The Pope arrived in Britain this morning in the wake of an attack on the country by one of his cardinals that isn't going to do much to enhance the reputation of a religion which was once persecuted in Britain.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, a German like the Pope, accused Britain in a German magazine of harbouring "aggressive atheism" and persecuting Christians. He mentioned the case of a British Airways worker who was told to remove a crucifix she wore around her neck by her employers. The cardinal also said that Britain is a "Third World country."
Yesterday, a group of 55 mainly left-wing atheists, including actor Stephen Fry (who used to star in Blackadder), author Terry Pratchett (famous for the Discworld novels) and, unsurprisingly, academic Richard Dawkins, have expressed their displeasure at the visit of the Pope. And yesterday, they accused Walter Kasper of racism for saying what he said about the UK.
Kasper has since decided to cancel his visit to the UK with the Pope.
The cardinal's comments are hardly likely to give the Roman Catholic church a more favourable view in a country which is the most anti-Catholic in Europe.
In the first visit by a pope to Britain since 1982, Benedict XVI arrived in Scotland around 10.30 this morning, his plane, dubbed "Shepherd 1", landing at Edinburgh Airport. Whilst taxying on the runway, a Union Flag and the flag of the Vatican City were unfurled from the cockpit windows.
Greeting the Pope on the runway was the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's husband, and a guard of honour composed of British soldiers resplendent in kilts.
He then got in his car and travelled to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the centre of Edinburgh (Scotland's capital), the Queen's official residence in Scotland.
He met the Queen - who it was who invited the Pope to the UK - at the entrance to the palace, and the national anthems of the UK and the Vatican (the Papal Anthem) were played as the two Heads of State and religious leaders (the Queen is the leader of the Church of England) stood side by side.
The Pope then accompanied the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh into the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was shown around its luxurious interior and the two Heads of State exchanged gifts.
Both then made a speech to the crowd of dignitaries gathered in the grounds of the palace, which included Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
In his speech, the Pope condemned the rise of secularism in the world, likening it to Naziism.
As the Queen looked on, he said: 'Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.
'I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives.
'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".'
The Pope also acknowledged anti-Catholic protests planned for his visit, saying Britain had a 'great history of anti-Catholicism. But it is also a country with a great history of tolerance'.
Later he then left the Palace of Holyroodhouse and got into his Popemobile to travel to the Edinburgh home of Cardinal O'Brien, the leader of Catholics in Scotland. The Popemobile travelled slowly through the streets of Edinburgh as thousands thronged the streets to greet him, waving Scottish and Vatican flags. Inside the vehicle the Pope was wearing a tartan scarf.
On the way a group of left-wing protestors made their feeling known, waving an assortment of placards expressing their grievances.
At Magdalen Chapel in the city, another anti-Pope protest was being held. Attending the protest was the Reverend Ian Paisley, a Protestant, pro-British, Northern Irish unionist and former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.
This afternoon he will travel to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, to attend a mass being held in Bellahouston Park to be attended by thousands of people. A large stage has been erected and the event will be shown live on TV.
But the Pope is only staying in Scotland for a matter of hours. At 8pm tonight he will fly the 400-odd miles down to London. Tomorrow he will attend an event at the city's St Mary's University College in Twickenham where he will be greeted by thousands of schoolchildren and will address the Civic Society in Lambeth. Amongst those attending will be Tony Blair. At 4pm he will meet the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's No2 after the Queen, at the archbishop's residence at Lambeth Palace. At 6.15pm tomorrow evening, BBC2 will show live coverage of the Pope attending Evening Prayers at Westminister Palace with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's highest figure other than the monarch.
The Pope will remain in London throughout Saturday. He will meet Prime Minister David Cameron and other politicians, attend another mass and visit St Peter's Residence for Older People in Vauxhall. At 6pm on Saturday he will travel in his Popemobile along Horse Guards, the Mall and Constitution Hill.
On Sunday morning he will travel by helicopter to Birmingham. Amongst his duties there will be to beatify the 19th century Cardinal Newman. It will be the first beatification of an Englishman since England broke from Rome in the 16th Century. He will leave Britain on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, a Catholic Tory MP has criticised the left-wing BBC for its "instituionalised Christianophobia" and has urged Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt to give the BBC's boss a dressing down.
Pope likens the rise of atheism in Britain to the Nazis as he admits his 'shock and sadness' over abuse scandal
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th September 2010
Daily Mail
Risking sparking a new row after one of his aides likened the UK to the 'Third World', the former member of the Hitler Youth invoked Nazi Germany in an attack on 'atheist extremism'.
It came after Benedict XVI apologised for the Catholic Church's handling of the child abuse scandal as he flew to Scotland this morning.
The 83-year-old Pope admitted on the flight that the church had not dealt with abusive priests decisively or quickly enough.
The comments are his most thorough admission to date of failings in the way the sex abuse scandal was handled.
Touch down: The Pope arrives at Edinburgh Airport this morning for his four-day visit to Britain
Pomp: Benedict XVI was met by the Duke of Edinburgh and given a guard of honour by kilt-wearing British soldiers
Blustery: Benedict struggles with his robes in the wind at Edinburgh Airport as he walks to his official car
They appeared to be a clear attempt to divert attention from insensitive comments by one of his aides who sparked fury on the eve of his trip, the first British visit by a Pope in 28 years.
Cardinal Walter Kasper was dropped from his entourage after accusing Britain of harbouring aggressive atheism and discriminating against Christians.
The Pontiff touched down at Edinburgh International Airport from Rome on board an Al Italia flight - called Shepherd 1 - shortly after 10am this morning.
As the jet taxied down the runway at the start of his four-day trip, Union and Vatican flags were flown from the windows. Unusually, the Duke of Edinburgh was on the runway to welcome the aircraft.
The Pope, who is being given the full honours due to a world leader on what is the first Papal visit to Britain for 28 years, then travelled to Holyroodhouse Palace to meet the Queen.
His motorcade, surrounded by outriders, made its way through the packed streets of Edinburgh and on arrival he and the monarch stood side by side to listen to the national anthems.
Inside the lavish building, they exchanged gifts and held private talks before the Queen and Benedict gave short addresses.
Ring of steel: Police outriders surround the Pope's motorcade as he travels through Edinburgh
Etiquette: Benedict XVI replaces his zucchetto after listening to the national anthems with the Queen
The Queen exchanges gifts with the Pope inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
The Pope wasted no time in warning about the rise of secularism in society, in what is likely to be an ongoing theme of his trip - but it was his reference to Nazism that raised eyebrows.
As the Queen looked on, he said: 'Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.
'I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives.
'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".'
He added: '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.'
President of the National Secular Society Terry Sanderson claimed the attack stemmed from the Pope's fears about his own diminishing power.
'The Pope is hardly off the plane before he launches his first attack on secularism as a threat to the power that he feels should be his alone to wield,' he said.
'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.'
Luxury: The Queen and the Pope walk through the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh talk with Benedict during an audience this morning
Historic: Benedict XVI receives flowers from boys outside the Palace and (right) travelling up Prince's Street
After the address, Benedict left in the Popemobile and drove slowly through the crowds on to a private lunch with the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
Earlier, on the short flight from Rome, he spoke of his shock at the scale of the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal and vowed to help the victims.
He told reporters he felt 'sadness also that the church authority was not sufficiently vigilant and not sufficiently quick and decisive to take the necessary measures'.
Bright: The Pope's red shoes contrast his white cassock
The row has gathered pace with revelations in Belgium of hundreds of new victims, at least 13 of whom committed suicide.
Today, the Pope said abusive priests must never have access to children, saying they suffered from an illness that mere 'goodwill' could not cure.
He said it was now his top priority to help victims heal and regain their trust in the church.
The Pope also acknowledged anti-Catholic protests planned for his visit, saying Britain had a 'great history of anti-Catholicism. But it is also a country with a great history of tolerance'.
He said he expected a warm welcome from Catholics and other believers and 'mutual respect and tolerance' among those with anti-Catholic sentiments.
But he immediately risked angering sectors of British society with an extraordinary salvo about the dangers of atheism, likening it to Nazism.
The highlights of his visit will include a mass in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow this afternoon and the speech tomorrow in Westminster Hall in London.
Benedict will lead a prayer vigil in Hyde Park on Saturday and on Sunday will conduct the beatification service for Cardinal Newman, the Victorian convert from Anglicanism, in Birmingham.
His arrival comes hours after Cardinal Kasper pulled out of coming to Britain for being condemned as racist by secular protesters determined to disrupt the Papal trip.
The 77-year-old Cardinal had told a German magazine: 'When you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country.'
He is a veteran of Vatican negotiations with the Church of England, and until last year Rome's chief of relations with other Christian churches.
The Union and Vatican flags are flown from the Al Italia flight Shepherd 1 as the Pope arrives in Scotland
Benedict XVI with Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi talking to journalists on board
Opposition: Northern Ireland unionist Reverend Ian Paisley at a protest at Magdalen Chapel in Edinburgh this morning
Roman Catholic leaders in England were quick to distance themselves from his views and today demanded he apologise.
Support: A young boy holds a flag bearing the Vatican colours at Bellahouston Park
Cardinal O'Brien, the leader of Catholics in Scotland, said this morning: 'That was unfortunate and each and every person's aides sometimes do make awkward, difficult remarks.
'And simply, if we do that sort of thing we apologise for it.
'I'm sure Cardinal Kasper will apologise for any intemperate remarks which he made some time ago.'
The leader of Catholics in England & Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols added: 'I find the remarks of Cardinal Kasper quite inexplicable. This is a very diverse country and we rejoice in that diversity.
'There is a great richness of people, culture and contributions made in British society and they are an enrichment.
'I am sure of one thing - that on Saturday when the Pope drives down the Mall, there will be people of all sorts of cultures and races there to welcome him.'
The ill-judged comments from Benedict's close circle were a gift to the collection of celebrities and Left-wing atheists mobilising against his visit.
Yesterday a group of 55, including Stephen Fry, author Terry Pratchett and academic Richard Dawkins, claimed it introduced overtones of racism into the controversy.
Benedict rides in the Popemobile down Edinburgh's Prince's Street
Crowds watch and wave flags as Benedict passes by
Keeping warm: The Pope wears a tartan rug over his shoulders as he sets off in the Popemobile
Gay campaigner and anti-Papal demonstrator Peter Tatchell said: 'This is another own goal from the Vatican.
It shows just how out of touch the Pope and his entourage are.
Most Catholics will be appalled by the remarks.
Former Blackadder actor Stephen Fry is amongst a group of people condemning the visit of the Pope to Britain and calling Cardinal Kasper racist
On Saturday, the Pope will meet the Archbishop of Canterbury at his official residence of Lambeth Palace in London
'The explanation from the Vatican smacks of racism. It looks as if he is alluding to the large number of Asian and African people who work at Heathrow airport. It is an astonishing statement to come from a church that preaches compassion.'
THE 'LIBERAL' CARDINAL
Walter Kasper is another German-born priest who has risen to the highest levels of the Vatican.
Unlike Pope Benedict, and despite his comments this week, Cardinal Kasper is actually regarded as a liberal, and he has tested the patience of some leading Catholic conservatives who are suspicious of his opennes s towards other churches and faiths.
Born near Stuttgart in 1933, he studied at the Roman Catholic university at Tubingen in the 1950s and came under the sway of Hans Kung, a liberal theologian admired by Tony Blair.
Kasper worked for several years for Kung, who disagrees with the Vatican on sexual morality and who was stripped of his rights as a religious teacher 30 years ago for denying Papal infallibility.
Kasper took a high-level position in 1999 as Vatican head of relations with other churches and faiths.
Cardinal Kasper made his comments in an interview with Focus magazine in his native Germany earlier this week.
He also told the magazine: 'An aggressive new atheism has spread through Britain. If, for example, you wear a cross on British Airways, you are discriminated against.'
The airline ran into a religious row four years ago when it banned a check-in worker, Nadia Eweida, from wearing a Christian cross.
Yesterday he was pulled out of the Papal party for the state visit, with the Vatican saying he had withdrawn for health reasons.
Monsignor Lahl said: 'He is very disappointed not to be going. He has been ill for a few days and can hardly walk. He was looking forward to seeing his friends.'
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales promptly issued a statement aimed at isolating the Cardinal and minimising the damage.
It said: 'The attributed comments of Cardinal Kasper do not represent the views of the Vatican, nor those of bishops in this country. Clearly, they are the personal views of one individual.'
It added: 'Catholics play a full part in this country's life and welcome the rich diversity of thought, culture and people which is so evident here. This historic visit marks a further development of the good relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy See. We are confident that it will be a huge success.'
But the atmosphere of controversy - and sometimes outright hostility - is likely to persist throughout the four-day visit.
Ready and waiting: Crowds gather at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow ahead of tonight's Mass
A giant crucifix remains covered while workmen put the final touches to the stage for today's Mass
Auspicious day: Nuns take up their position in the park before the open-air Papal Mass
Protesters will be in attendance wherever the Pope goes, and Benedict himself will anger anti-clerical critics on Friday when he delivers a speech in Westminster Hall.
CANCER BOY'S PAPAL BLESSING
A nine-year-old boy who wrote to the Pope asking him to 'help keep his cancer away' will be blessed by the Pontiff during his visit, the Vatican confirmed last night.
Anton McManus, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on his spine when he was four and underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two gruelling operations.
He is now far better but fears the cancer will return.
Anton's parents, Kevin and Tammy, said he has been given a 'chance in a million' after being told the Pope will bless him tonight in Glasgow.
The 'Third World' remarks only served to inflamed those already lining up to condemn the Papal visit.
Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society said: 'Compared to the Vatican we are a glowing example of civilisation. To hear the Vatican talking about us in that way is pretty sickening.'
The Pope's visit has been dogged by bad luck, misunderstanding and criticism since it was announced last year.
First, the Vatican was angered by Gordon Brown's decision last March to allow his aides to leak news of the trip.
Then there was the satirical memo written by junior Foreign Office officials suggesting a range of 'Benedict condoms', an invitation to the Pope to open an abortion clinic, and a Papal blessing for a gay marriage as ideas to mark the visit. The trip was nearly called off in the resulting row.
In recent months, Pope Benedict has faced accusations of being personally linked to the continuing child abuse scandals involving Roman Catholic priests and bishops.
Critics have also rounded on the £10million bill to the taxpayer for the trip and questioned its status as an official state visit, an honour that secular opponents say should not be granted to a religious head.
Visit: The property in Wimbledon, South West London, where Pope Benedict XVI will be staying
BLATANT BIAS IN BBC COVERAGE
A Catholic MP has accused the BBC of 'institutional Christianaphobia' over its coverage of the Pope's visit.
Mark Pritchard is urging Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to give the corporation's director general Mark Thompson a dressing-down for its news stories on Catholicism and Pope Benedict XVI.
The Tory, who is vice chairman of the parliamentary group for the Holy See, said the BBC had displayed a form of 'blatant, anti-Christian bias'.
He said he was fed up with wall-to-wall reports of the how the church was supposedly in decline.
The BBC's main bulletins have also led with debates on the Vatican's response to child abuse and homosexuality.
The Tory MP for the Wrekin also questioned why there were no positive stories about the church.
'The Catholic Church is an imperfect institution but it is amazing the BBC has found nothing positive to say about a church whose key message is to love thy neighbour including feeding the poor and helping the homeless,' he said.
'The coverage of the church ahead of the Pope's visit so far shows yet more evidence of institutional Christianaphobia at the heart of the BBC.'
£1.5m BILL FOR POLICE SECURITY
The operation to protect the Pope on his four-day visit is costing police forces up to £1.5million.
Elite marksmen, some positioned on rooftops, will guard him every step of the way and he will travel in a 15-strong cavalcade of vehicles from city to city.
Adding to the security headache is the fact that Benedict XVI is visiting more British locations than any head of state before him.
One of the most challenging aspects of the police operation will be guarding his Popemobile, which will take him through the streets of Edinburgh, London and Birmingham.
The unrestricted public turnout and the low speed of the armoured Mercedes are considered to be a key risk.
Security at ticketed events has been very tight, with 'pilgrims' having to arrive up to five hours before the Pope does.
Television crews have to put their vehicles and equipment in a 24-hour exclusion zone before filming.
Scotland Yard will provide armed officers throughout the visit to guard the Pope, whose own private bodyguards will not carry weapons.
dailymail.co.uk
Cardinal Walter Kasper, a German like the Pope, accused Britain in a German magazine of harbouring "aggressive atheism" and persecuting Christians. He mentioned the case of a British Airways worker who was told to remove a crucifix she wore around her neck by her employers. The cardinal also said that Britain is a "Third World country."
Yesterday, a group of 55 mainly left-wing atheists, including actor Stephen Fry (who used to star in Blackadder), author Terry Pratchett (famous for the Discworld novels) and, unsurprisingly, academic Richard Dawkins, have expressed their displeasure at the visit of the Pope. And yesterday, they accused Walter Kasper of racism for saying what he said about the UK.
Kasper has since decided to cancel his visit to the UK with the Pope.
The cardinal's comments are hardly likely to give the Roman Catholic church a more favourable view in a country which is the most anti-Catholic in Europe.
In the first visit by a pope to Britain since 1982, Benedict XVI arrived in Scotland around 10.30 this morning, his plane, dubbed "Shepherd 1", landing at Edinburgh Airport. Whilst taxying on the runway, a Union Flag and the flag of the Vatican City were unfurled from the cockpit windows.
Greeting the Pope on the runway was the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's husband, and a guard of honour composed of British soldiers resplendent in kilts.
He then got in his car and travelled to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the centre of Edinburgh (Scotland's capital), the Queen's official residence in Scotland.
He met the Queen - who it was who invited the Pope to the UK - at the entrance to the palace, and the national anthems of the UK and the Vatican (the Papal Anthem) were played as the two Heads of State and religious leaders (the Queen is the leader of the Church of England) stood side by side.
The Pope then accompanied the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh into the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was shown around its luxurious interior and the two Heads of State exchanged gifts.
Both then made a speech to the crowd of dignitaries gathered in the grounds of the palace, which included Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
In his speech, the Pope condemned the rise of secularism in the world, likening it to Naziism.
As the Queen looked on, he said: 'Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.
'I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives.
'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".'
The Pope also acknowledged anti-Catholic protests planned for his visit, saying Britain had a 'great history of anti-Catholicism. But it is also a country with a great history of tolerance'.
Later he then left the Palace of Holyroodhouse and got into his Popemobile to travel to the Edinburgh home of Cardinal O'Brien, the leader of Catholics in Scotland. The Popemobile travelled slowly through the streets of Edinburgh as thousands thronged the streets to greet him, waving Scottish and Vatican flags. Inside the vehicle the Pope was wearing a tartan scarf.
On the way a group of left-wing protestors made their feeling known, waving an assortment of placards expressing their grievances.
At Magdalen Chapel in the city, another anti-Pope protest was being held. Attending the protest was the Reverend Ian Paisley, a Protestant, pro-British, Northern Irish unionist and former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.
This afternoon he will travel to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, to attend a mass being held in Bellahouston Park to be attended by thousands of people. A large stage has been erected and the event will be shown live on TV.
But the Pope is only staying in Scotland for a matter of hours. At 8pm tonight he will fly the 400-odd miles down to London. Tomorrow he will attend an event at the city's St Mary's University College in Twickenham where he will be greeted by thousands of schoolchildren and will address the Civic Society in Lambeth. Amongst those attending will be Tony Blair. At 4pm he will meet the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's No2 after the Queen, at the archbishop's residence at Lambeth Palace. At 6.15pm tomorrow evening, BBC2 will show live coverage of the Pope attending Evening Prayers at Westminister Palace with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's highest figure other than the monarch.
The Pope will remain in London throughout Saturday. He will meet Prime Minister David Cameron and other politicians, attend another mass and visit St Peter's Residence for Older People in Vauxhall. At 6pm on Saturday he will travel in his Popemobile along Horse Guards, the Mall and Constitution Hill.
On Sunday morning he will travel by helicopter to Birmingham. Amongst his duties there will be to beatify the 19th century Cardinal Newman. It will be the first beatification of an Englishman since England broke from Rome in the 16th Century. He will leave Britain on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, a Catholic Tory MP has criticised the left-wing BBC for its "instituionalised Christianophobia" and has urged Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt to give the BBC's boss a dressing down.
Pope likens the rise of atheism in Britain to the Nazis as he admits his 'shock and sadness' over abuse scandal
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th September 2010
Daily Mail
- Queen and Prince Philip welcome Pope in Scotland
- He controversially likens rise of atheism to Nazi Germany
- Aide axed from trip after ill-judged comments about UK
- Pope: 'I was shocked and saddened by sex abuse scandal'
- He admits Catholic Church did not do enough
Risking sparking a new row after one of his aides likened the UK to the 'Third World', the former member of the Hitler Youth invoked Nazi Germany in an attack on 'atheist extremism'.
It came after Benedict XVI apologised for the Catholic Church's handling of the child abuse scandal as he flew to Scotland this morning.
The 83-year-old Pope admitted on the flight that the church had not dealt with abusive priests decisively or quickly enough.
The comments are his most thorough admission to date of failings in the way the sex abuse scandal was handled.
Touch down: The Pope arrives at Edinburgh Airport this morning for his four-day visit to Britain
Pomp: Benedict XVI was met by the Duke of Edinburgh and given a guard of honour by kilt-wearing British soldiers
Blustery: Benedict struggles with his robes in the wind at Edinburgh Airport as he walks to his official car
They appeared to be a clear attempt to divert attention from insensitive comments by one of his aides who sparked fury on the eve of his trip, the first British visit by a Pope in 28 years.
Cardinal Walter Kasper was dropped from his entourage after accusing Britain of harbouring aggressive atheism and discriminating against Christians.
The Pontiff touched down at Edinburgh International Airport from Rome on board an Al Italia flight - called Shepherd 1 - shortly after 10am this morning.
As the jet taxied down the runway at the start of his four-day trip, Union and Vatican flags were flown from the windows. Unusually, the Duke of Edinburgh was on the runway to welcome the aircraft.
The Pope, who is being given the full honours due to a world leader on what is the first Papal visit to Britain for 28 years, then travelled to Holyroodhouse Palace to meet the Queen.
His motorcade, surrounded by outriders, made its way through the packed streets of Edinburgh and on arrival he and the monarch stood side by side to listen to the national anthems.
Inside the lavish building, they exchanged gifts and held private talks before the Queen and Benedict gave short addresses.
Ring of steel: Police outriders surround the Pope's motorcade as he travels through Edinburgh
Etiquette: Benedict XVI replaces his zucchetto after listening to the national anthems with the Queen
The Queen exchanges gifts with the Pope inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
The Pope wasted no time in warning about the rise of secularism in society, in what is likely to be an ongoing theme of his trip - but it was his reference to Nazism that raised eyebrows.
As the Queen looked on, he said: 'Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.
'I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives.
'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".'
He added: '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.'
President of the National Secular Society Terry Sanderson claimed the attack stemmed from the Pope's fears about his own diminishing power.
'The Pope is hardly off the plane before he launches his first attack on secularism as a threat to the power that he feels should be his alone to wield,' he said.
'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.'
Luxury: The Queen and the Pope walk through the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh talk with Benedict during an audience this morning
Historic: Benedict XVI receives flowers from boys outside the Palace and (right) travelling up Prince's Street
After the address, Benedict left in the Popemobile and drove slowly through the crowds on to a private lunch with the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
Earlier, on the short flight from Rome, he spoke of his shock at the scale of the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal and vowed to help the victims.
He told reporters he felt 'sadness also that the church authority was not sufficiently vigilant and not sufficiently quick and decisive to take the necessary measures'.
Bright: The Pope's red shoes contrast his white cassock
The row has gathered pace with revelations in Belgium of hundreds of new victims, at least 13 of whom committed suicide.
Today, the Pope said abusive priests must never have access to children, saying they suffered from an illness that mere 'goodwill' could not cure.
He said it was now his top priority to help victims heal and regain their trust in the church.
The Pope also acknowledged anti-Catholic protests planned for his visit, saying Britain had a 'great history of anti-Catholicism. But it is also a country with a great history of tolerance'.
He said he expected a warm welcome from Catholics and other believers and 'mutual respect and tolerance' among those with anti-Catholic sentiments.
But he immediately risked angering sectors of British society with an extraordinary salvo about the dangers of atheism, likening it to Nazism.
The highlights of his visit will include a mass in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow this afternoon and the speech tomorrow in Westminster Hall in London.
Benedict will lead a prayer vigil in Hyde Park on Saturday and on Sunday will conduct the beatification service for Cardinal Newman, the Victorian convert from Anglicanism, in Birmingham.
His arrival comes hours after Cardinal Kasper pulled out of coming to Britain for being condemned as racist by secular protesters determined to disrupt the Papal trip.
The 77-year-old Cardinal had told a German magazine: 'When you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country.'
He is a veteran of Vatican negotiations with the Church of England, and until last year Rome's chief of relations with other Christian churches.
The Union and Vatican flags are flown from the Al Italia flight Shepherd 1 as the Pope arrives in Scotland
Benedict XVI with Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi talking to journalists on board
Opposition: Northern Ireland unionist Reverend Ian Paisley at a protest at Magdalen Chapel in Edinburgh this morning
Roman Catholic leaders in England were quick to distance themselves from his views and today demanded he apologise.
Support: A young boy holds a flag bearing the Vatican colours at Bellahouston Park
Cardinal O'Brien, the leader of Catholics in Scotland, said this morning: 'That was unfortunate and each and every person's aides sometimes do make awkward, difficult remarks.
'And simply, if we do that sort of thing we apologise for it.
'I'm sure Cardinal Kasper will apologise for any intemperate remarks which he made some time ago.'
The leader of Catholics in England & Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols added: 'I find the remarks of Cardinal Kasper quite inexplicable. This is a very diverse country and we rejoice in that diversity.
'There is a great richness of people, culture and contributions made in British society and they are an enrichment.
'I am sure of one thing - that on Saturday when the Pope drives down the Mall, there will be people of all sorts of cultures and races there to welcome him.'
The ill-judged comments from Benedict's close circle were a gift to the collection of celebrities and Left-wing atheists mobilising against his visit.
Yesterday a group of 55, including Stephen Fry, author Terry Pratchett and academic Richard Dawkins, claimed it introduced overtones of racism into the controversy.
Benedict rides in the Popemobile down Edinburgh's Prince's Street
Crowds watch and wave flags as Benedict passes by
Keeping warm: The Pope wears a tartan rug over his shoulders as he sets off in the Popemobile
Gay campaigner and anti-Papal demonstrator Peter Tatchell said: 'This is another own goal from the Vatican.
It shows just how out of touch the Pope and his entourage are.
Most Catholics will be appalled by the remarks.
Former Blackadder actor Stephen Fry is amongst a group of people condemning the visit of the Pope to Britain and calling Cardinal Kasper racist
On Saturday, the Pope will meet the Archbishop of Canterbury at his official residence of Lambeth Palace in London
'The explanation from the Vatican smacks of racism. It looks as if he is alluding to the large number of Asian and African people who work at Heathrow airport. It is an astonishing statement to come from a church that preaches compassion.'
THE 'LIBERAL' CARDINAL
Walter Kasper is another German-born priest who has risen to the highest levels of the Vatican.
Unlike Pope Benedict, and despite his comments this week, Cardinal Kasper is actually regarded as a liberal, and he has tested the patience of some leading Catholic conservatives who are suspicious of his opennes s towards other churches and faiths.
Born near Stuttgart in 1933, he studied at the Roman Catholic university at Tubingen in the 1950s and came under the sway of Hans Kung, a liberal theologian admired by Tony Blair.
Kasper worked for several years for Kung, who disagrees with the Vatican on sexual morality and who was stripped of his rights as a religious teacher 30 years ago for denying Papal infallibility.
Kasper took a high-level position in 1999 as Vatican head of relations with other churches and faiths.
Cardinal Kasper made his comments in an interview with Focus magazine in his native Germany earlier this week.
He also told the magazine: 'An aggressive new atheism has spread through Britain. If, for example, you wear a cross on British Airways, you are discriminated against.'
The airline ran into a religious row four years ago when it banned a check-in worker, Nadia Eweida, from wearing a Christian cross.
Yesterday he was pulled out of the Papal party for the state visit, with the Vatican saying he had withdrawn for health reasons.
Monsignor Lahl said: 'He is very disappointed not to be going. He has been ill for a few days and can hardly walk. He was looking forward to seeing his friends.'
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales promptly issued a statement aimed at isolating the Cardinal and minimising the damage.
It said: 'The attributed comments of Cardinal Kasper do not represent the views of the Vatican, nor those of bishops in this country. Clearly, they are the personal views of one individual.'
It added: 'Catholics play a full part in this country's life and welcome the rich diversity of thought, culture and people which is so evident here. This historic visit marks a further development of the good relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy See. We are confident that it will be a huge success.'
But the atmosphere of controversy - and sometimes outright hostility - is likely to persist throughout the four-day visit.
Ready and waiting: Crowds gather at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow ahead of tonight's Mass
A giant crucifix remains covered while workmen put the final touches to the stage for today's Mass
Auspicious day: Nuns take up their position in the park before the open-air Papal Mass
Protesters will be in attendance wherever the Pope goes, and Benedict himself will anger anti-clerical critics on Friday when he delivers a speech in Westminster Hall.
CANCER BOY'S PAPAL BLESSING
A nine-year-old boy who wrote to the Pope asking him to 'help keep his cancer away' will be blessed by the Pontiff during his visit, the Vatican confirmed last night.
Anton McManus, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on his spine when he was four and underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two gruelling operations.
He is now far better but fears the cancer will return.
Anton's parents, Kevin and Tammy, said he has been given a 'chance in a million' after being told the Pope will bless him tonight in Glasgow.
The 'Third World' remarks only served to inflamed those already lining up to condemn the Papal visit.
Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society said: 'Compared to the Vatican we are a glowing example of civilisation. To hear the Vatican talking about us in that way is pretty sickening.'
The Pope's visit has been dogged by bad luck, misunderstanding and criticism since it was announced last year.
First, the Vatican was angered by Gordon Brown's decision last March to allow his aides to leak news of the trip.
Then there was the satirical memo written by junior Foreign Office officials suggesting a range of 'Benedict condoms', an invitation to the Pope to open an abortion clinic, and a Papal blessing for a gay marriage as ideas to mark the visit. The trip was nearly called off in the resulting row.
In recent months, Pope Benedict has faced accusations of being personally linked to the continuing child abuse scandals involving Roman Catholic priests and bishops.
Critics have also rounded on the £10million bill to the taxpayer for the trip and questioned its status as an official state visit, an honour that secular opponents say should not be granted to a religious head.
Visit: The property in Wimbledon, South West London, where Pope Benedict XVI will be staying
BLATANT BIAS IN BBC COVERAGE
A Catholic MP has accused the BBC of 'institutional Christianaphobia' over its coverage of the Pope's visit.
Mark Pritchard is urging Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to give the corporation's director general Mark Thompson a dressing-down for its news stories on Catholicism and Pope Benedict XVI.
The Tory, who is vice chairman of the parliamentary group for the Holy See, said the BBC had displayed a form of 'blatant, anti-Christian bias'.
He said he was fed up with wall-to-wall reports of the how the church was supposedly in decline.
The BBC's main bulletins have also led with debates on the Vatican's response to child abuse and homosexuality.
The Tory MP for the Wrekin also questioned why there were no positive stories about the church.
'The Catholic Church is an imperfect institution but it is amazing the BBC has found nothing positive to say about a church whose key message is to love thy neighbour including feeding the poor and helping the homeless,' he said.
'The coverage of the church ahead of the Pope's visit so far shows yet more evidence of institutional Christianaphobia at the heart of the BBC.'
£1.5m BILL FOR POLICE SECURITY
The operation to protect the Pope on his four-day visit is costing police forces up to £1.5million.
Elite marksmen, some positioned on rooftops, will guard him every step of the way and he will travel in a 15-strong cavalcade of vehicles from city to city.
Adding to the security headache is the fact that Benedict XVI is visiting more British locations than any head of state before him.
One of the most challenging aspects of the police operation will be guarding his Popemobile, which will take him through the streets of Edinburgh, London and Birmingham.
The unrestricted public turnout and the low speed of the armoured Mercedes are considered to be a key risk.
Security at ticketed events has been very tight, with 'pilgrims' having to arrive up to five hours before the Pope does.
Television crews have to put their vehicles and equipment in a 24-hour exclusion zone before filming.
Scotland Yard will provide armed officers throughout the visit to guard the Pope, whose own private bodyguards will not carry weapons.
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