Venezuelan politician-in-exile and human rights, Dario Ramirez, who was forced out of the country by President Nicolás Maduro in 2014, had never thought that three years later he would be in front of Pope Francis, proposing to his girlfriend. But that’s what happened.
A delegation of politicians from around the world, including Mr Ramirez and his girlfriend Maryangel Espinal, met the Pope at a reception for Catholic legislators this week. Mr Ramirez spent a few minutes chatting to the pontiff about the political situation in Venezuela, before suddenly getting down on bended knee and proposing marriage to Ms Espinal, the Daily Telegraph reported. He said his girlfriend had no inkling of what was about to happen.
“I explained to the Holy Father that the woman next to me is the woman of my life. I met her in church, God put her in my life, and I want to propose to her. So I got down on one knee and asked,” Mr Ramirez said.
The Pope smiled and said: “He asked you to marry him, what do you say?” She said “Yes, of course” and the couple received a blessing from the pontiff.
The proposal, however, was not an impulsive decision and had taken a lot of careful planning. Mr Ramirez had obtained permission to pop the question from Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the patron of the International Catholic Legislators Network, the Telegraph reported.
But despite the preparation, Pope Francis was apparently unaware of what was in store. “The Pope was very surprised; the people from protocol were a little mad, but in the end we all laughed a lot,” Mr Ramirez said.
The other delegates erupted in cheers and applause and congratulated the couple.
