Pope Francis is known for communicating his closeness to the people around him. One of the ways he does so is by swapping his white cap, known as a zucchetto, with a pilgrim in the crowd.
By now it's a common gesture, but for John-Paul Romano, who traveled from Canberra, Australia, to Rome and attended the Pope's General Audience, it was a moment he'll probably never forget.
JOHN-PAUL ROMANO
“The decision of the Pope to swap zucchettos was one that was very moving. It was done with no words except me asking him to pray for me. And he put the zucchetto on his head and gave it to me and continued on.”
John-Paul Romano is a social and political commentator in Australia. He spends a lot of time researching, lobbying and understanding Australian politics and diplomacy, and the Church in Australia.
JOHN-PAUL ROMANO
“We're really seeing a difference in what young Catholics want. And a lot of young Catholics want, not necessarily pure traditionalism, but they want to hold on to some of the things of the past, which is not a bad thing. But what we are also seeing in the Australian Church now is a renewal, a renewal in offices, a renewal in our seminaries. And we can only pray that the Australian Church grows.”
John-Paul says he will spend some time in Rome, praying and reflecting, before continuing on to southern Italy, as the proud owner of a zucchetto worn by Pope Francis.
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