Pope Francis reduced to tears by young girl with rare cancer singing for him

A young girl diagnosed with a painful bone cancer performed a stunning a capella version of Ave Maria for the Pope. The beautiful rendition of the classic piece took place as Pope Francis visited the Frederico Gomez paediatric hospital in Mexico. 

During his visit, on his second full day in the country, the Pontiff kissed each child before helping nurses to hand out their medication. But one patient was determined to make his visit memorable, and launched into a tear-jerking version of the famous song.

The girl has been identified by the Mexican media as 15-year-old Alexia Garduño, who has been diagnosed from osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer . 

Osteosarcoma is most common in teenagers and young adults and can affect any bone in the body, although it often occurs in the arms or legs, particularly around the knee joint.

In the background, doctors, parents and other hospital officials watch the performance, many clearly moved by the young girl's voice.

The Pope then left the hospital to deliver mass to more than 300,000 in Ecatepec, one of Mexico's poorest cities.