Archbishop Piero Marini, the chamberlain to former Pope Benedict, has said the Catholic Church is changing and called for civil unions for gay couples.

Marini, who was a senior official for the conservative Benedict, recognized ‘same-sex couples need civil rights and civil unions. But we can not call them “marriage”’.

Speaking at a bishops’ meeting in Costa Rica, Central America, Marini commented also on the new Pope, Francis: ‘Now we can breathe fresh air, the church is changing.’

Pope Francis was elected as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church today (13 March).

Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, was chosen by the conclave of 115 cardinals as a successor to Benedict XVI.

Tens of thousands of faithful Catholics broke into cheers as the white smoke indicated the new pontiff had obtained the required two thirds majority, which happened in the fifth round of voting over two days.

Francis is still a conservative choice, but has taught the ‘importance of respecting gay individuals’.

Don Andrea Gallo, a religious LGBT advocate in Italy, has said a homosexual pope would be ‘wonderful’.

‘A homosexual pope would be a wonderful thing,’ he told Italy’s Radio 24. ‘There is equality of the children of God. It is the essence of the Gospel, we are all sons and daughters of God.’

Gallo added: ‘A homosexual priest should be free to express his or her identity and her sexuality, otherwise it represses and becomes pedophilia.’

As Pope Benedict XVI finishes his final hours as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the world is looking to his temporary replacement.

Today (28 February), the Catholic Church will enter into a period known as ‘Sede Vacante’ (vacant See), during which a senior cardinal takes over interim powers until a new pope is elected.

Italy’s Tarciso Bertone, referred to as the camerlengo, in the past has blamed the church pedophilia on the ‘homosexual infiltration’ of the Catholic priesthood.

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed a temporary successor to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

Archbishop of Glasgow Reverend Philip Tartaglia will govern the vacant diocese until a permanent appointment is made.

It follows Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who has previously compared gay marriage to slavery, resigned after allegations he initiated inappropriate acts with his male priests.

An Italian newspaper is blaming the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on the ‘gay influence’ within the Vatican.

Referring to an internal report prepared by three senior cardinals, La Repubblica claims there was an ‘inappropriate influence’ by gay priests in internal Holy See affairs.

Filed by cardinals Julian Herranz, Josef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi, it was commissioned by Benedict himself.

The newspaper suggests when Pope Benedict saw the report back in December, it hardened his resolve to quit as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Just hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced his unexpected resignation, a bolt of lightning struck St Peter’s Basilica.

Many say it's unequivocally a sign from God.

If so, I'm hoping it's an Amen moment signaling the end of an oppressive era of LGBTQ bashing as the church now moves forward.

Gay groups in Italy and across the world have reacted to Pope Benedict XVI's shock resignation today (11 February).

On 28 February, the Roman Catholic leader will leave his post and the Vatican will decide on his successor.

'After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,' Benedict said.

The top three candidates for Pope are all vehemently anti-LGBT, with one defending African laws punishing gay people with death.

Pope Benedict XVI resigned earlier today (11 February), with the 85-year-old citing ill health and his advancing age.

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, has said many of the laws imposed on gay people in Africa are an ‘exaggeration.’

The creator of a Dutch website which facilitates people leaving the Catholic Church believes that recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI have sparked a spike in traffic to his website.

Benedict used a Christmas address to the Vatican bureaucracy to call same-sex marriage a ‘manipulation of nature’ that destroyed the ‘essence of the human creature.’

The Pope has unveiled another weapon in his fight to stop same-sex marriage from happening in France, the USA, the UK and other countries across the world.

Pope Benedict XVI has said the ‘traditional family’ must be protected, and stressed all faiths, even non-Christian religions, must come together to stop marriage equality.

In his annual Christmas address to the Vatican bureaucracy, the German leader explained straight marriage needs to be protected because it is ‘the authentic setting in which to hand on the blueprint of human existence’.

Gay rights campaigners held a protest in Vatican City after Pope Benedict XVI said gay marriages were ‘against human nature’.

On Sunday (16 December), protestors were barred from holding a peaceful protest inside St Peter’s Square which was packed with tens of thousands of Catholics.

They held up paper hearts with slogans such as ‘Love Has No Barriers’, ‘Marry Peace’ and ‘Love Thy Neighbor’.