Lula says his wedding opens a new stage of union, hope and a lot of love​

Brasilia, May 23 (RHC)-- Brazil's former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said his wedding, held last week with sociologist Rosangela da Silva, known as Janja, kicks off "a new stage of life, of union, hope and a lot of love." 

The candidate for the Brazilian presidency in next October's elections shared on his Twitter account some photos of the ceremony held in São Paulo, which was attended by about 150 guests who were asked to refrain from using their phones to preserve the privacy of the moment.

The wedding party, which was held in one of the main and most sophisticated social spaces of the São Paulo capital, also had a strong political accent, since several of Lula's allies attended the event, such as former São Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin, who will be Lula's running mate in the October 2 elections.

Also present were figures such as former President Dilma Rousseff, singer Daniela Mercury and singer-songwriter Gilberto Gil, Minister of Culture during Lula's government.  According to accounts from some of the attendees, the event was marked by the emotion of the bride and groom and both Lula, 76, and Janja, 55, cried at some points.

"Love won!" wrote the former president hours after the ceremony on his social networks, a statement that was immortalized in the wedding souvenir that the bride and groom gave to their guests.  The blessing to the couple was granted by the priest Angélico Sandalo Bernardino, a friend of Lula's since the times of the military dictatorship in the 70s.

The marriage to Janja, 21 years younger than the former head of state, is the third marriage of Lula, who has been widowed twice before.  The couple's relationship was consolidated during the more than 500 days the former president spent in jail due to trumped-up corruption convictions that were later annulled by the Supreme Court due to procedural errors.