world

Updated: Dec 18, 2014 02:48 IST

Thousands of people sang "Happy Birthday" and danced a mass tango on Wednesday to celebrate the birthday of the first Latin American pope.

Pope Francis passes by a balloon reading "Happy Birthday" as he greets the crowd during his general audience at St Peter's square. AFP





Argentinian Pope Francis was born in the birthplace of the tango on December 17, 1936. On Wednesday, he heard versions of "Happy Birthday" in Spanish, Italian and other languages as he was driven through St. Peter's Square to start his weekly general audience.

Argentine priests handed him a cake and he blew out the candles before his open-top jeep moved on. The vehicle stopped again so the pope, visibly pleased, could accept a birthday drawing from an Italian boy.

Pope Francis, blows out candles on a cake as he arrives to lead his general audience at the Vatican. REUTERS

At the rear edge of the square, more than 2,000 people who came to Rome from all over Italy for the birthday danced in "A tango for Pope Francis" event as music blared. "We are here for the pope's birthday. We are dancing the tango as our present to him," said an Italian woman who identified herself only as Linda.

Tango enthusiasts dance on the Via della Conciliazione in front of St Peter's square to celebrate Pope Francis 78th birthday. AFP photo

Francis, who become Latin America's first pope when he was elected in 2013, is a fan of the dance from the land of his birth.

A representative group of homeless people gave the pope a gift of eight sunflowers to thank him for his concern. Recently, the pope, who has in the past invited homeless people to lunch with him, ordered that shower stalls be built near the Vatican so homeless people can wash up.

A Spanish meat cooperative brought 800 kg of poultry to be given to Rome charity groups in the pope's name, the Vatican said.

According to figures released by the Vatican on Wednesday, nearly 1.2 million people have seen the pope at outdoor general audiences this year.

