The Vatican has moved to clarify details of the Pope’s recent meeting with Kim Davis, the US clerk imprisoned for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licences.

Amid a media storm over the meeting, which reportedly took place at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington DC during the recent papal visit, the Vatican Press Office issued a statement to offer what it calls “ an objective understanding of what transpired”.

According to first reports, Kim Davis was quoted as having spoken with the Pope who, she said, thanked her for her courage before asking for her prayers.

“I broke into tears,” Davis said. “I was deeply moved.”

The Vatican’s own statement says: “Pope Francis met with several dozen persons who had been invited by the Nunciature to greet him as he prepared to leave Washington for New York City. Such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the Pope’s characteristic kindness and availability. The only real audience granted by the Pope at the Nunciature was with one of his former students and his family.”

Turning to the Davis encounter, the statement adds: “The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects.”

Prior to confirmation of the meeting between Pope Francis and Davis, journalists on the papal flight returning to Rome after the US trip pressed the Pontiff on conscientious objection for people who are simultaneously faithful and government employees. The Pope responded then that conscientious objection “is a human right and if a government official is a human person, he has that right.”