In an in-flight first and truly ‘awww’ moment, the Pope (yes, the actual Pope) performed a spontaneous wedding ceremony while flying at 32,000-feet.
While pilots flew a LATAM plane between two Chilean cities (bet they were disappointed they couldn’t leave the cockpit), Pope Francis brought to life a steward and stewardess’ dream.
Let’s start at the very beginning (according to Maria, it’s a ‘very good place to start’).
Well, Pope Francis was flying from Santiago to Iquique when he got to talking to flight attendants Paula Podest Ruiz and Carlos Ciuffardi Elorriga, who were both co-workers and husband and wife.
The loved-up pair got to telling the Catholic Church’s leader about how they were forced to cancel their religious wedding back in 2010 when their parish in Santiago was heavily damaged in an earthquake, ABC News reported.
Image: Vatican News/Facebook
Instead, they were forced to exchange vows in a civil union.
Hoping they could get a little religious favour, they asked the Pope to bless their marriage to which he responded by giving them a full religious ceremony in the air.
“He liked us and he asked: ‘Do you want me to marry you?’ He asked: ‘Are you sure?’ And we said: “Yes of course.”
Paula Podest Ruiz
Next thing they knew, Paula was walking down the aircraft aisle and they were exchanging vows in front of a plane-full of travellers.
To make things even more amazing, LATAM Airlines’ President, Ignacio Cueto, witnessed the wedding.
“Being married by a pope on board a flight is something priceless.”
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