Pope praises freedom of children after boy gets a skullcap

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has praised the “spontaneity and freedom” of children after a young boy approached him during his weekly general audience and motioned that he wanted the pope’s white skullcap. A good-humored Francis kept the boy by his side, and the head of the papal household gave up his chair so the clapping child could sit next to the pontiff.  The crowd of thousands then erupted in applause when at the end of the episode, the boy left the stage with an extra white skullcap of his own. Vatican News said his name was Paolo Jr.