While Pope Francis is usually the star at Vatican gatherings, Spider-Man, or at least an Italian who dresses up like the character, was the attention-grabber among the public lined up in rows during the pontiff’s weekly Wednesday audience.⁠ ⁠ Matteo Villardita, 28, dons the comic-book and movie super-hero outfit to cheer up hospitalized children, like those at the Vatican’s pediatric hospital which he planned to visit later on Wednesday.⁠ ⁠ Sweating under his costume in Rome’s heat wave, Villardita said he asked Pope Francis to pray for the children and their families.⁠ ⁠ Villardita told AP TV that he gave Francis a spare mask, “as a sign, to tell him that through these eyes I daily see pain from sick children in hospitals.”⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read the full story.⁠ ⁠ Photo by Vatican Media/AFP via @gettyimages