Vatican City, Feb 3, 2010 / 11:56 am
At the general audience this morning, the Holy Father was treated to a circus spectacular. Artists from the group "Circo Americano" pleasantly surprised everyone with a choreographed performance, which Pope Benedict happily applauded.
The Togni Family and their "Circo Americano" entertained Benedict XVI and the thousands of pilgrims on hand for the audience on Wednesday at St. Paul VI Hall. They took over the stage with their juggling and acrobatics routine set to disco music.
Upon reaching the end of the show, Pope Benedict thanked the more than 50 artists with kind words and a smile, encouraging them, along with a soccer club in attendance, "to work with generous commitment in your respective fields to contribute to building a better future for all."
Concluding the audience, the Holy Father also recalled the several martyrs' feast days will be celebrated this week and expressed his wish that "the courage of these heroic witnesses of Christ help you, dear young people, to open your hearts to the heroism of holiness; supports you, dear sick, to offer the precious gift of prayer and suffering for the Church; and that it gives to you, dear newlyweds, the strength to impress Christian values upon your families."