A mere 24 hours after President Obama condemned people who use religious freedom to discriminate – Pope Francis supported them.

Speaking on his return home from his 10 day visit to the United States, Pope Francis said that government officials have the “human right” to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses if it goes against their religious conscience – despite marriage equality being federal law in the United States.

Earlier this month, Kentucky government official, Kim Davis, spent six days behind bars when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She maintained that she was acting under “God’s authority”.

Since she made headlines, the discussion of “religious freedom” has become a hot debate – with politicians taking sides in the argument. Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee even held a rally of support upon her release from prison.

The Pope said, in Italian, “Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right.

“I can’t have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right,” he said.

“And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right.”

His comments come just one day after President Barack Obama spoke out against government officials like Kim Davis, and the presidential candidates that support them.

Obama said an LGBT fundraiser on Sunday, “Our religious freedom doesn’t grant us the freedom to deny our fellow Americans their constitutional rights.

“And that even as we are respectful and accommodating genuine concerns and interests of religious institutions, we need to reject politicians who are supporting new forms of discrimination as a way to scare up votes. That’s not how we move America forward,” he said.