Pope Francis' private meeting last week with Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who defied a court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, adds another twist to a US tour that saw Francis attract huge crowds and articulate left-leaning positions on poverty, immigration, the environment, and inequality.
Vatican officials initially would not confirm that the meeting occurred, finally doing so on Wednesday afternoon, while refusing to discuss any details.
Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, has been at the center of a nationwide controversy over whether government employees and private businesses have a legal right to refuse to serve same-sex couples.
She spent five days in jail for disobeying a federal court order to issue the licenses.
The secretiveness of the meeting, and the Vatican's refusal to give any information, will inevitably raise questions about why Francis chose to meet with Davis - and why he kept the meeting secret.