POT POURRI

Copenhagen limits foreign weddings to make space for locals

Copenhagen (DENMARK), July 29: Magdalena Kujawinska and her Colombian fiancé Heinner Valenzuela chose to marry in Copenhagen after facing complex marriage bureaucracy in Poland. Denmark’s liberal laws and simple process attracted them — no birth certificate or proof of single status is required, and approvals can come within days. Known as the “Las Vegas of Europe,” Copenhagen hosted around 8,000 weddings last year, with 5,400 involving couples from abroad.
The surge in demand has prompted local concerns. City officials plan to reserve 40% of City Hall wedding slots for Copenhagen residents starting in late October, while private registrar services remain available. Denmark has long been known for its progressive marriage policies, having legalized same-sex unions in 1989 and same-sex marriage in 2012.
Companies like “Getting Married in Denmark” help thousands of international couples navigate the process. While future rules may limit foreign access, they won’t affect Kujawinska and Valenzuela, who are now happily preparing to celebrate their union with friends and family in Poland. (AP)

Pope Leo XIV hailed like rock star at influencer festival

VATICAN CITY, July 29: Pope Leo XIV attended the Vatican’s festival of Catholic influencers, priests, nuns, and ordinary faithful who use their social media presence to preach and teach the faith. He urged them to ensure human relations don’t suffer with the spread of digital ecosystems and artificial intelligence. Pope Leo thanked the young people for using their digital platforms to spread the faith, but warned them not to neglect human relationships in their pursuit of clicks and followers.
He urged them to create encounters between hearts and be agents of communion, breaking down division and polarization. The Vatican’s message to the young influencers was one of thanks for their social media evangelising but also a warning against going off-message or neglecting the human dimension of all encounters. The Rev David McCallum and Cardinal Antonio Tagle urged the influencers to avoid false advertising, coercion, or brainwashing in their postings or to use their platform to make money. The Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year celebrations in Rome have been a mini World Youth Day, with groups of influencers and young pilgrims passing through the basilica’s Holy Door. (AP)