[FULL PHOTOS] Disfigured Man who was Held and Kissed by Pope Francis Relives The Moment

Vinicio Riva, from Vicenza in northern Italy, is covered from head-to-toe by the growths of his genetic disease neurofibramatosis. The dreadfully disfigured man whose full-body tumours were lovingly kissed by the Pope has told the moving story of his life for the first time.

Earlier this month the 53-year-old's picture shot round the world, when he was warmly embraced by Pope Francis at one of the pontiff's weekly audiences. Click HERE for photos.

The severely disabled man has described the encounter, saying that being caressed by Francis made his heart beat so fast he thought he "would die"...

See more photos after the cut...

The pontiff's hug was "like paradise", he said. "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."

"My head was against his chest his arms were wrapped around me. It lasted just over a minute, but to me it seemed like an eternity."

He was accompanied to the Vatican by his aunt, Caterina Lotto, 68. Afterwards he felt so emotional and his heart was beating so hard he turned to her and said: "This is going to kill me ."

Mr Riva lives with his sister Morena, 46, in the council house they share outside Vicenza. His sister Morena also suffers from the disease, although from a far milder form. Their mother Rosaria was the genetic carrier that passed on the disease but she did not develop any symptoms until she had children. 

The dermatology patient's mother, Rosaria, eventually died of the condition, aged 81, and Mr Riva himself was only expected to live until the age of 30.

Vinicio Riva with Aunt, Caterina Lotto and Sister, Morena

Vinicio's mother Rosaria was the genetic carrier of the disease, Neurofibromatosis

Until the age of 15, Mr Riva was an unblemished, self-assured adolescent. Then the growths, which appeared all over his body, inch by painful inch, robbed him of his boyhood good looks.

His father, 77, a former builder, who still lives in the retirement home where Mr Riva now works,  showed affection to his son after he got sick and pulled him out of school aged 15 to come and work on the building sites with him.

Vinicio Riva as a boy

The severely sick man is taken to Lourdes, a popular place of pilgrimage in France, every year by Catholic group Unitalsi but it was the first time they had thought to take him to St Peter's, where he met Pope Francis.

 



MailOnline