Pope Francis stunned leaders and parishioners of the Catholic Church on Friday when he broke protocol and spontaneously bowed down in front of the crowd at St. Peter's Basilica and confessed his sins to an ordinary priest, Reuters reported.

The pope surprised his own master of ceremonies while heading the service intended to show the importance he attaches to the sacrament of reconciliation, known as confession.

After reading a sermon, the controversial Pontiff was supposed to go to an empty confessional booth to hear confessions of the 60 priests scattered around the huge church.

But Reuters Reports that as his master of ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini, pointed him toward the empty booth the pope decided he would lead by example. He then went straight to another booth, knelt before a shocked priest, and confessed to him his sins for a few minutes.

When finished he then went back to the empty one and heard the confessions of a number of priest in attendance. The pope is known to confess regularly, but always in private.

(Photo : screen-grab )

The progressive Pope has made many statements that differ from the doctrine of his predecessors in the Catholic Church. He received praise on his liberal views towards homosexuality. He also went as far as to state that God has made all acceptable not only believers but non-believers as well.

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone!" Pope Francis stated during his sermon at a Mass in Rome.

Pope Francis' actions and statements have been heavily criticized and have raised serious concerns in the hearts of many loyal Catholics. Catholic theologian, Dr. Kelly Bowring, said Pope Francis is fulfilling a prophecy that famous saint Malachy made of the final Pope of the Catholic Church and he described how he believes certain prophecy reveals the pontiff may be the False Prophet describe in Revelation.