CONFIRMED

Vatican: Pope Met With Kim Davis

Kept secret until pope left.

A Vatican spokesman on Wednesday confirmed Pope Francis met with Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis during his U.S. visit, but declined to elaborate on the secret encounter. Lawyers for Davis, who was jailed for refusing to issue licenses to same-sex couples, said Tuesday she was invited to the Vatican Embassy to meet the pontiff on the same day he gave his historic speech to a joint session of Congress. Davis and her husband Joe met with the pontiff for about 15 minutes, during which time he “thanked her for her courage,” told her to “stay strong,” and gave the couple two rosaries, according to Davis lawyer Mathew Stayer. Stayer added that he, the Davises, and Vatican officials agreed to keep the meeting secret until the pope left the U.S.