A Catholic priest in north-eastern United States has built a replica of St Peter's Basilica out of Lego blocks in honour of Pope Francis' visit to the country next week.

Father Bob Simon of Saint Catherine of Siena parish in Moscow, Pennsylvania, used half a million blocks to produce a scaled-down version of the Vatican City basilica and its adjoining colonnaded piazza.

Six months in the making, the work will be on show from Saturday to Feb 15 next year at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, near where the Pope will attend the World Meeting of Families event.

In his creation, Father Simon has included a figurine to represent himself in "contemplation" before the Vatican, a place he has visited five times, according to the Franklin Institute.

The Pope will be put up at the Apostolic Nunciature, the Holy See's embassy of sorts in the US, the Washington Archdiocese said. He is scheduled to visit Washington on Sept 22 before he heads to New York and Philadelphia.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE