A west Belfast priest has described an audience with the Pope in Rome this week as "very moving".
Fr Martin Magill, who is parish priest of St John's Church on the Falls Road, praised Pope Francis for his "down to earth" nature.
Fr Magill and Presbyterian minister Rev Steve Stockman, who is based at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church in south Belfast, had been invited to the Vatican to celebrate a festival they co-created, which marked its 10th anniversary this year.
The 4 Corners Festival seeks to inspire people from across Belfast to transform it for the peace and well being of all.
The festival features innovative events designed to entice people out of their own ‘corners’ of the city and into new places where they will encounter new perspectives, new ideas and make new friends.
In Rome, Fr Magill and Rev Stockman were part of a wider Belfast delegation made up of members of Queen University's Catholic Chaplaincy team, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and a number of students.
Speaking to The Irish News, Fr Magill said the audience with the pontiff had been "a lovely experience".
The cleric said on arriving, Pope Francis greeted everyone before taking a seat among them.
"He said `I have an address written here but I'm not going to read it. You can read it for yourselves later. Let's have a conversation. Would you like to ask me some questions?"
Fr Magill said the QUB students were able to question the Pope about various issues including asking him about his own student days, to which he responded with a "lovely sense of humour".
"He spoke about the value of the lives we lead," he said.
"He encouraged them in having a good sense of humour in the joy of their faith and really be a witness to that.
"He had a lovely suggestion they would have a copy of the gospels in their pocket. A small copy.
"He then naturally moved into the area of ecumenism and he talked about the importance of recognising that other Christians of other faiths actually help us in that mission of sharing the gospel today.
"He spoke of his own experience growing up and I found that very moving. The first ecumenical word that he heard was from his grandmother.
"He was talking about the value of people of different denominations practicing together, working together, witnessing together, being involved in acts of charity".
Fr Magill said some of the QUB students then sang an Irish Blessing for the Pope and at the end of the gathering, the Pontiff asked them to perform again.
Fr Magill said he found the audience with the Pope "very moving on a number of levels".
"I loved the relaxed atmosphere of it," he said.
"Pope Francis put us very much at ease.
"I loved the fact that the students were able to ask questions and when the Pope talked about his own experience, his humorous way of talking about his university life and his grandmother.
"He was very humble and down to earth. It was a lovely experience".
