Boy Grabs Pope's Skullcap Off While Pontiff Visits Children's Center (VIDEO)
A boy grabbed the Pope's skullcap right off his head Saturday while the Pontiff was visiting a children's center. Pope Francis had picked up a young boy at the Santa Marta Institute, and when the child got bored, he snatched the white cap and played with the Pope's white hair.
The Pope paid homage to the Santa Marta Institute, a Vatican dispensary that provides pediatric care, with his presence. The center, located on Vatican grounds, has also been distributing children's items to needy families for over 90 years, including milk, diapers, baby carriages, clothing and toys.
Pope Francis, who turns 77 on Tuesday, was greeted by many children and a birthday cake complete with candles.
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"I'll tell you later if it's good or not," he teased the children.
During the visit, the Pope picked up one child to hold. While the small boy was up by the Pontiff's head, he managed to grab his zucchetto, the white skull cap many popes have worn. He even rustled Pope Francis' white hair while both of them smiled.
Eventually, Pope Francis got his skullcap back and put it back on his head.
The Pope was named Time magazine's Person of the Year Wednesday for his popularity among Catholics, Christians and the non-religious worldwide and his fresh approach to world issues and the gospel.
"In his nine months in office, he has placed himself at the very center of the central conversations of our time: about wealth and poverty, fairness and justice, transparency, modernity, globalization, the role of women, the nature of marriage, the temptations of power," Nancy Gibbs wrote for Time.
Pope Francis is the third pope to hold the honor: John XXIII was the Person of the Year in 1962 and John Paul II was in 1994. Pope Francis hasn't responded to the designation, but a representative said it has it's uses.
"If the choice of Person of the Year helps spread the message of the gospel— a message of God's love for everyone— he will certainly be happy about that," Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said in a statement.
