A Polish gay couple unfurled a rainbow flag with the word HELP! at the Vatican as Pope Francis looked on.

The couple, Jakub and David, have a large following on social media. A video of them handing out rainbow masks they sewed themselves with one of their grandmother's sewing machines went viral in April.

(Related: Gay couple hands out rainbow masks on the streets of Poland.)

Anti-LGBT rhetoric is high in Poland, where LGBT-free zones have been created. Almost 100 municipalities – nearly one-third of the nation – have adopted non-binding resolutions against “LGBT propaganda.” Last month, President Andrezj Duda won re-election with an anti-LGBT platform.

(Related: Polish President Andrezj Duda, who campaigned against LGBT rights, wins reelection.)

Jakub and David said that they visited St. Peter's Square several times last week with their flag. During one such visit, they unfurled the rainbow flag as Pope Francis recited the Angelus prayer from his balcony window.

“This was the view that Pope Francis had today under his window during the Angelus,” the couple captioned a photo on Instagram of themselves holding the flag in St. Peter's Square.

They were quoted by Polish media as saying: “Polish bishops called us pedophiles, they say that we are a disease and even COVID-19 is a punishment for the world for LGBT+ sin.”

“Our local authorities, inspired by the Catholic Church, have been creating 'LGBT-free zones' in Poland.”

“We believe that these actions don't go along with Pope Francis' teachings and we [unfurled the rainbow flag in St. Peter's Square] to encourage him to take action,” they said.

The couple added that passersby were encouraging and that a priest approached them with an offering of water and listened to what they had to say.