This Article is From Jan 09, 2014

Priest hitches ride on popemobile during papal audience

Priest hitches ride on popemobile during papal audience

Fabian Baez, a priest from a church in downtown Buenos Aires, sits in the popemobile as Pope Francis arrives to lead the Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on January 8, 2014.

Vatican City: An Argentine priest hitched a ride on Pope Francis' popemobile during the pontiff's general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday after the pope recognised him in the crowd.

The pope thought he had heard a familiar voice when someone shouted out "Holy Father, Happy New Year" as he was driven through a crowd of thousands.

He turned and spotted Father Fabian Baez, a priest he knew from his days as archbishop of Buenos Aires. He asked his driver to stop the popemobile and gestured to the priest to come out of the crowd, video footage showed.

The pontiff then invited him to hop on the white vehicle and the priest joined him for the rest of the ride through the crowd.

The two embraced when Baez boarded and the pope was heard telling him, "This photo is going to go around the world".
© Thomson Reuters 2014
.