Pope Benedict XVI witnessed an unprecedented spectacle this week at the Vatican.
In front of bishops and nuns, the Pellegrini brothers, acrobats who usually perform at festivals in Moscow and Monte Carlo, took off their shirts in front of the pontiff, who was accompanied by his secretary, Georg Gaenswein.
With their bare torsos, the acrobats performed pirouettes, balanced on each other and jumped. Benedict XVI observed everything with curiosity and surprise.
Even the nuns in the audience reacted euphorically to the performance. The pope was a little more restrained, but still applauded the artists at the end.
At the same event, during the catechesis, Benedict XVI recalled a phrase from an Italian saint, Verónica Giulani: "I found love, love let itself be seen." Apparently, the images of the half-naked acrobats will forever remain in the pope’s memory…
Watch the Pellegrini brothers' performance below:
