--- title: Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis | TIME description: The image of Pope Francis kissing a disfigured man became a symbol of the Pope's compassion for all people. For Vinicio Riva, it was a life-changing moment. canonical: https://time.com/video/SYvx6Jrr/ og:title: Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis og:description: The image of Pope Francis kissing a disfigured man became a symbol of the Pope's compassion for all people. For Vinicio Riva, it was a life-changing moment. og:url: https://time.com/video/SYvx6Jrr/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SYvx6Jrr/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis twitter:description: The image of Pope Francis kissing a disfigured man became a symbol of the Pope's compassion for all people. For Vinicio Riva, it was a life-changing moment. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SYvx6Jrr/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis [Watch (HLS stream): Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SYvx6Jrr.m3u8) (3:08)  _Published 2013-11-26. The image of Pope Francis kissing a disfigured man became a symbol of the Pope's compassion for all people. For Vinicio Riva, it was a life-changing moment._ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:57 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Pope Francis Wouldn't Let Worshippers Kiss His Ring](/video/m40XaOpf/) ### Pope Francis Wouldn't Let Worshippers Kiss His Ring [Boehner on Pope Francis: ](/video/KKQfh9NE/) ### Boehner on Pope Francis: [Know Right Now: Putin to Meet With Pope Francis](/video/DhEsUZUN/) ### Know Right Now: Putin to Meet With Pope Francis --- ## Transcript [ NOISE ] After four hours of work, Vinicio Arriva is done. Five days a week, he does odd jobs at a home for the elderly in Vincenza in northern Italy. By the way, did you notice something? Yes, 53 year old Vinito suffers from a hereditary genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis type one. His body's almost completely covered from head to toe with growths, swellings and sores. His mother had the same condition as does his sister. He's had it since the age of 15. His appearance often terrrifies strangers. Vinicio recalls trying to take a seat on the bus but being told by the passenger next to him to sit somewhere else. [ FOREIGN ] I wanted to answer back, but I controlled myself, he says. I felt my blood pressure rise. I wanted to leave the bus, but I had a doctor's appointment. There were lots of people on the bus. But no one said a word. [ FOREIGN ]. Not all strangers however react like that. Earlier this month Vinicio went with his aunt Katarina to Saint Peter's Square where Pope Francis approached him and without a moment's hesitation kissed and hugged him. [ FOREIGN ] When he embraced me, he recalls. I quivered, I felt a great warmth. And Katarina was struck by the Pope's very down to earth manner. [ FOREIGN ] I looked down at his shoes. They were like this, she says. I thought, yes, this is someone who really walks. And he was someone who, if he weren't wearing that clothing, you wouldn't even know he's the Pope. [ FOREIGN ] Since then Vinicio has returned to his daily routines. He continues to work and root for his favorite soccer team, Juventus, but something has changed. The Pope's simple embrace was a signal to millions that underneath Vinicio's tortured surface is a fellow human being. [ FOREIGN ]. I feel stronger and happier, he tells me. I feel I can move ahead, because the Lord is protecting me. [ FOREIGN ]. However, he still has some unfinished business with Pope Francis. [ FOREIGN ] I hope he calls me so we can have a face to face meeting says Vinicio. I have many things to tell him. [ FOREIGN ] What do you wanna tell him, I ask. [ FOREIGN ] It's a bit private, he replies. It's between him and I. [ FOREIGN ]. Vinicio returns home from work on his bike, his dignity far more apparent than his illness. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Meet the Disfigured Man Kissed by Pope Francis","description":"The image of Pope Francis kissing a disfigured man became a symbol of the Pope's compassion for all people. 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