Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner became the godmother of a lesbian couple's baby girl in a Roman Catholic ceremony on Saturday - though the Church opposes gay marriage.
Baby Umma Azul is just over 2 months old and was baptized as mothers Carina Villarroel and Soledad Ortiz, who were married last year, looked on. She's the first child known to receive this church blessing in Argentina.
The ceremony took place in the Cathedral of Cordoba and was officiated by Father Carlos Varas, Reuters reports. The city is located 435 miles from the capital.
'But gays were celebrating the move anyway on Friday, saying it suggests a new opening for the global church now led by their Argentine pope.
The Vatican considers marriage only to exist between a man and a woman, Reuters notes, and says only children born from wedlock may be baptized by the Church. Pope Francis, however, has said that all children may receive the rite.
It is unclear if the Vatican approved Umma Azul's baptism.
Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, seen in this March 2014 photo, did not attend the ceremony and sent a representative in her stead
An Argentine law based on an old Russian tradition allows couples to ask presidents to be godparents for their seventh child.
Nancy Esteche, who runs the presidential office that arranges these baptisms, confirmed on Friday that Fernandez de Kirchner agreed to make an exception for the couple's first child.
BBC reports that Fernandez de Kirchner did not attend the ceremony and sent a representative instead.
The child's biological mother is Ortiz. Villaroel told Reuters that she was fired from her job as a police officer after she requested maternity leave.
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