Pope leaves sick girl run free on general audience stage

Pope Francis allowed a girl suffering from an undisclosed illness to move around undisturbed clapping and dancing on the stage for most of his general audience on Wednesday, delighting the crowd.

The girl, wearing a pink T-shirt slipped away from her mother at the front of the audience hall and reached the big marble stage. She pranced back and forth in front of him, jumped, and occasionally let go a loud, sharp clap and Pope Francis signalled to security to let her be and momentarily held her hand as she walked up to him.

At the end of the audience he remarked that “this poor girl is a victim of an illness and she does not know what she is doing.”

“I ask one thing, and everyone should respond in their own heart. Did I pray for her when I saw her? Did I pray so the Lord heals her and protects her? Did I pray for her parents and her family?”

“When we see a person who is suffering, we must pray. This situation should help us always ask this question,” he said.

Via Reuters 

Photos: EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO PERI