Pope praises freedom of children after boy gets a skullcap

Pope Francis has praised the “spontaneity and freedom” of children after a young boy approached him during his weekly general audience and motioned that he wanted the pope’s white skullcap

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis on Wednesday praised the “spontaneity and freedom” of children after a young boy approached him during his weekly general audience and motioned that he wanted the pope’s white skullcap.

A good-humored Francis kept the boy by his side, and the head of the papal household, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, gave up his chair so the clapping child could sit next to the pontiff for a bit.

The crowd of thousands in the Vatican auditorium then erupted in applause when at the end of the episode, the boy left the stage with an extra white skullcap of his own. Vatican News said his name was Paolo Jr.

At the end of the audience, Francis praised the sense of freedom that Paolo had shown to “come close and move around as if he were at home.” He said all the faithful should sense such freedom to get closer to God and not be afraid.