During a meeting with the Italian Autism Federation, a young boy wandered freely around the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace.
He eventually sat at the foot of Pope Francis as he addressed the audience. The boy seemed calm, and he didn't appear to break the Pope's concentration as he spoke of the need to include disabled persons into society.
POPE FRANCIS
Before so many wounds, especially of those most vulnerable, let us not waste the opportunity to support one another.
It's not the first time a child has approached the Pope during a public audience. A similar incident occurred in 2018, when a child ran onstage during the Pope's weekly General Audience, and he invited him to stay.
-He is a bit special...He has autism.
-Leave him, if he wants to play here, leave him.
Just last October, another child came up to the Pope to ask for his white papal skullcap. He was eventually ushered off stage, but he didn't leave without saying goodbye to Pope Francis with his new prize.
JM
