As he presented his credential letters to Pope Leo XIV last week, the new Australian ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt, gave the pontiff biscuits, wine and a handmade quilt from students at a Queensland Catholic school. Source: Vatican News.
“The presentation of credentials has a lot of protocol and ceremony around it,” Mr Pitt said later.
“You’re met by the Swiss Guards; you’re escorted by the gentleman of the Pope, and then you have a private audience with His Holiness,” Mr Pitt said.
After being escorted to the Apostolic Palace by the Swiss Guards, Mr Pitt had a private audience with the Pope, whom he described as “very considerate and very engaging.”
As well as his official papers, Mr Pitt presented the Pope with foods representing the country: Macadamia nuts, Bundaberg rum, rum and raisin chocolates, homemade ANZAC biscuits, red wine, and Tim Tams.
Perhaps the most memorable gift was a quilt made by students at a primary school in Tannum Sands, six hours north of Brisbane.
Children from the St Francis Catholic Primary School “managed to stitch all these panels together, so each class put one panel on one side, and on the other side were drawings of all the animals they see at their school.”
Kangaroos, goannas, magpies, and kookaburras all lined the quilt that Mr Pitt’s brother, Scott Pitt, who is a teacher at the school, was able to bring to Rome with just one week’s notice.
Noticing the variety of animals, Pope Leo asked if any were missing from the quilt, and Scott Pitt joked that there were “deadly snakes every now and again, but it’s Australia and it’s to be expected”.
FULL STORY
Australian primary students send Pope Leo XIV a homemade quilt (By Kielce Gussie, Vatican News)
RELATED COVERAGE
Central Queensland school teacher meets the pope and gifts student-made quilt (The Catholic Leader)
