The Pontiff embraced and kissed a sickly man who is battling neurofibromatosis - the rare disease said to have affected the Elephant Man. Pope Francis's compassion for a disfigured man prompted comparisons to the 13th Century's St Francis of Assisi.
The man covered in neuronal tumors approached the leader of the Catholic Church asking for a blessing at the end of the general audience on Wednesday. The Pope took a break to comfort the disfigured believer, kissed him on his face and prayed with him.
The man reportedly suffers from the rare and painful disease, which causes growths, impaired vision and in some cases cancer, according to the Catholic News Agency. See more affectionate pictures after the cut...
The man covered in neuronal tumors approached the leader of the Catholic Church asking for a blessing at the end of the general audience on Wednesday. The Pope took a break to comfort the disfigured believer, kissed him on his face and prayed with him.
The man reportedly suffers from the rare and painful disease, which causes growths, impaired vision and in some cases cancer, according to the Catholic News Agency. See more affectionate pictures after the cut...
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.
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| Joseph Carey Merrick, 'Elephant Man,' the name given to man who was severely disfigured by neurofibromatosis |
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