Pope in the UAE

SPONTANEOUS BLESSING FROM POPE

A split-second decision by his father meant Cyprien Flour had an experience he will remember for the rest of his life.

Unlike several of Pope

Francis’s public appearances in other countries, where his driver usually stops his vehicle so he can bless people along the way, the Popemobile didn’t make many stops at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, following Papal Mass on 4 February.

When the vehicle came to a halt next to the Flour family, quick-

thinking Jean Baptiste lifted his son Cyprien and the Pope touched his head, blessing him, Gulf News reported.

“To be fair, I think Cyprien doesn’t realise what it means yet. When I told him about the pope, he said, ‘I’m being blessed by the priests every Saturday,’” the father of three told Gulf News. “But I am sure he is going to get a lot of benediction out of it. It’s a unique moment in his life and I’m glad that today we can take photo

of this moment and he’s going to remember it forever.”

According to Jean, Cyprien is already actively serving at church - the youngest servant in St Francis Church in Dubai, adding that he attends church every Saturday.

Cyprien’s mother, Sixtine De Maisonneuve, described her son as an obedient boy who prays a lot, adding that he already wants to have his First Communion [a Catholic rite of passage] and she has explained that he’s still too young for it. “I hope he will receive a lot of blessings from today and he will grow up to be a faithful servant of God,” Gulf News reported.

The Jumeirah Primary School student may not grasp the magnitude of the blessing now, but he will do in due course. Sixtine told World of Education that it was an amazing moment in Cyprien’s life. “But what touched us the most, as his parents, is the immense and collective joy around us. All our families, friends and colleagues were so happy for Cyprien and our family, and we have been receiving hundreds of messages since, as this picture was published in many other countries.”