While the Catholic Church has traditionally been opposed to gay marriage, Pope Francis has made a few statements over the years that seemed to contradict the church’s position on homosexuality. The Vatican has not commented on this display of the flag.
Evangelist Franklin Graham, for example, called the display an “insult to the Catholic Church!”
Embassy to the Holy See drew some criticism from conservative critics. “As we celebrate Pride Month this June, let us not only observe how far we have come in the struggle for the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons, but also acknowledge the challenges that remain.”
The first showed the White House bathed in rainbow lights, and the second accompanied a statement from U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted two other photographs featuring the flag’s rainbow colors on that day.