Disfigured man embraced by Pope Francis passes away
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Many will never forget Vinicio Riva, the man whose face was disfigured by a rare disease, who was embraced and caressed by Pope Francis ten years ago in St. Peter's Square, shortly after the start of his pontificate in 2013.
Riva's earthly journey came to an end yesterday, Wednesday, 10 January, after his long battle with von Recklinghausen's disease.
Historically called von Recklinghausen's disease, Neurofibromatosis 1 is a genetic disorder characterized by increased risk of developing noncancerous and cancerous tumors, as well as various other physical and neurological manifestations.
At the age of 58, the native of Isola Vicentina in Italy's northern Veneto region, passed away in Vicenza hospital.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
