Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jul 26, 2013 / 18:30 pm
Thomson Philip, a young India-born man who lives in New Zealand, can hardly believe he sat next to Pope Francis for lunch during World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro.
The 27 year-old communications engineer told CNA, "I don't have enough words to describe what I feel. I felt so blessed and it was the best experience of my life. I have a lot of responsibility now with this."
During the Friday lunch, Pope Francis sat at one of the tables, while Archbishop Orani Tempesta of Rio sat at the other. On both sides sat seven young people. Philip sat in the first spot on the Pope's left.
"It was a great opportunity in which the Pope asked us to spread the hope of Christ to others. He also asked us to pray for him," he said. "We didn't care about the food, just about him."