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VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict will on Thursday meet the parents of a 4-year-old British girl snatched from a Portuguese holiday resort three weeks ago, the Vatican said today.
Father Federico Lombardi, the chief Vatican spokesman, said the Pope would greet Kate and Gerry McCann at the end of his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square.
Traditionally, such meetings take place in front of St Peter's Basilica when the Pope greets people in the front rows of a special section near the papal platform and are not considered private audiences.
A spokesperson for the family also confirmed the meeting would take place.
Since Madeleine McCann disappeared on May 3, her distraught parents, both Catholics, have worked hard to raise public awareness of the case.
The parents have said they hoped to draw profound strength from any audience as well as helping to publicise the campaign to bring Madeleine home.
Britain has been gripped by the McCann's tragedy and photographs of the blonde-haired child have rarely been off the front pages of British newspapers since her abduction.
She was snatched in the evening from a holiday resort apartment as her parents ate at a restaurant about 100 metres away, in sight of the apartment.
- REUTERS
