Pope gets huge toy bear for birthday

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict received an unusual gift for a Pontiff on his 80th birthday on Monday a huge stuffed toy bear.   

The Pope''s secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, told Vatican Radio that the large stuffed toy bear, which he called a beautiful specimen, was sent by an unidentified Italian.   

The Pope sent it on to Rome's Bambino Gesu (Baby Jesus) children's hospital and received a letter of thanks from the young patients there.

Most of the other gifts were cards, musical CDs and flowers, Ganswein said.   

The German Pope, who marks the second anniversary of his election this week, was being feted with a concert of classical music in his honour on Monday evening at the Vatican.