GERMANY: The biggest seller of souvenirs during Pope Benedict's trip home to Bavaria next weekend is the Catholic Church itself.
Holy water bottles, key rings, cups and flags are just some of the items already on sale online at www.wilkommen-benedikt.de. The archdiocese of Munich and Freising hopes to recoup at least part of the estimated €20 million cost of the five-day visit with the proceeds.
"Every part of the marketing of the papal visit has been agreed with the bishops' conference," said Gabriele Weishäupl, head of Munich's tourism authority.
The Catholic Church is at pains to rebrand the souvenirs as "signs of joy and belonging" and has come up with a strict list of what's in and what's out.
It's apparently okay to burn Benedict - in the form of a candle on sale on the website for €6 - but not to fry him in the form of a Benedict Bratwurst, as the butcher in the Pope's birthplace of Martkl has been informed.
The town's bakers have so far been spared the attention of the diocese officials and are still selling marzipan mitres and blackcurrant-flavoured Benedict slices.
