Former nun marries Catholic seminarian in secret after they fell in love while praying together

A former nun has married a Catholic seminarian after they fell in love while praying together.

Lais Dognini, a former nun who later became an influencer, originally met priest Jackson Dognini when he offered to pray for her to help her deal with depression, Brazilian outlet O Globo reported.

The couple married in secret in March, but revealed their union in an Instagram Story on Tuesday, October 7.

Both had dedicated years to the Catholic Church before meeting more than six years ago, when Lais was still a missionary.

Although they shared the same missionary spaces, they had never said so much as “hello” to each other, O Globo reported.

Jackson spent five years in the seminary training for the priesthood, while Lais lived for two years in a Carmelite convent where she dedicated her life to prayer and service.

But when Lais suffered depression and left the convent, returning to her home to focus on her recovery, Jackson, still in the seminary, sent her a message saying he was praying for her.

He believed she would one day return to religious life, but the pair kept exchanging messages and eventually became friends.

Jackson later decided to leave the seminary after a long period of reflection about his vocation.

In April 2024, the couple began dating, becoming engaged in October last year before tying the knot in March.

“It doesn’t seem like much, right? But let’s face it, we’re adults now and we know what we want in life,” Lais wrote on her Instagram as she shared the news for the first time on October 7.