VATICAN CITY -- VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has greeted hundreds of people in wheelchairs one-by-one — part of a special gathering in which rows of seats were removed from a Vatican auditorium to make room for the disabled visitors.


The pontiff, who has made championing the downtrodden a key plank of his papacy, lamented that society tends to "hide physical fragility" and reject the disabled. He encouraged those with physical disabilities to banish any feelings of shame, and become "protagonists" in society as well as the Catholic church.


Some 600 people in wheelchairs waited to have their time with Francis during the event Saturday. He moved down the rows to greet each person, doling out hugs and kisses as well as chatting.




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  • Pope Francis, background right, delivers his message during a meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • VATICAN-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis talks on November 9, 2013 with disabled people during a meeting with the UNITALSI, Italian Union for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and International Shrines in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO/Filippo MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis recives a caress from a disabled man during a meeting with the UNITALSI, Italian Union for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and International Shrines in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO/Filippo MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis meets a disabled woman during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis hugs a disabled man during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis meets a disabled man during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis meets a disabled man during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • Pope Francis is greeted by a child upon his arrival in the Paul VI hall for a meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), at the Vatican, Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis kisses a disabled girl during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis meets a disabled girl during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • VATICAN-RELIGION-CHRISTIANITY-POPE-UNITALSI


    Pope Francis meets disabled people during a meeting with the UNITALSI, the Italian Union responsible for the transportation of sick people to Lourdes and the International Shrines in PaulVI hall, at the Vatican, on November 9, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)




  • Pope Francis is greeted by children upon his arrival in the Paul VI hall for a meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis kisses a child upon his arrival in the Paul VI hall for a meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis


    Pope Francis, right, greets the faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis, right, greets faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis


    Pope Francis blesses a faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis


    Pope Francis blesses a faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis


    Pope Francis, right, greets the faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis, right, greets faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • Pope Francis, right, greets the faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)




  • In this picture made available by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis greets the faithful at the end of his meeting with volunteers of the UNITALSI (Italian National Transport Union of ill to Lourdes and International Sanctuaries), in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)