(CNN)
-- It was the embrace that melted hearts worldwide.
Pope
Francis, pausing for a moment to pray and lay his hands on a man with a
disfiguring disease. The man gently burying his head in the Pope's chest, his
many facial tumors visible.
His
encounter with the ailing man occurred in Vatican City
Images
of the Pope's embrace in St. Peter's Square went viral on social media.
"I'm
an atheist, but the more I hear about Pope Francis, the more I like him,"
Donna Hosie tweeted.
Photos:
Pope embraces disfigured man Photos: Pope embraces disfigured man
Boy
won't leave Pope's side onstage
Pope
Francis leads the charge on reform
The
Pope and the rabbi
Some
say Pope Francis is living up to the ideals of his namesake, Francis of Assisi,
a preeminent figure who considered himself a servant to the poor and destitute.
Why
the Pope's embrace is so powerful
Since
taking over as the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, the Pope has
highlighted the need to reach out to the poor and afflicted.
"Lord,
teach us to step outside ourselves," he tweeted in August. "Teach us
to go out into the streets and manifest your love."
A
month later, he echoed the same sentiment.
"True
charity requires courage: let us overcome the fear of getting our hands dirty
so as to help those in need," he tweeted.
The
Pope has called for open interaction with people from all walks of life,
especially the poor, weak and vulnerable.
And
he is practicing what he preaches.
The
man the Pope comforted suffers from neurofibromatosis, according to the
Catholic News Agency. The genetic disorder causes pain and thousands of tumors
throughout the body. It leads to hearing and vision loss, heart and blood
vessel complications, and severe disability from nerve compression by tumors.
The
moment marked the latest in a series of memorable encounters for the Pope.
Last
month, a pint-sized papal pal joined him on stage -- and refused to let go.
Reference: CNN
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