WASHINGTON 鈥� Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is opening up about his face time with Pope Francis during the pontiff鈥檚 visit to D.C. last week.
鈥淚t was the highlight of my life,鈥� Hogan said at the Maryland State House.
For the past several months, for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Hogan said he was introduced to Pope Francis at Catholic Charities in D.C. on Thursday, and he said the Holy Father was aware of his cancer diagnosis.
After asking the Pope to say a prayer for all the people suffering from cancer, Hogan said, the pope looked at him, smiled and then put his hand on the governor鈥檚 head.
鈥淗e mumbled a prayer in聽I guess either Spanish or Latin; I鈥檓 not sure. I was taken by the moment,鈥� Hogan said.
The pope made the sign of the cross on Hogan鈥檚 forehead, then gave the governor and first lady rosary beads that were blessed in the Vatican.
Later that day, Hogan sat in for President Barack Obama on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews to say goodbye to Pope Francis before he left for New York City. Hogan said he shook the pope鈥檚 hand, and Pope Francis told the governor, 鈥淚 pray for you.鈥�
鈥淭hen he kind of grabbed me by the shoulders to repeat it again, as if to say 鈥業鈥檓 not kidding. I鈥檓 not joking around. I鈥檓 serious about it. I am not just saying this to everybody,鈥� he鈥檚 like, he repeated it again 鈥業 pray for you,鈥欌�� Hogan said.
Hogan called his interactions with the pontiff both moving and amazing.
