Papal visitor who couldn't hold his tongue

The Times
by Martin Penner



Rome: The more respectful visitors to the Pope are often left somewhat open-mouthed, but this was the moment when a six-year-old circus acrobat went a little further after a Christmas performance at the Vatican.

Yesterday the young visitor said that he had stuck out his tongue only because “my gums were hurting”.

The explanation left seasoned Vatican-watchers unconvinced. They, and apparently the Pope, prefer to believe that Walter Orfei Nones acted from pure playfulness.

The incident happened at Pope John Paul II’s last general audience before Christmas when Walter, his 11-year-old sister and an adult member of Italy’s Orfei Circus provided an acrobatic interlude.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,171-1417772,00.html