601

PUSHKIN

THE FIRST

BLACK CAT

OF THE VATICAN

If only the Inquisition could see this, a black cat has become a world wide star, after the Pope gave him the name Pushkin and his holy blessing.

Pushkin, the Birmingham Oratory cat, has become an unlikely religious hero after the Pope paused during his state visit to 'bless’ the feline and tickle his ears. The 10-year-old black half-Persian secured his audience with Benedict XVI after howling at the Holy Father during his visit to the Oratory last month. A famous cat-lover who is said to have fed strays in Rome, the Pontiff stopped to stroke Pushkin. His owner, Father Anton Guziel, said: "As soon as the Pope arrived the most terrible howling could be heard. There was an awesome presence there and Pushkin wanted to acquaint himself with it.

"Once the Pope had prayed, he saw the cat and smiled delightedly and came over and he started to talk to him. He said, 'aren’t you pretty, aren’t you pretty? What’s his name? How old is he?’ Then he stroked him, tickled him under the ears and shook Pushkin’s paw. At that point the cardinals all rushed in and started taking photographs."

Fr Anton said Pushkin had received a stream of fan mail since the encounter. "He had a letter from Canada from a priest who also had a cat called Pushkin who sadly died. Then he had a nice card with an embroidered cat on it from a lady, and mail from some cats who live in a Carmelite convent in Wolverhampton."

Pushkin is also "a good friend" of Princess Michael of Kent, Fr Anton said. "They correspond and send Christmas cards to each other. He has added the Pope to his Christmas card list."

　

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/the-pope/8052235/Cat-becomes-a-star-after-Pope-blessing.html