Vatican City • Pope Francis gave a joyride in his popemobile Wednesday to eight migrant children who recently arrived in Italy from Libya, in his latest gesture to show solidarity with asylum seekers and those on society’s margins.
Francis picked up the kids, who hail from Syria, Nigeria and Congo, at the start of his weekly general audience and zoomed around St. Peter’s Square with them in the back seat. Some waved, others gave a thumbs up before bidding Francis goodbye with hugs and a selfie.
The Vatican said some of the children had arrived in Italy on a migrant boat a few months ago, while others arrived April 29 with their families via a humanitarian corridor.