Pope Francis lets migrant children ride in his popemobile

epa07571985 Pope Francis during the weekly general audience in Saint Peters Square, Vatican City, Rome, 15 May 2019. EPA/ANGELO CARCONI

Eight migrant children hitched a ride around St Peter's Square on Wednesday, joining Pope Francis in his popemobile.

The pontiff treated the children who arrived in Italy via a boat from Libya shortly before his weekly general audience.

The children arrived on April 29 and come from different nations including Syria, Nigeria and Congo.

The Pope has often spoken in defence of migrants' rights. In a recent trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics addressed refugees and migrants and told the world was a difficult place for them but they should not give up hope.

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In pictures: How the Popemobile has evolved

Pope Francis arrives in St Peter's Square in the Vatican in his new Hyundai popemobile in 2015. The mostly all-white Popemobile has become a common sight on Papal visits. Getty Images

Before the popemobile was the custom of sedia gestatoria. Seen here, Pope John XXIII in his carrying chair at St Peter's Basilica during his reign in office between 1958 and 1963. Getty Images

Popes would also ride in horse-drawn carriages much like the head of states of the time. Seen here Pope Leo XIII during his time in office from 1878 to 1903. Getty Images

Early motorised vehicles were regal affairs and only slightly modified for the Pope. The 1930s era Merdeces-Benz Nurburg 460, pictured in front of Castel Sant’ Angelo, was a favourite of Pope Pius XI. Daimler AG

Pope Paul VI seen standing out of the sunroof of the Mercedes-Benz 300D after return from a pilgrimage to Jordan in the 1960s. This vehicle is thought to be the first car that was customised for the Pope to stand up in. Daimler AG

By the time Pope Paul VI was in office, papal vehicles were beginning to look like modern successors. Seen here a Willys Jeep. Getty Images

Pope Paul VI drives through the crowds in a Willys Jeep during a visit to John Bosco School in India in 1964. Getty Images

Pope John Paul II greets people at the Vatican City in 1979 in a Toyota Land Cruiser popemobile. Getty Images

For big visits, an all-terrain vehicle. Here is Pope John Paul II waving from his open-top bus in 1979 in Mexico City. He would use a modern version during his return to Mexico in 1999. AFP

In Ireland, Pope John Paul II heads to an event in a converted Ford D-series. Getty Images

Pope John Paul II greets the crowds at Easter, 1981 in an open Fiat Campagnola. An assassination attempt in May 1981 meant the popemobile would go through a radical change. Getty Images

During his UK visit in 1982, Pope John Paul II used a massive 24-ton Leyland lorry for his visit to Liverpool. The vehicle was sold at auction AP Photo

Pope John Paul II arrives at Westminster Cathedral in a Range Rover that had bulletproof glass on all four sides. Getty Images

Pope John Paul II rides along a narrow street in the same Range Rover popemobile in Toledo, Spain, in 1982. AP Photo

Pope John Paull II travels in a heavily modified GMC Sierra popemobile through rural Newfoundland, Canada in 1984. Reuters

Pope John Paul II waves to people gathered outside the gates of the Presidential Palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1992. This Land Rover had a expanded glass casing to fit several officials. AFP

The Pope John Paul II rides in his Mercedes-Benz 230G Popemobile with gold rims in the streets of Paris in 1997. He would use this model for most of his trips around the turn of the millenium. AFP

Lebanese soldiers unload Pope John Paul II's Mercedes popemobile from an Italian military plane in Beirut in 1997. Two of these G-Class vehicles were produced by Mercedes. AFP

Pope John Paul ll waves to crowds of people from his Mercedes popemobile in Damascus, Syria, in 2001. It had a top speed of 130kph. Getty Images

Pope John Paul II stands in an updated Mercedes-Benz M-Class Popemobile which is parked in front of his family tomb in 2002 in Krakow-Rakovice, Poland. The M-Class Getty Images

The open-air Fiat Campagnola has an outing in 2003. Getty Images

Pope John Paul II leaves Policlinico Gemelli Hospital in Rome in his Mercedes M-Class popemobile in 2005. Getty images

The M-class was a popular model used by Pope Benedict XVI on his international trips such as the one in Cologne, Germnay in 2005. Getty Images

Bodyguards escort the M-Class transporting Pope Benedict XVI after his arrival in Warsaw in 2006. Getty Images

But Pope Benedict used the Fiat while at home in Rome in 2005. Getty Images

Pope Benedict waves to the crowds around the Vatican City in 2006. Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI travels in his popemobile through Sydney, Australia in 2008. Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI passes ancient graves in Jerusalem in 2009. Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI waves before he retired from office in 2013. Getty Images

Pope Francis waves to the crowds in a Mercedes G-Wagen in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2013. Getty Images

Pope Francis used a Ford Ranger during his trip to Bolivia in 2015. Getty Images

And a Dodge popemobile in Dublin, Ireland, in 2018. Getty Images

Pope Francis arrives for papal mass at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi in 2019 in a Mercedes G-Wagen. EPA