Ex-bishop marries Spanish sweetheart in Barcelona after Pope says yes to sex

A SPANISH bishop who quit to marry an erotic novel writer 14 years his junior has finally tied the knot.

Xavier Novell, 52 had his big day with 38-year-old author Silvia Caballol yesterday (Monday November 23). But there was no church service for the couple – they had a behind closed doors civil ceremony in a magistrate’s office in Suria (Barcelona).

It would appear the happy couple were trying to keep a low profile as the office is normally closed on a Monday.

Their luck was out however, with a film crew from TV3 getting wind of the event and standing in wait for them.

Novell announced his decision to leave the church just 11 years after he became the youngest bishop in Spain at the age of 41.

But he sent shockwaves through the community in Catalunya when he suddenly resigned from his position at the diocese of Solsona for ‘personal reasons’.

These later became clear as a desire to marry Caballol.

“I have fallen in love with a woman and I want to do things well,” Novell told Spanish newspaper El Pais. “It is a magnificent vocation but I see that the Lord has wanted me to renounce that beautiful thing to have a bigger family.”

He then asked the Pope for permission to renounce his vow of celibacy – which was given.

After leaving his job as prelate, Novell found work at the beginning of the month with a company that provides semen for the artificial insemination of pigs.