Denia lovers wait half a century to marry

A COUPLE wed in Denia after waiting 53 years to be able to do so.

Mauricio Bailly, 78, and Rosa Olmier, 77, met in Paris more than half a century ago and fell in love, but he was already married. They moved in together and had three children, but could not legally get married as Mauricio’s wife would not give him a divorce.

Later they moved to Denia, and most people assumed that they were man and wife. As his wife died this year, he was then free to be married.

“When asked if the celebration was for their golden wedding anniversary, we had to explain to people that they are actually getting married for the first time,” Jaume, one of their sons, told Spanish newspaper Diario Informacion.

When asked on the day how he felt, the great grandfather of five responded that it was “one of the happiest” days of his life.