Aboard the papal plane, Jan 22, 2018 / 10:16 am
Addressing concerns Monday about the pastoral implications of his witnessing a marriage aboard a plane while in flight, the Pope said that he judged the couple to be prepared for the sacrament, and didn't wish them to delay the regularization of their situation any longer.
"All of the conditions were clear, and why not do it today and not delay it for tomorrow? Tomorrow would possibly have been eight or 10 years from now," Pope Francis said Jan. 22 while en route from Lima to Rome.
Aura Miguel of Radio Renascenca had asked him about his Jan. 18 witnessing of the marriage of two flight attendents, Paula Podest and Carlos Ciuffardi, while en route from Santiago to Iquique, Chile.
The Pope's decision had raised questions among commentators and various priests concerning the liceity and even the validity of the marriage. Miguel asked, "From now on, what would you say to the parish priests, to the bishops, whom fiances are going to ask to marry them I don't know where – on the beach, on boats, on airplanes?"