VATICAN CITY, Feb 2 — A man interrupted Pope Francis’ general audience at the Vatican today, shouting “This is not the Church of God” in English and waving a medical mask he had removed from his face before being taken away by police, a Reuters witness said.

The man, who was also heard shouting the word “mask,” was sitting alone in the back of the audience hall, away from the section where most of the people were seated.

The pope heard the shouting but it was not clear if he understood what the man was saying. After the man was taken away by Vatican police, the pope asked those in the audience hall to join him in saying a prayer for the man. — reuters