The Sudanese woman who at one point was sentenced to die for religious apostasy for refusing to live as a Muslim under Sharia law safely made it out of the country, and traveled to Vatican City to meet with Pope Francis.

After a month of living in the US Embassy compound in Khartoum, Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag and her family left the country and flew to Rome.  This time, Sudanese officials did not stand in her way as they did during he first attempt to leave the country.  How this was achieved isn’t yet in the sunlight, but it’s a diplomatic coup for Italy and Prime Minister Renzo Matteo who welcomed the family at Rome’s airport while proclaiming, “Today is a day of celebration.”

Meriam, her husband Daniel Wani, their toddler son, and the baby girl Meriam gave birth to in prison went straight to the Vatican shortly after landing in Rome.  The meeting with Pope Francis took about 30 minutes.

“The Pope thanked her for her witness to faith,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said, adding Francis wanted to show his “closeness and solidarity for all those who suffer for their faith.”

The visit to Rome is a stopover on the way to the United States, where the family will settle.  Daniel Wani is a US citizen.

“(Meriam) is unhappy to leave Sudan.  She loves Sudan very much.  It’s the country she was born and grew up in,” said Ibrahim’s lawyer Mohamed Mostafa Nour.  “But her life is in danger so she feels she has to leave.  Just two days ago a group called Hamza made a statement that they would kill her and everyone who helps her,” he added.

Earlier this year, Meriam Ibrahim was arrested and sentenced to death by a Sharia Law court for religious apostasy.  The court decided she was a Muslim because that was the religion of her absentee father – even though she was raised a Christian by her mother.  And because of that, Meriam’s marriage to Daniel wasn’t official and their relationship therefore was adultery.  The pregnant 27-year old was sentenced to death by hanging and 100 lashes to be carried out sometime after she gave birth.  The case sparked international outrage, and after weeks of pressure on Khartoum, she was released from prison.