It’s another Pope Francis image that has captivated the world, amongst the many that has already impressed millions with the pope's new way of doing things. The picture of the pontiff embracing Dominic Gondreau, a child with cerebral palsy, has gone viral and has touched hearts of individuals all over the globe. Such image of a compassionate act immediately piqued the interest of Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who felt tremendous emotion in seeing Francis lovingly hug the child.

The website, TheBlaze, interviewed Dr. Paul Gondreau, the child’s father who shared the story behind the image that unexpectedly gave some of his family members major media coverage.

Dr. Gondreau is a professor of theology at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. He said that he is teaching for a semester in Rome and took his wife and family to experience the 6-month adventure with him.

Because of their apartment’s proximity to St. Peter’s Square, Gondreau and his family took advantage of the events in Vatican. One of this was Pope Francis’ Easter mass. They didn’t know that when they attended the important Sunday event that their eight-year-old son Dominic would end up in the arms of the Holy Father.

Dr. Gondreau shared that they almost missed the important Sunday event as they were a little late getting into the Square. The seating area was already full by the time the professor and his family arrived and a Swiss Guard instructed that only one person could accompany their disabled son to the seating area reserved for the disabled. He and his wife agreed that it’s his wife turn to sit up front with their son, Dominic.

Dr. Gondreau and his four children stayed at the back near the obelisk.

Not knowing what would happen next during the Easter service and without expecting it, Dr. Gondreau said he was first unaware that the pope was holding his son. However, his 12-year-old son, Lucas, said, “It’s Dominic!” His initial thought, as he shared with TheBlaze was that Lucas saw Dominic with his mom walking through the crowd looking for him and the other children. But Lucas blurted out, “The Pope is holding Dominic!” By then the professor looked up at the jumbtron only to be overwhelmed by the moment.

Gondreau and his son immediately cried when they saw it. Telling TheBlaze about what he felt when he saw Dominic being hugged by the Pope, “What did I feel? What any father feels when his son is embraced in a fatherly embrace by the Holy Father. Especially my young disabled son. What a blessing! What an affirmation! It was like a gentle kiss from God, saying, paraphrasing what God the Father said at Jesus’ baptism, 'Behold, my beloved son, Dominic, whom I love and have blessed much.'"