A python meets meets Benedict the pope | World News - Hindustan Times
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A python meets meets Benedict the pope

Reuters | By, Sydney
Jul 16, 2008 05:44 PM IST

It wasn't your typical papal audience, but Sebastian the python did visit Pope Benedict's Sydney retreat among a group of native Australian animals and their caretakers.

It wasn't your typical papal audience, but Sebastian the python did visit Pope Benedict's Sydney retreat on Wednesday among a group of native Australian animals and their handlers.

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"This is Sebastian, a carpet python," said a young man who had the snake draped around his neck.

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"They eat things like possums. They can squeeze and wrap around, kind of like what he is doing to my neck."

"Attention," said the 81-year-old pope, bringing laughter to the group, leaning over to touch the reptile.

When the man explained that Sebastian, who was already about two-meters long, could grow to 10 meters, Sydney's Cardinal George Pell told him: "I'm glad you're looking after him."

Other animals brought to the retreat -- where the pope has been resting since arriving in Sydney for the Catholic Church's biggest youth festival -- included an echidna, a baby crocodile and a frill-neck lizard.

And, perhaps because a real koala might not feel at home in the Vatican gardens, the young visitors gave the pope a toy version.

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