Pope Francis Kisses and Embraces Man with Disfigured Face, Suffering from Neurofibromatosis
Video Source: Youtube/ Amazing and unique
Pope Francis has just lived out the very essence of the name he has chosen since becoming the 266th supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic church. As with St Francis of Assisi who kissed a leper, the current Francis heading Vatican likewise kissed and embraced a man with disfigured face suffering from neurofibromatosis.
The incident which happened at the end of the Nov 6 general audience in St. Peter's Square was captured on photographs that not only melted the hearts but also gripped the souls of people worldwide, whether Catholics or not.
According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis paused for several minutes, in deep prayer, as he received the unidentified sick man in his arms.
What happened next was mind blowing - he took the man's face in his hands, kissed him, and gave him a blessing.
I'm not Catholic, but wow. This is what Christ was all about @JPFreire:Try not to cry when you see this image of love http://t.co/3dpTzMhIe7
— Michael Garner (@MikeGarner9) November 6, 2013
Like St. Francis of Assisi, who embraced a leper, Pope Francis kisses a man plagued with a terrible skin condition: http://t.co/b8ydPlIip0
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) November 6, 2013
A 13th century Catholic friar, the story of St Francis of Assisi and the leper happened when the former, used to be a wealthy and popular young man, was returning home from Rome from one of his round of parties.
St Francis of Assisi met the leper in the middle of the road, who was standing perfectly still. He had a bell cord around his neck, which is a requirement during those days for people afflicted of the disease to warn the others of their presence. When the two met, both regarded each other.
St Francis of Assisi who has long been afraid of lepers since he was a child was motionless. Atop on his horse, he didn't speak or move either. They continued to stare at each under on the road under the glaring heat of the sun. St Francis of Assisi checks out the surroundings to find no one around except for the two men and a single horse.
Then, he noticed the leper was not wearing gloves, which was unusual as the patients are required to wear them when they leave their hospitals, along with the bells around their necks.
It then dawned on the good saint that perhaps the man now obstructing his way to home could be the answer he has been looking for. St Francis of Assisi has been for sometime feeling great things are bound to happen for him. His spiritual restlessness had driven him to find that which could make him feel the burden of his sins lifted.
When the leper opened his hand, or what remains of it to beg for alms, St Francis of Assisi gets down from his horse,goes to the man, opens his purse, kneels down in front of the leper and carefully puts the coin in the open palm. He then tenderly takes the leper's hand and kisses it. As the leper helps him to stand, St Francis of Assisi clutched him, pressed their faces close together, and hugs him.
Compared with his namesake, Pope Francis is luckier when he kissed the disfigured face of the man on Wednesday because neurofibromatosis is not contagious.
People suffering from neurofibromatosis often face discrimination because of their appearance.
The disease, acquired genetically, causes its victim great pain. More often, affliction results to paralysis, impaired vision, deafness, mental retardation, migraines and even cancer. Although treatable, the procedure however is highly complicated.
Pope Francis' act seals the lessons on humility that he has been striving to inculcate into the minds of the 1.2-billion strong Roman Catholic church.
"True power is service. The pope must serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable," he tweeted in March.