Lorenzo Croce, chairman of the Italian Association for the Defence of Animals and the Environment (AIDAA), denied being provocative or wanting to make an anti-religious statement.

"We just want to ask him in a message of love and peace to give a strong signal towards the protection of animals and the environment through a small but very significant personal sacrifice," Croce told the Italian news agency ANSA.

Since his election Pope Benedict has taken to wearing a number of traditional religious garments, including a small red velvet cape with a white ermine border, which he wears in winter along with a hat the same colour.

The association has created a website to accept signatures and Croce wants to present the petition to the pope in September.

Pope Benedict returned late on Monday to Rome after a nine-day visit to Australia marked by his historic apology for the scourge of paedophilia in the Catholic church.