BEAUTIFUL MIRACLE WROUGHT THROUGH THE HANDS OF POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI hugged Rev. Fr. Peter Srsich / Credits - Facebook

Devout Colorado teen beats stage-four cancer after being blessed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during Make-A-Wish trip to Rome

In July 2011, Peter Srsich was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoid, after doctors found softball-sized mass on his lung, making him a stage four cancer patient.

According to Peter, it all started with mild a cough and fatigue in 2011, when he returned from a Canoeing Trip, reported ABC News.

Peter's family thought it was Pneumonia but, the result of his tests was more terrifying, as doctors discovered a softball-sized mass in his left Lung that was pressing on his heart, so he was diagnosed with a stage-four cancer.

Peter fought this cancer, undergoing 7-rounds of Chemotherapy, while he was being treated with powerful drugs that made him completely bald.

Fortunately for Peter, he was young, strong and very athletic, which gives him a good chance of survival but the diagnosis and treatment plunged him into depression, making him ask God why he was being ill-treated.

The 17-year-old Peter Srsich still had a strong believe that everything will be alright as a friend of his used his favourite Bible passage, Romans 8:28 to make a 1200 pieces of lime- green rubber wristbands, and inscribed, 'praying for Peter' and the quote of the Bible Passage, "all things work together for good for those who love God and are fitting into his plans."

Three months into his treatment, Peter was approached by The 'Make A Wish Foundation,' an Organization that grants the wishes of Children with long-term life-threatening illnesses.

Peter's wish was very odd, he wished to see the Pope.

'I would have been perfectly fine if I just got a tour of the Vatican,' he later said.

The Italian branch of the Make A Wish Foundation then organized a $14,000 all-expense paid trip to the Vatican City.

LuAnn Griffin, Peter's gift coordinator expressed that he wasn't doubtful as to Peter's wish playing an important role in his life, career-wise.

In May 2012, Peter, his parents and 15-year-old brother, Johnny, filed into St Peter’s Square in the Vatican to hear Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI address the multinational audience in five languages.

Along with a large number of Dignitaries, Peter was invited to queue up before the Pope. Peter noticed everyone on the queue was having an expensive gift to offer the Pope but he came unprepared.

So he offered his lime-green Wristband to the Pope, as suggested by his Father, telling him he had Cancer.

Humble offering: Unlike other people in line to meet the pontiff who came bearing costly presents, Peter handed the pope a simple wristband with the words 'Praying for Peter' that a friend had made for him

Something unusual happened, while making his first statement, the then Pope interrupted, "oh, you speak English," and placed his hands on his Chest where the tumor is enclosed, the Pope blessed him.

The unusual there is, blessings are usually given placing his hands on the forehead but Peter recalled that in his case, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI placed his hands on his Chest.

Fateful meeting: In May 2012, Peter Srsich, 17, a stage-four cancer patient, got to meet with Pope Benedict XVI, who unexpectedly placed his hand on the exact spot where his tumor was to offer him a blessing

From that moment, Peter never stopped improving.

Peter Srsich studied in the Regis University, run by Jesuit Priests and in May 15, 2021, Peter was ordained a Catholic Priest.

Although Christian groups, like Catholic Gists Int'l have latched on to Peter's recovery story, proclaiming it a miracle, Srsich does not see it quite that way.

‘Chemo helped me fight the cancer. Make-A-Wish helped me fight the chemo,’ he told ABC. ‘Knowing the pope was in my future helped me get through that, and in a small, non-miraculous way, helped cure my cancer.