Pope Francis insists he still supports the law of celibacy despite considering easing it in remote and isolated areas.

"The Pope's view of celibacy law is widely known," Matteo Bruni, head of the Vatican press center, told reporters today. "I still remember what Pope Paul VI once said: 'I would rather give up my life than change the law of celibacy,'" he said.

According to Bruni, the pope also said that "he thought celibacy was a gift to the Church" and that "celibacy" was not something "should be allowed". For now, though, the Pope is still considering accepting changes to the law "in remote locations", such as the Pacific Islands or the Amazon region, where priests are scarce.

Former Pope Benedict, who retired in 2013, previously expressed his views on protecting the law of celibacy in a book co-written with Cardinal Robert Sarah. Excerpts of the book published by the French newspaper Le Figaro.

"I cannot keep silent!", Former Pope Benedict wrote in the book, referring to an unusual meeting of Amazon bishops at the Vatican last year, offering to remain ordained for married men in Certain cases.

Pope Francis is thinking about allowing the abandonment of celibate priesthood laws in remote areas where communities are rarely celebrated for the lack of priests. He is expected to announce his decision in the next few weeks.