Italian Man Hangs Up On The Pope, Twice

An Italian man has apologised to Pope Francis after he rudely disconnected two phone calls from the leader of the Catholic Church.

Franco Rabuffi thought he was the victim of a prank caller when the Pontiff called twice this week.

The Pope, who often contacts strangers who write to him or whose problems he hears about, was calling to offer his sympathy as Mr Rabuffi was ill.

When Pope Francis rang a third time, Mr Rabuffi finally took the call seriously.

"I was speechless, but Francis came to my rescue, saying that what happened was funny," he told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

Mr Rabuffi and his wife later appeared before the Pope during the Vatican's general audience and apologised in person for his mistake.