Pope Francis was treated to a circus performance during his weekly audience in the Vatican on Wednesday.
A scantily-clad circus artist showed off his balancing skills in front of the Pope in the Paul VI hall, along with a handful of other chosen performers.
The muscly acrobat, whose toga-inspired outfit amounted to nothing more than white hotpants, a cloth across his chest and some gold lame fabric, later knelt before the overjoyed pontiff.
On his knees: A circus performer kisses Pope Francis’ hand after a show in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican during the pontiff’s weekly audience
The performers, who included a juggler, other acrobats and two young boys dressed as ringmasters, are members of the Rony Rollers Circus.
Circus shows in the Paul VI hall has become a regular appearance in recent years, with Pope Francis often inviting different circus troupes every few weeks, the Catholic News Agency reports.
The spectacle has become a regular appearance in general audiences, with different circus troupes performing every few weeks.
Addressing the crowd, Pope Francis said the participation of North Korean athletes in the Olympics raised hopes for reconciliation on the Korean peninsula and that the Vatican was ready to back any peace initiative.
‘The traditional Olympic truce acquires special importance this year,’ he told pilgrims and tourists at his weekly general audience.
Spectacle: The circus performance has become a recurring element of the Pope’s weekly audiences in the Vatican
Young admirers: Pope Francis kisses two children dressed as ringmasters who took part in the circus performance in Paul VI hall at the Vatican
Grateful: The barely-dressed male performer kisses the hand of the pontiff after his show
Delegations from the two Koreas will march together under a single flag and athletes will compete as a single team in some sports at the Winter Games starting on Friday in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
‘This allows for hope for a world where conflicts can be resolved peacefully through dialogue and reciprocal respect, as sport teaches us to do,’ he said.
‘May these Olympics be a great feast of friendship and sport,’ he said, adding that the Vatican was ready to back any ‘useful peace initiative that favours peace and encounter among peoples’.
Francis has in the past called on all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons.
Last year he said a third country, such as Norway, should try to mediate the dispute between North Korea and Washington, to cool a situation that had become ‘too hot’ and posed the risk of nuclear devastation.
Pope Francis, who is a football fan, said he would be accompanying the Games with his prayers.