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Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Papal Blessing Brings New Life For Refugees

Under an early summer sun in the Vatican City, Pope Francis appeared for his weekly audience, with the usual faithful clamouring to get close to him.

In a small courtyard not far away we found three families from a different faith who have already had their papal moment - one which has transformed their lives.

A week ago they were in a refugee detention centre in Greece. Now they have a new life in Rome after being chosen by the Pope to be relocated to Italy.

Outside the language centre where they have already begun their Italian lessons, we met two-year-old Riyad with his mother, Nour Essa, and father Hassan.

Nour Essa was a micro-biologist in Syria until the outbreak of the civil war. Hassan was a landscape gardener: normal people with normal lives, they told me.

The shock at being told they could leave the camp and go to Rome was overwhelming.

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