8:02 AM | 
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Free Game Zone |
• Pope describes abuse scandal as 'perversion of priesthood'
• Pope Benedict warns of "aggressive secularism" in the UK
• Four-day visit begins with royal reception in Edinburgh
• Read a summary of events so far
3.11pm:
Keeper of the collected this video highlights from that day until now.
2.55pm:
So far we haven't seen much of the pope's celebrated private secretary Georg Gänswein otherwise known as Gorgeous Georg. But a picture has emerged of Georg helping the pope with unruly cassock blowing in the wind.
Writing in the London Review of Books the Irish novelist Colm Toibin memorably described Gänswein as a "remarkably handsome, a cross between George Clooney and Hugh Grant but in a way, more beautiful than either". Really?
John Hooper has more Georg coverage.
2:50 pm:
Lothian and Borders Police estimated that 125,000 people lined the streets of Edinburgh to welcome the pope.
2.45pm:
The Reverend Ian Paisley led dozens of people in a protest in Edinburgh, according to PA.
Members of the Free Presbyterian Church unveiled a banner near the Magdalen Chapel in Cowgate.
They also distributed booklets outlining their opposition to Pope Benedict XVI's trip.
The booklet stated that "the recent scandals" in the Roman Catholic Church meant that the Pope would not receive universal welcome.Dr Paisley was critical that a papal visit to Britain was not discussed in the House of Commons. Dr Paisley said: "I do not 'want his blessing, and I'll stay as far as I can why, because all this nonsense.?".
Dr Paisley addressed around 60 followers on the corner of Grassmarket and Cowgate in a gathering which also featured songs and prayers.
Asked if he risked igniting religious tensions, he replied: "I believe we should debate this and we should debate it in a reasonable manner - not inciting people to attack anyone - but attack those views that we feel are not truthful, are not accurate and only deceive people."
2.37pm:
Guardian Edinburgh has a photo slideshow and more comments from pilgrims in the city.
2.32pm:
So after the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, got mistaken for the head of the Church of Scotland at the Edinburgh welcoming party, where was the man in question the Rt Rev Christie?
My colleague Sam Jones said the mystery was solved.
Christie was in the courtyard at Holyrood but wandered off just before the welcoming ceremony. By the time he emerged from the palace, the ceremony was over. He did, though, get his own private audience with the pope as a result.
2.22pm:
There's been almost as much Stephen Fry bashing as pope bashing in the British media today following the comedian's signing of a letter to the Guardiancriticism of the visit and interview with the BBC .
Here's Freddy Gray in the Spectator:
Stephen Fry is good at taking himself seriously while pretending not to take himself seriously. But slowly, as he gets older and grander, his self-effacing mask is slipping. He's becoming less and less of a comedian and more and more of a sanctimonious bore. Look at the way he has taken it upon himself to denounce, with such haughty gravitas, Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain.
Here's Fry's earlier response to criticism in Daily Mail.
Under no reasonable or worthwhile definition does the Vatican match up to the old-established and widely accepted Montevideo protocols on statehood. So by all means come, but please don't ask the British taxpayer (a figure whom the Daily Mail is usually so zealous to protect) to help foot the bill.
2.12pm:
You can listen to the Queen's speech to welcome the pope here.
2.10pm:
"It's a really lively, optimistic and upbeat atmosphere and this is what the trip has been missing so far," Riazat Butt assesses the mood among the crowd in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.
1.44pm:
This is Matthew Weaver back again, until Adam takes over again for the evening shift.
National Secular Society is now accepted on pop daddy word 's.
Its president, Terry Sanderson, said:
The Pope is hardly off the plane before he launches his first attack on secularism â€" or the 'new aggressive form of secularism' â€" as a threat to the power that he feels should be his alone to wield.
Despite the declines in mass attendance in most of Europe, the Pope is working hard behind the scenes to increase his Church's power over democratic institutions, especially the EU.
But the British people have embraced a secular identity of their own free will, perhaps as a reaction to the ultra-conservatism of this recent papacy and the extremism that has been manifested by some forms of Islam.The secular identity of the British people is not something to criticise, but to celebrate.
1.42pm:
You can listen to the full audio of the Pope's speech on the Guardian's Edinburgh blog.
Guardian Edinburgh is well worth keeping up-to-date with. There'll be more pictures and reaction posted up there too, if you find this blog isn't fully satisfying your Pope-fix.
1:34 pm:
Guardian 'S Sam Jones letter:
More on the absence from the Holyrood line-up of the Rt Reverend John Christie, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
A spokesman for the church says a "clerical error" meant that the moderator was not there to greet the pope.
He was, however, granted a private audience later. The matter is still under investigation, the spokesman added.
The absence of the Christie seems to have contributed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, being described as the head of the Church of Scotland live on the BBC (see 12.06pm). It hasn't gone down well.
1.22pm:
Hello there, Adam Gabbatt here, filling in while Matt takes a well-earned break.
The Guardian's Papal Visit Crowdmap, which we're using to amalgamate coverage from our reporters and members of the public, has had an interesting post from a citizen in the Midlands:
Website of the crew in place for Dad 'visit to Birmingham is spraying the grass a vivid shade of green. This is taxpayers' "by
My colleague Paul Lewis â€" who is running the Crowdmap â€" says the claim is as yet unverified, but is swiftly being passed around Twitter. We're trying to confirm whether the grass is (now) greener on the other side.
Have you got any information on the Pope's visit? Here's Paul's article on how you can contribute to the Papal Visit map.
1.07pm:
Michael Macleod says there were some chanting protesters as the popemobile passed him on Princes Street.
The Pope smiled as he passed, either unable or unwilling to hear the Spanish tourists running through the crowd trying to keep up with his Popemobile. They shouted "bastardo, pedófilo." My Spanish isn't great but I don't think they were fans.
Others cheered and held cameras up in the air in a bid to get a lucky shot over the crowd on Princes Street. Haven't seen anybody in tears but the majority seem satisfied with their glimpse of Benedict XVI.
1.01pm:
Here 'SA lunchtime summary of the main points from the visit so far.
• The pope has arrived in Edinburgh for the start of his four-day tour and, in his first speech, warned Britain to guard against "aggressive forms of secularism". His remarks echo the "aggressive" atheism comments made by Cardinal Walter Kasper which sparked such controversy yesterday. He also talked of the British media's responsibility.
• At a reception in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, he exchanged gifts with the Queen.He met various politicians and religious leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, Scotland "First Minister Alex Salmond and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Archbishop, as erroneously entered as Moderator of the Church of Scotland, who was expelled from the queue.
• Speaking to reporters on the plane from Rome, the Pope said the Catholic Church on "the moment of repentance" for child abuse. In his strongest words yet on the crisis, he said: "It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly mission failed."
12:58 PM:
The British Humanist Society has this robust response to the pope's speech.
The notion that it was the atheism of Nazis that led to their extremist and hateful views or that somehow fuels intolerance in Britain today is a terrible libel against those who do not believe in god. The notion that it is non-religious people in the UK today who want to force their views on others, coming from a man whose organisation exerts itself internationally to impose its narrow and exclusive form of morality and undermine the human rights of women, children, gay people and many others, is surreal.
12.53pm:
Here's a full transcript of the pope's speechthanks to the Scottish office of Catholic media.
The most important passage came at the end:
Your government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights.
May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many.
Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world.
12.47pm:
Benedict arrived for lunch with Cardinal O 'Brien. After climbing out of papamobile he congratulated the students of local elementary school.
12.41pm:
Here's another key passage from the pope's speech.
He said: "As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a 'reductive vision of the person and his destiny'."
Taken together with his comments about the "aggressive secularism" is an interesting echo "aggressive" atheism comments by Cardinal Walter Kasper, who has caused such controversy yesterday.
12:30 pm:
The popemobile is about to reach Michael MacLeod, our local beat blogger, in central Edinburgh.
After a quiet start, Princes Street has filled up at the east end. The static tram, on display during tramline construction, has been moved out of the road for Pope passing.
One local said to me, "If 'S, by some miracle to come out today, I hope, father blesses the tram project." Another said that they hope he never returns.
Dad is about 5 minutes away.
Previously, Michael wrote:
From a local beatblogger's point of view, finding Scottish people at the papal visit in Edinburgh has been quite a task. This sort of religious tourism has great potential, Prof Joe Goldbatt of QMU tells me.
He was commissioned by the church to study, among other things, "Smile factor" papal visit. Meanwhile, helicopters at each end of Princes St add
drama as the crowds await the pope.
12.27pm:
Meanwhile, Bellahouston Park in Glasgow is starting fill up, according to Riazat.
The park is getting very busy now, I'd say it was half full and there's still five hours to go. A mix of ages and genders. Lots of young people too. Met a lovely bunch of lads from Angola who are studying mechanical engineering at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies. Some of them delayed their studies so they could be here when the pope was. They think there should be dancing and drumming at Mass because that's what they have back home and the churches are packed.
12:22 pm:
The pope is draped in a tartan blanket and is looking a little weary. (He's going to have a nap after a lunch of haggis, neeps and tatties.) Ten security guards dressed in black are walking briskly alongside the popemobile (its average speed is 5-6mph).
12.11pm:
The popemobile is getting its first outing. The pope is sitting in a chair in the vehicle waving at those lining the route to Princes Street. He's on his way to meet Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's Catholics.
12.06pm:
Severin Carrell has spotted another embarrassing slip-up.
He writes:
There's been a major gaffe during the pope's official visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was introduced live on BBC TV as the Moderator of the Church of Scotland â€" a separate, presbyterian church.
The moderator, who was due to attend the event, was not present in the line-up â€" an oversight which is understood to have caused great offence to Scottish protestants. Church of Scotland officials are now investigating what went wrong, but say they have been inundated with calls of complaint.
11.45am:
The pope also mentions Britain's role in fighting Nazi Germany and forging the post war consensus. He talks of the responsibility of the British media and the need for honesty and integrity.
"Because their opinions reach such a wide audience the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations. May all Britons continue to operate by the values of Cardinal Newman of respect, honesty and fair-mindedness."
He also talked of the need to guard against "aggressive secularism".
11.41am:
The pope begins his speech by thanking the Royal Family. Speaking in a soft German accent he pronounces Edinburgh, Edinburg.
He says the Christian message has been an integral part of Britain's history for more than a thousand years. He mentions William Wilberforce, Florence Nightingale and Cardinal Newman.
11:37 am:
The Queen is giving a speech at Holyrood. She acknowledges that "much has changed" since John Paul II's visit. She pays tribute to the work of the Catholic church in education and tackling poverty. She talks of the need for "greater mutual trust" between faiths.
11.31am:
Stephen Bates, who was in the drawing room to witness the exchange of gifts and listen in on the small talk, said the handover was a bit like Christmas.
The Queen looked at the facsimile of the German gospel and said: "Oh, lovely. Thank you very much. It's lovely."
The pope then looked at the Holbeins and thanked her.
There was also a little small talk, with the Queen noting that Benedict appeared to have arrived at Holyrood "in a very small car".
She added: "This should be a tight squeeze" before asking him about papamobile.
The press corps was then ushered out and fizzy water and squash were brought in to the room.
11.29am:
Real Radio Scotland has been talking to some of those in gathering in the crowds in Edinburgh.
11.24am:
Riazat Butt is at Bellahouston Park ahead of the open-air mass. She writes:
Catholic pilgrims are already arriving for the Mass that starts in several hours time. Some are carrying folded chairs, branded Benedict rucksacks and cool bags (but not really big ones obviously).
They're not here in their hundreds but there are enough numbers to show that some people are taking this visit, and this pope, very seriously. On the way here, I could hear the choirs rehearsing. Weirdly, one of the first things I saw - apart from the police presence and the crash barriers - was a big plastic ice cream cone. There's a strong smell of burgers and pork rolls too. Well, if you're going to be penned in for hours you need something to eat.
11:18 AM:
The Catholic Herald picked up some of the small talk. Apparently the Queen commented that the pope arrived in "quite a small car".
11:13 AM:
The Queen presents the pope with a gift of copies of Hans Holbein prints including a drawing of the Catholic martyr St Thomas More.
The pope's gift to her is an original 8th century manuscript.
11.06am:
The pope has arrived at Holyrood to be greeted by the Queen, who is dressed all in grey. The deputy prime minister, Nick I'm-not-a-man-of-faith Clegg, was among the welcoming party. Also there was the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond.
10.59am:
Stephen Bates, who is stuck in an anteroom in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, has just filed this:
400 guests are due to attend a reception in the grounds of Holyrood this morning.
As church leaders from across the land, and representatives of charities and development agencies, will be the number of celebrities, including Duncan Bannatyne Dragons Den ', a crime writer Ian Rankin and composer James MacMillan Catholic.
The Queen, who remained in Holyrood last night, is expected to return to Balmoral in the afternoon, where she is on vacation.
10.54am:
Here's some audio of the pope's briefing to journalists when discusses child abuse. My colleague Sam Jones noticed that he talks about protecting paedophile priests from themselves, rather than protecting victims and children.
10.43am:
John Hooper, one of the selected journalists on the plane, reports on the briefing given by the pope during the journey.
He writes:
Benedict told reporters aboard the plane that pedophilia was a "illness" which suffers lost his free will. Using its strong language to date on his Church 'S record on clerical sex abuse, he regretted his inability to act quickly and decisively in the past.
The pope was speaking after a Channel 4 documentary this week reported that several British priests convicted of paedophile offences were still active in the church.
Answering previously submitted questions during a 15-minute briefing, he said: "It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly mission was possible".
Pope Benedict said he had learnt of the cases which had come to light recently with sadness, adding "sadness also that the church authorities were not sufficiently vigilant and insufficiently speedy and decisive in taking the necessary measures."
The Roman Catholic church, he said, was "at a moment of penitence, humility and renewed sincerity".
He said the first priority was to help the victims to recover from the trauma they had undergone "and rediscover too their faith in the message of Christ".
He added that priests at risk of sexually abusing the young should be "excluded from all possibility of access to young people because we know that this is an illness and free will does not work when there is this sickness." He said: "We must protect these people against themselves."
John reports that the 83 year-old pope, who held his weekly audience the day before leaving for Britain spoke with a "noticeably hoarse voice" in some of his replies.
The Pope praised the bishops of England for the way they solved the problems of spiritual abuse of sex.
He brushed aside the controversies that have preceded his arrival, saying that he had also faced anti-clericalism and anti-Catholicism on his visits to France and the Czech Republic where he had also had a "warm welcome" from the Catholic community.
"Naturally, Great Britain has its own tradition of anti-Catholicism. That's obvious. But it's also a country with a great history of tolerance," he said.
10.33am:
There's no red carpet (it's too windy) but there are two rows of pipers dressed in kilts and lots of grinning clergy. The 83-year-old pope walks carefully down the airline steps and is greeted by the 89-year-old Duke. The pope's white cape briefly blows into his face. The pope didn't kiss the tarmac.
10.29am:
Our Scotland correspondent Severin Carrell reports on the mood in Edinburgh's Princes Street.
10.19am:
TV pictures of the plane taxing on the runway shows pilots flying a union flag from one window and a papal standard flying from another.
10.16am:
Dad landed. Shepherd One, Alitalia jet of the papal party and individual journalists, landed at Edinburgh Airport at 10:16 am, 14 minutes ahead of schedule.
10.15am:
Cabin crew prepare for landing.
10:08 am:
The Duke of Edinburgh has arrived at the airport as the papal plane, Sherherd One, is expected to touch down shortly.
The BBC's rolling coverage just showed pictures of the Duke greeting Lord Patten, the government representative for the Pope's visit.
9.49am:
Foreign Minister, William Hague, will be among the welcoming party, in accordance with the Telegraph 'Martin Beckford .
Hague is a "late addition" to the group, Beckford tweets.
Here's how Steve Bell imagined Hague might greet the pope.
9.43am:
You can track the pope's journey on the airline site Track Flight. Last time I looked the plane was moving over London.
9.22am:
The Daily Mail has launched a vitriolic attack on more than 50 public figures who signed a letter to the Guardian objecting to "Pope Ratzinger's" state visit.
It says:
Their protest, dripping with self-importance, isn't merely pompous. It's plain discourteous to a guest of this country, whose office is revered by hundreds of millions around the world.
To listen to these exhibitionists, you might think that the 265th leader of the world's oldest and largest Christian church was an international criminal.
In response, Stephen Fry one of the signatories tweeted: "Mm - this is the "atheist hate campaign" that I'm fuelling, apparently. xx"
9.11am:
The papal visit media team has been talking to some sympathetic pilgrimS.
Natalia Contiroz, from Chelsea who will be attending the mass in Hyde Park on Saturday, said: "I'm sure that the country will see that Catholicism is not as bad as it is sometimes made out to be - God is good and full of love."
The team has tweeting friendly bits of Benedict propaganda for weeks, such as:
Did you know that Pope Benedict has a private pilot license to fly the Vatican helicopter? What a cool Pope!
You can get more of the same here.
9.00am:
Should Cardinal Kasper apologise over his comments about Britain being a "third world country" in which "aggressive atheism" is spreading?
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, thinks he should.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he said: "It was an unfortunate and everyone 'S aides sometimes make embarrassing, difficult observations.
"And simply, if we do that sort of thing we apologise for it, and I'm sure Cardinal Kasper will apologise for any intemperate remarks which he made some time ago."
8:48 am:
Here's footage of archbishop Vincent Nichols admitting that the church has "made a mess of its response to child abuse", courtesy of the Times's religious affairs correspondent Ruth Gledhill.
8.18am:
The former archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said he "understands" the anger directed at the Catholic church over child abuse by priests.
Speaking on the BBC Radio's TodayThe program he said the church was on the "a steep learning curve" on this issue and are currently in place 'stronger safeguards "in the world against child abuse.
\\ "I accept this was a terrible time, and very ashamed. Pope Benedict did his best to face up to it. I Don 'T think he wanted to hide that fact."
Murphy-O'Connor also complained of a "certain shrillness" in the media coverage of the pope's visit.
7:57 am:
Sally Bercow, the Labour activist and wife of the Commons Speaker, is one of several people circulating this picture on Twitter:
Meanwhile, AP has this preview on the security and planned protests in Scotland today:
Security in Scotland alone will cost £1m, according to the U.K. government. The Pope will travel from Edinburgh to Glasgow in a 26-car convoy. More than 1,000 police officers will be deployed in Glasgow and 600 in Edinburgh, and they will be backed up by armed response units.
A number of demonstrations are expected in Edinburgh city centre including 70 protesters led by Ulster Protestant leader the Rev. Ian Paisley at the Magdalen Chapel, where John Knox, the leader of the Scottish Reformation, preached.
"We are championing those who have been very, very badly treated by these priests of Rome," Paisley said of the sex abuse scandals.
While some may have been put off by the £20 suggested donation for a ticket to Bellahouston to cover transport costs, detractors such as the Humanist Society of Scotland believe people are indifferent to the papal visit because of the church scandals and growing secularism.
There are about 850,000 Catholics in Scotland, according to the 2001 U.K. Census, but 27% of Scots about 1.5 million did not register a religion or said they were atheists.
\\ "We believe that the vast majority of people do not approve of this visit, or public financing of this" said Tim Maguire of the Humanist Society. "Politicians are paying too much attention to the religious vote, when in fact most non-religious."
7.31am:
The weather in Scotland today ISN 't great. The Meteorological Service said that they will be a mixture of "the sun and scattered souls", and it will be "cool and fresh."
This is unlikely to boost sluggish ticket sales for the open-air mass in Bellahouston Park. Scotland's Herald newspaper says organisers have prepared for 100,000 people turning up, but it expects around 65,000 people.
7.21am:
Shepherd One, as the papal plane has been dubbed, has just left Rome airport. It is expected to arrive in Edinburgh at around 10.30am.
Catholic Herald contains information about who 'S on board (Including the magnificent George)
Travelling with the Pope are Fr Federico Lombardi, head of the Vatican press office, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of State, Mgr Georg Gänswein, the Pope's personal secretary, Mgr Guido Marini, the papal master of ceremonies, Archbishop Kurt Koch, the new head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and more than 20 other officials. Another 70 accredited reporters are also on the plane, sitting in coach class.
7.08am:
I just managed to grab a word with John Hooper who is now on board the papal plane. He says that until yesterday's gaffe by Cardinal Kasper the Vatican was confident that controversies about the trip were blowing over.
6.48am:
Pope's visit gets very diverse treatment in the British press.
Telegraph wants Brit to Dad 'a warm welcome " and appears concerns that protest and misbehaviour will embarrass Britain.
From the United States to the Philippines, millions will see television coverage of the events of the next three days. It is important for our global influence that their impression of British hospitality in the best sense should be positive.
But the Independent says the visit is "ill-timed and misconceived". It says: "Lacking the inspirational life story and personal charisma of his predecessor, John Paul II, Benedict is a doctrinal conservative and an unapologetic intellectual at a time when the public climate is unsympathetic to both."
The paper's cartoonist depicts the pope on runway red carpet with flies and fumes emerging from his robes.
And here's Steve Bell's take on the visit.
6.30am:
The Vatican is insisting that Cardinal Kasper, who claimed that arriving Britain is like landing in a "third world country", Refused to travel for health reasons.
But he was well enough to attend a dinner last night at the German Embassy, according to John Hooper, citing a source at Rome's Ciampino airport this morning.
Earlier John described his journey to the airport.
It's 5:30 am Rome time, and I speed through the darkened and deserted Rome. Massimo, the driver, beating us on the pavement of the Appia Antica Ciampino airport to catch the papal plane to Edinburgh.
We have just left behind the Caelian hill from which St Augustine set off to convert
the Angles and Saxons, so we have at least made an apt start to a visit that forms an integral part of Pope Benedict's mission to re-evangelise Europe, the heartland of Roman Catholicism.
6.28am:
Riazat has been testing the mood in a pub in Glasgow. She writes:
Spent the evening in Govanhill, in the southside of Glasgow, and went to Heraghty's Pub to meet some of the locals and ask them what they thought of the papal visit. It's certainly making an impact on the city, whether it's road closures, galvanising people in their faith or inspiring them to show solidarity with their church and its spiritual leaders.
One of the regulars, John Regan, said he went to the 1982 visit with his daughter and that he would be attending today's Mass with his daughter, who is now a mother, and her children. It's very much a family affair, with several generations attending the 2010 event. He said that, if he had been in charge, he wouldn't have chosen Ratzinger as pope. He would have gone for someone from a developing country.
He was also unimpressed with the £20 charge to attend the Mass, describing it as obscene. In spite of his misgivings about Benedict he will be there, out of loyalty to the church.
Danny the bar manager, also a Catholic, won't be going, but still supports the visit and says Benedict has every right to come to the UK as a head of state and that people should stop complaining about rings of steel and diversions. There are road closures all the time - half marathons and Celtic games - and nobody bats an eyelid. The pope comes, everybody is up in arms over the disruption, he says.
6.10am:
Take a deep breath... four days of live blogging the pope's visit starts here.
After weeks of fairly hostile media build-up, Benedict XVI is heading our way.
One of his top advisers Cardinal Walter Kasper has dropped out of the trip after complaining of an "aggressive new atheism" spreading through Britain.
This is shaping up to be very different visit from John Paul II's trip 28 years ago.
It is certainly more controversial. The £12m publicly funded visit has heightened criticism of the church's role in a series of issues and scandals including: clerical child abuse, the prevention of Aids, women priestsHomosexuality And stem cell research .
More than 50 public figures have a signed a letter to the Guardian claiming that the pope should not be given the "honour" of a UK state visit because of the vatican's stance on: segregated education, abortion, gay rights, and the failure to address child abuse.
The church is anxious that these controversies do not overshadow the trip and the pope's mission of promoting peace and tolerance and offering a spiritual challenge to Britain's relativist and individualistic society.
But how many of the Catholic faithful will turn upto him? Will be an octogenarian German descent conservative theologian victory over the British public? And what the scope and nature of demonstrations be? Will there be an attempt to arrest the pope as some leading atheists have suggested.
We're going to find out. From papamobile going to protest, you 'can read it here first. On the route today, the audience with the Queen , a performance from Susan Boyle, and a protest from the Rev Ian Paisley.
We'll be getting regular updates from a team of reporters covering the visit. Our Rome correspondent John Hooper will be travelling on board the papal plane to keep us up to date on the progress of the papal party. Our Scottish correspondent Severin Carrell is in Edinburgh waiting for the pope's arrival. And Riazat Butt, our religious affairs correspondent, is in Glasgow ahead of the open air-mass in Bellahouston.
We will also be gauging the online reception with a round-up from the best pope bits from social media sites. Plus we'll be crowdsourcing the visit with an interactive map of reports from around the country, which launches later today. In the meantime if you spot something interesting please let me know by emailing me at matthew.weaver@guardian.co.uk or contacting me on Twitter at @matthew_weaver or post a comment below.
6.10am:
Take a deep breath... four days of live blogging the pope's visitstarts here.
After weeks of fairly hostile media build-up, Benedict XVI is heading our way.
One of his chief advisers, Cardinal Walter Kasper, dropped out of the trip after complaining of "aggressive atheism of new" spreading through Britain.
This is shaping up to be a very different visit of John Paul II 'S trip 28 years ago .
It is certainly more controversial. The £12m publicly funded visit has heightened criticism of the church's role in a series of issues and scandals including: clerical child abuse, AIDS Prevention , women priestsHomosexuality , and stem cell research.
More than 50 public figures have a signed a letter to the Guardian claiming that the pope should not be given the "honour" of a UK state visit because of the vatican's stance on: segregated education, abortion, gay rights, and the failure to address child abuse.
The church is anxious that these controversies do not overshadow the trip and the pope's mission of promoting peace and tolerance and offering a spiritual challenge to Britain's relativist and individualistic society.
But how many of the Catholic faithful will turn up to see him? Will an octogenarian German-born conservative theologian win over the British public? And what will the scale and nature of of the demonstrations be? Will there be an attempt to arrest the pope as some leading atheists have suggested?
We're going to find out. From papamobile going to protest, you 'can read it here first. On the route today, the audience with the Queen , a performance from Susan Boyle, and a protest from the Rev Ian Paisley.
We'll be getting regular updates from a team of reporters covering the visit. Our Rome correspondent John Hooperwill travel aboard the papal plane to keep us informed on the progress of the papal party. Our correspondent Severin Carrell Scottish is in Edinburgh waiting for the pope's arrival. And Riazat Butt, our religious affairs correspondent, is in Glasgow ahead of the open air-mass in Bellahouston.
We will also be gauging the online reception with a round-up from the best pope bits from social media sites. Plus we'll be crowdsourcing the visit with an interactive map of reports from around the country, which launches later today. In the meantime if you spot something interesting please let me know by emailing me at matthew.weaver@guardian.co.uk or contacting me on Twitter at @matthew_weaveror leave a comment below.
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