Pope Francis said in an interview published Monday (Jan. 29) that the case of the Church in Africa was "special," with regards to the extra-liturgical blessings proposed for same sex-couples.

He told Italian newspaper La Stampa that "homosexuality was something 'ugly' from a cultural point of view" for Africans.

He was being asked about the opposition a document he supports has attracted.

Declaration Fiducia supplicans, published on December 18, opens the possibility of blessing couples whose situation is considered "irregular" in the Catholic church. Those include unmarried couples, divorced-and-remarried couples, and same-sex couples.

"The Gospel is to sanctify everyone [...]" "we are all sinners: why should we make a list of sinners who can enter the Church and a list of sinners who cannot be in the Church?," he asked.

Doubling down that the blessing is about was "blessing the people not their union."