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Pope gets cake, tango and chicken for birthday

VATICAN CITY (AP):Pope Francis is being treated to a cake, cards and a tango demonstration for his 78th birthday and 800 kilograms of chicken meat for the poor.

The Vatican said yesterday the meat, provided by a Spanish producer, would be distributed to soup kitchens.

Francis also greeted eight homeless people bearing sunflowers yesterday during his general audience, held under brilliantly sunny skies in St Peter's Square.

As he drove around in the open-air jeep to greet the crowds, children handed up birthday cards they had made for him. Francis asked one: "Did you make this? It's good!"

Others held up signs saying 'Feliz cumpleaños'.

Outside the square, dozens of couples danced the tango, the Argentine Pope's favourite.

The Pope quipped: "It looks like a two-by-four!" - a reference to tango.