Pope in Britain: A Royal welcome, as religion takes centre stage - Video and photo gallery

Half of paedophile priests still listed as clergy

He was formally greeted by the monarch in a ceremony full of pomp and pageantry in the shadow of Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The Queen and the Pope, both heads of state, shook hands for a few moments as the Pontiff began a four-day tour which will include Masses and meetings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham.

The Pope looked relaxed as he stepped from a limousine which swept into the Palace's courtyard in a motorcade.

Thousands of onlookers watched the cars speed through the streets of central Edinburgh for the meeting at the Queen's official home in Scotland.

After the formal greeting, the Queen and Pope stood shoulder to shoulder, with the Duke of Edinburgh behind them, on a small dais in front of a Guard of Honour formed of men from the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers.

The historic unit has been watching over monarchs since the 1820s and performs many ceremonial duties.

The men, dressed in green tunics and bonnets decorated with a single eagle feather and carrying longbows, gave the two heads of state a royal salute.

The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland played the Papal Anthem and the National Anthem as hundreds of guests invited to a Holyroodhouse garden party looked on. The Queen then led the way down from the dais and the Pope followed her to a group of waiting dignitaries.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond were among those presented to the Pontiff.

The Queen told the Pope and dignitaries: "Much has changed in the world nearly 30 years since Pope John Paul's visit.

"In this country we deeply appreciate the involvement of the Holy See in the dramatic improvement in the situation in Northern Ireland.

"Elsewhere the fall of totalitarian regimes across Central and Eastern Europe has allowed greater freedom for hundreds of millions of people.

"The Holy See continues to have an important role in international issues, in supporting peace and development and in addressing common problems like poverty and climate change."

Addressing the Pope, the Queen said religion had always been a crucial element in national identity and historical self-consciousness.

"This has made the relationship between the different faiths a fundamental factor in the necessary co-operation within and between nation states.

"It is, therefore, vital to encourage a greater mutual and respectful understanding."

The Queen said she was pleased that the Papal visit provided an opportunity to "deepen the relationship" between the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland.

The Pope, in his address, praised Britain's fight against the Nazis during the Second World War and said that today the country was a "force for good".

He said: "Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity, come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike."

After delivering their speeches, the Queen and the Pope joined the garden party and mingled with a few of the many guests invited to Holyroodhouse.

Religious leaders from many faiths were amongst those invited along with individuals from charities, good causes, non governmental organisations, academia and business.

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, chairman of the British Sikh Consultative Forum, had a brief chat with the Queen and Pope during their meeting.

Next page: The Pope's speech in full This is what the Pope said when he addressed the Queen and assembled guests at the Palace of Holyrood House:

"Thank you for your gracious invitation to make an official visit to the United Kingdom and for your warm words of greeting on behalf of the British people.

"In thanking Your Majesty, allow me to extend my own greetings to all the people of the United Kingdom and to hold out a hand of friendship to each one.

"It is a great pleasure for me to start my journey by saluting the members of the Royal Family, thanking in particular His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh for his kind welcome to me at Edinburgh Airport.

"I express my gratitude to Your Majesty's present and previous Governments and to all those who worked with them to make this occasion possible, including Lord Patten and former Secretary of State Murphy.

"I would also like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, which has contributed greatly to strengthening the friendly relations existing between the Holy See and the United Kingdom.

"As I begin my visit to the United Kingdom in Scotland's historic capital city, I greet in a special way First Minister Salmond and the representatives of the Scottish Parliament.

"Just like the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, may the Scottish Parliament grow to be an expression of the fine traditions and distinct culture of the Scots and strive to serve their best interests in a spirit of solidarity and concern for the common good.

"The name of Holyroodhouse, Your Majesty's official residence in Scotland, recalls the 'Holy Cross' and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland.

"As you know, many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level.

"As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years.

"Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike.

"We find many examples of this force for good throughout Britain's long history. Even in comparatively recent times, due to figures like William Wilberforce and David Livingstone, Britain intervened directly to stop the international slave trade.

"Inspired by faith, women like Florence Nightingale served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare that were subsequently copied everywhere.

"John Henry Newman, whose beatification I will celebrate shortly, was one of many British Christians of his age whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands.

"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 20th 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' (Caritas in Veritate, 29).

"Sixty-five years ago, Britain played an essential role in forging the post-war international consensus which favoured the establishment of the United Nations and ushered in a hitherto unknown period of peace and prosperity in Europe.

"In more recent years, the international community has followed closely events in Northern Ireland which have led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and the devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"Your Majesty's Government and the Government of Ireland, together with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland, have helped give birth to a peaceful resolution of the conflict there. I encourage everyone involved to continue to walk courageously together on the path marked out for them towards a just and lasting peace.

"Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage.

"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.

"May God bless Your Majesty and all the people of your realm. Thank you."

The Reverend Ian Paisley led dozens of people today in a protest against the first state papal visit to Britain.

Dr Paisley, now Lord Bannside, arrived in Edinburgh's Old Town to highlight his concerns over the four-day visit, which he branded a "nonsense".

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 "recent scandals" within the Roman Catholic Church meant that the Pope would not receive a universal welcome.

Dr Paisley was critical of the fact that the papal visit to the UK was not discussed in the House of Commons.

Speaking at the same time as the Pope was in Edinburgh, Dr Paisley said: "I don't want his blessing and I will be keeping as far away as I can.

"Why? Because the whole thing is nonsense."

Dr Paisley addressed around 60 followers on the corner of Grassmarket and Cowgate in a gathering which also featured songs and prayers.

He told them: "We're here today on very solemn and serious matters.

"I've just seen the statement that has been issued by the Roman Catholic Church about this visit and we are told that if we go to this mass here today then we will have a shortened purgatory and our sins will be forgiven - 25 and you'll get out of purgatory quicker.

"Now there's no such a place as purgatory, so that's a farce from the very beginning. Secondly, no man can forgive sins but God only."

He added: "I believe in gospel without money and without price."

Dr Paisley later defended his decision to protest in Scotland on the same day as the Pope's visit.

He told reporters: "I believe in freedom. I wouldn't be muzzled by anybody. I believe there has to be civil and religious liberty and there should be full debate on these things.

"I resent the fact that this state visit to Scotland was never discussed in the House of Commons. It was never dealt with within a democratic way.

"I think we need to have a national debate on where this country's going to and what it's going to stand for."

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."

The US deacon whose cure from an agonising spinal disorder paved the way for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman will fly into Britain today for the Pope's visit.

Jack Sullivan, from the archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts, will play a key role in the Mass in Birmingham on Sunday where the Pope will beatify Cardinal Newman.

His recovery after praying to Cardinal Newman was approved last year by the Vatican as a miracle, clearing the way to make Cardinal Newman England's first non-martyred saint since before the Reformation.

On a tour of Britain in November, Mr Sullivan, 71, described the moment in August 2001 that the "agony" of his spinal condition left him and he was able to walk, to the "utter amazement" of medical staff, after he prayed to the late cardinal.

"I said, 'Please Cardinal Newman, help me to walk, so that I can return to classes and be ordained' (as a deacon). Suddenly, I felt a tremendous sense of heat, very, very warm and a tingling feeling all over my entire body. It was very strong and lasted for a long time," he said.

"I felt a tremendous sense of peace and joy, very uplifted, and a sense of confidence and determination that finally I could walk - without even taking a step."

Mr Sullivan will be one of four deacons to proclaim the Gospel at the beatification Mass, expected to be attended by around 55,000 people in Cofton Park, Birmingham.

He will also take part, with his wife Carol, in a procession in which relics of Newman and gifts are presented to the Pope immediately after the beatification has taken place.

Cardinals, bishops and more than 1,000 priests will be present at the Mass, billed as the culmination of the Pope's four-day visit to Britain.

The beatification will be the first to be carried out by Benedict since he was elected Pope in 2005, a mark of his lifelong interest in and study of the 19th century clergyman.

Newman, a leading intellectual, preacher and writer, famously scandalised Victorian England by converting from the Church of England to Catholicism in 1845.

After he had become a Catholic, he moved to Birmingham where he spent more than 30 years as a parish priest, looking after the poor and the sick.

When he died in 1890, the streets in Birmingham were lined by tens of thousands of people who wanted to see his coffin pass by as it went to the cemetery.

Following the beatification Mass, the Pope will make a private visit to the Oratory House in Edgbaston, Birmingham, opened by Cardinal Newman in 1852, where he spent most of his life as a Catholic and where he died.

The Pope is due to visit Cardinal Newman's room and his private chapel before becoming the first pilgrim to pray at a new shrine to the Blessed John Henry Newman.

The Pope will then travel to the Roman Catholic seminary of St Mary's College in Oscott, Sutton Coldfield, where he will address the Catholic bishops of England, Scotland and Wales in the chapel where Newman was confirmed a Catholic in 1845.

Pope Benedict XVI praised Britain's fight against the Nazis today as he gave his first speech of his state visit to the UK.

The Pontiff described how the country's war time leaders fought valiantly against Hitler's forces during the Second World War.

"... 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 leaders who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives."

The Pope comments were made at a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where hundreds of guests were gathered in a marquee to hear him speak.

His words come as Britain commemorates the efforts of pilots and ground crew during the Battle of Britain.

A special service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the Battle of Britain will be held this Sunday attended by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William.

The Pope was forced to join Hitler Youth as a 14-year-old schoolboy against his wishes.

Meanwhile, hundreds of school pupils opened colourful public celebrations of the Pontiff's state visit by taking part in the St Ninian's Day parade.

The parade celebrated the first man to be named a saint in Scotland in nearly 1,600 years.

Children were invited from the 14 schools across the country named after the saint, including Catholic, Episcopalian and non-denominational schools.

The parade was headed by hundreds of pipers and dozens of people dressed as historical characters as it made its way along the route through the capital.

The column travelled from Regent Road to Princes Street, where the pipers played at Highland Cathedral.

Historical characters, including St Columba, Mary Queen of Scots and John Knox, charted the history of Christianity in Scotland since the days of St Ninian.

The parade will benefit nominated charities Marie Curie Cancer Care and Mary's Meals.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, announced the parade plan last month.

He said then: "In centuries gone by St Ninian's Day was always a great occasion for national celebration and charitable giving.

"We've now got a fabulous chance to resurrect that noble Scottish tradition by raising money for two wonderful charities."