last week Pope Francis stressed the importance of heterosexual marriage over a “revolution in manners and morals.”

He said that “today marriage and the family are in crisis” and insisted that “children have a right to grow up in a family with a father and a mother.”