A rare incident took place at Pope Francis’ Vatican audience on Wednesday. The matter came to light only after a video clip of the incident surfaced on the internet.
In the 1.14-minute-long video, it can be seen that a boy, wearing a mask and a tracksuit, who appeared to be about 10-years old is seen trying to steal the Pope’s cap, known as a zucchetto.
The boy walked onto the stage without any restriction from the security officials. He shook hands with the Pope and jumped up and down in front of him.
After realizing that the boy wanted to stay for a while on the stage, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, the head of protocol, arranged a chair for the boy at the Pope’s right side.
However, the boy walked on and off the stage freely, returning to the centre several times and pointing to the Pope’s white skull cap trying to get it.
Later, the officials gave him a similar cap which prompted applause and laughter from the crowd of several thousand people.
“I thank this boy for the lesson he has given all of us. May the Lord help him in his limitations, as he grows, because what he did came from the heart,” the pope said.
Watch the viral video here:
A boy stole the show at Pope Francis’ general audience at the Vatican. The boy, who the pope later said had a medical ‘limitation,’ walked on and off the stage freely, returning to the center several times as the pope continued his address pic.twitter.com/uUQHdgRir5
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 20, 2021
Ms Kalinga