Pope Francis surprised 20 former
prostitutes on Friday by knocking on their door in Rome and popping in for a
chat.
The Argentine, who has repeatedly
described the human trafficking behind much prostitution as “a crime against
humanity”, sat down with the group, including four women from Albania, seven
from Nigeria and six from Romania.
The other three hailed from Italy,
Tunisia and the Ukraine, according to a Vatican statement.
The women, all aged around 30, are
being sheltered by a Catholic association in an apartment in the Italian
capital after being rescued from their pimps.
The 79-year old listened for over an
hour to the stories of the former sex slaves, “all of whom suffered serious
physical abuse and live under protection,” the Vatican said.
The visit fell under what have been
termed Francis’s “Fridays of Mercy”, whereby he carries out one unscheduled act
of mercy a month on a Friday — mainly in or near Rome — throughout the pope’s
Jubilee year, which started in December and runs to November.
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