A Catholic church in Bologna held a “Mass of Thanksgiving” for a homosexual couple, immediately after the men had registered their civil marriage.

Although the liturgical service did not directly violate the letter of a Vatican ban on church blessings for same-sex unions, the couple came forward for a special blessing immediately after the Mass.

The priest who gave the blessing, Father Gabriele Davalli, heads the family-life office for the Bologna archdiocese, whose leader, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, was recently appointed by Pope Francis as president of the Italian bishops’ conference.