Two weeks after the Pope moved the world when he embraced victim of
terrible disease, his compassion brings a moment of joy to another
disfigured man
- Pope Francis paused during his weekly audience to greet disfigured man
- Stopped to speak and hug the man who lacked facial features
His actions have touched many across the world and revitalised the Catholic church
But for Pope Francis, comforting this stricken man after today's weekly audience in St Peter's Square was another simple act of compassion.
In scenes strikingly similar to his encounter with the disfigured Vinicio Riva two weeks before, the pontiff first spoke with the worshipper and then put his arms around him, blessing him.
The man's identity is not known, nor are the details of what caused such terrible damage to his face.
Saint Francis: Pope Francis I took the time
after his weekly Papal audience in St. Peter's Square to bless a
severely disfigured man
Together in prayer: The Pope and the disabled man shared a private moment where Francis I gestured up to the sky
Personal connection: Pope Francis leant in to
hug and kiss the man and give him his blessing at the end of his
audience in the Vatican today
However, his delight at spending a few moments in the presence of the leader of the Catholic church can be imagined.Francis, formerly Jorge Bergoglio, only took office eight months ago but his his iconoclastic style has already had a huge impact on the faithful.
He has made personal calls to distraught worshippers, invited the homeless to dine at St Peter's Square and washed the feet of young offenders.
However, it was a meeting with Mr Riva, who is covered in growths caused by the incurable condition neorofibromatosis, which moved many to tears.
Bringer of joy: Pope Francis has made a habit of
dedicating time to greet and bless sick or disabled people at the end
of the general audience
The Pope, once again in St Peter's
Square for his general audience, put his hands on the 53-year-old
Italian man, kissed, hugged and prayed with him. Speaking earlier this week, Mr Riva said the pontiff's hug was 'like paradise', adding: 'He didn't even think about whether or not to hug me.
'I'm not contagious, but he didn't know that. But he just did it: he caressed me all over my face, and as he did I felt only love.'
Mr Riva recollected: 'He came down from the altar to see the sick people. He embraced me without saying a word. I felt as though my heart was leaving my body.
'He was completely silent but sometimes you can say more when you say nothing.'
'First, I kissed his hand while with the other hand he caressed my head and wounds. Then he drew me to him in a strong embrace, kissing my face.
Act of kindness: Pope Francis (left) comforted
Vinicio Riva, a 53-year-old Italian who had travelled to Rome for a
audience in Saint Peter's Square earlier this month
Painful: Vinicio Riva with a picture of his late mother Rosaria, who suffered from the same condition he does
'PAINKILLER' PACK WHICH GIVES OUT MEDICINE FOR THE HEART
Some 20,000 boxes, designed to look like a packet of painkillers, were illustrated with a human heart and contained a rosary.
Addressing the crowd in ST Peter's Square the Pontiff said: 'I now want to suggest a medicine. "What" you ask, "the pope is now a pharmacist?"'
The instruction leaflet, available in several languages read: 'Can be used once a day, but in case of emergency can be taken as much as the soul needs.
Earlier this year, Francis tweeted to his 3.2million followers: ’The Pope must serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable.’
The so-called 'Pope Francis Effect' has been credited with a 20 per cent rise in Catholic congregations in Britain, and similar boosts around the world.
New and lapsed Catholics are surging back to the confession box 'by the hundreds or thousands', according to the Italian Centre for Studies of New Religions.
In Italy half of priests have noted a marked rise in support for the church.
The Italian opinion poll Opinioni reported this week that more than four in five Italians have a 'positive' or 'extremely positive' opinion of the Pope.
Spain, which had been experiencing a decades-long slump, has also seen attendance figures begin to climb since the pontiff's appointment.
Catholic leaders in France, the USA and Latin America have also reported growth in the numbers of churchgoing Catholics.
And Latin America - already the biggest single source of Catholic pilgrims to Italy - saw numbers of pilgrims to the centre of the faith rise by 20 per cent from the same period last year
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