Act of kindness: Pope
Francis (left) comforts a man covered in boils in Saint Peter's Square at the
end of his General Audience in Vatican City
Touching moment: The pontiff kissed the worshiper, who suffers from a rare disease called neurofibromatosis, which is genetic and not contagious
Pontiff's penitence: Pope
Francis washes the foot of a prisoner at Casal del Marmo youth prison in Rome
March 28, 2013
Pope Francis concluded
Wednesday's general audience in St Peter's Square in Rome by kissing a man
covered in boils and joining him in prayer.
Photos of the pontiff
embracing the severely disfigured man have gone viral online, with commenters
praising the pope's for his compassion and kindness.
In Italian press, the pope
has drawn comparisons to his illustrious namesake, St Francis of Assisi - a
revered 13th century holy figure, who according to legend kissed a leper he had
encountered on a road after receiving a message from God.
Images of Pope Francis
comforting the ailing worshiper were taken at the end of the general audience
Wednesday, when a man covered in neuronal tumors approached the leader of the
Catholic Church asking for a blessing.
The man reportedly suffers
from a rare and painful disease called neurofibromatosis, which causes boils,
impaired vision and in some cases cancer, according to the Catholic News Agency.
Patients suffering from the
ailment, with is genetic and not contagious - are often shunned by society
because of their appearance.
Pope Francis has been
widely praised for his common touch and accessibility.
Since being elected to the
Holy See earlier this year, the pontiff has made headlines around the world by
washing the feet of juvenile delinquents, personally calling distraught
worshipers on the phone and inviting homeless people to dine at St Peter's
Square.
On Wednesday, the leader of
the world’s 1.3billion Catholics was greeting pilgrims following his weekly
public audience when he took a break to comfort the disfigured believer.
Pope Francis then kissed
the man on the face and blessed him with the sign of the cross. He was
photographed with his eyes tightly shut in prayer.
Earlier in today’s
audience, the pope asked the people assembled in the square to pray for a sick
little girl he had just met.
Last week, the pontiff
allowed a little boy to remain on stage with him and cling to his leg during a
speech in front of a crowd of 150,000.
Earlier this year, the pope
tweeted to his 3.2million followers: ’The Pope must serve all people,
especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable.’
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