The Pope meets the serpent ... and the koala and the parrot

16.07.08

The image was practically Biblical: Pope Benedict XVI face to face with a serpent.

But the hint of a good vs evil face-off dissipated when the pontiff next squared up against a koala - and, smiling, gave the fuzzy furball a little scratch behind the ears.

The Pope was meeting native Australian animals during the World Youth Day celebration in Australia, where young Roman Catholic pilgrims attended religious classes then chowed down on sausages at barbecues. the rest/images