U.S. clown performs after pope tells circus workers to live faith

Published: 2004-01-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To a thumping drumbeat and the steady rhythms of an electric guitar, an oddly dressed American responded to Pope John Paul II's admonition to "always live your faith in Christ with joy." Andrew Philip, wearing a fair amount of face paint and a big red nose, juggled for the pope at the end of his Jan. 7 weekly general audience. Philip is the star clown of the Italy-based American Circus; he and about 100 other circus performers, staff members and their children attended the audience and posed for a photograph with the pope at the end of the audience. The performance was brief and did not include any of the American Circus' elephants, tigers or horses. In his main audience talk, Pope John Paul focused on Christmas and the divine motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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