A Ukrainian group of feminist activists took over the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Tuesday to celebrate Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, and the lower house of the French Parliament's vote in favor of marriage equality. 

Several FEMEN activists, who call themselves "sextremists," rang the bell inside the cathedral in what they said was a funeral march for the Pope's homophobia. 

"FEMEN is congratulating the whole progressive world with the resignation of fascist Benedict XVI from the place of the head of the Catholic mafia," the group's Facebook page declared. "It's symbolic that today is the day of the voting of law of same-sex marriage in France. The ex-Pope was a fierce opponent of gay marriages. FEMEN applaud the complete capitulation of the middle-age homophobia!

FEMEN has staged other protests at heavily Catholic gatherings, including a bare-breasted demonstration in the Vatican as the Pope delivered his annual homily in January, and a similar action last Novemberwhen FEMEN members stripped naked, except for a nun's habit and thigh-high stockings, and chanted similarly pro-gay messages. 

Watch video of the demonstration and the resulting confrontation with Notre Dame security guards below, and click through the following pages to see some of our favorite images from Tuesday's protest.

FEMEN NO MORE POPE from FEMEN Video on Vimeo.

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