Pope Francis pause his weekly general audience to kiss and hold a man covered in boils (Photos)

New pictures of�Pope Francis embracing and comforting a severely disfigured man have gone viral on the internet.

Last�Wednesday, the leader of the world’s 1.3billion Catholics was greeting pilgrims following his weekly public audience when�the man covered in neuronal tumors approached him,�asking for a blessing.
The man suffers from a rare and painful disease called neurofibromatosis, which causes boils, impaired vision and in some cases cancer.
Patients suffering from the ailment, which is genetic and not contagious – are often shunned by society because of their appearance.

People were amazed when�Pope Francis�instead, kissed the man on the face and blessed him with the sign of the cross.
He was photographed with his eyes tightly shut in prayer for the man.