alternet.org | Pope Ratzinger made pilgrimage to Spain this weekend, and in addition to the flock of the devoted  who came to be blessed, he had some unexpected company on the way: hundreds and hundreds of gay couples kissing as he went by.

The actions of the protesters stood in staunch support of the progressive direction in which Spain's Socialist government has taken the country in recent years: legalizing some abortions and gay marriages and making divorce easier. 

None of these changes have gone over well with the Pontiff, who warned against anti-clerical attitudes and came out in favor of the "traditional family structure" this weekend. But the protesters were certainly pleased with their country's evolving attitudes and displeased with the Church's continued reactionary stance on social issues.

"We are here to demonstrate against the pope's visit and call for a change in the mentality of the Catholic institution, which still opposes our right to different ways of loving," one of the protesters, Sergi Diaz, told members of the media.

Watch below courtesy of Reuters and read more coverage at The Advocate.