Benedict to star in TV bible show

July 07, 2008

In a pontifical first, Pope Benedict will read the Bible for an Italian television show to be broadcast later this year.

ANSA reports the pope will kick off the six day marathon by reading the first chapter of Genesis in Italian on October 5, the head of Italian state broadcaster RAI's Vatican department, Giuseppe De Carli, announced last week.

Benedict's reading, which will take around an hour, will be broadcast on RAI Uno although organisers have not yet decided whether the papal performance will be live or pre-recorded.

The pope himself is said to have expressed a preference to read live from St Peter's Basilica. the rest