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Pope arrives in Great Britain

John Thavis | Catholic News Service

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Benedict XVI walk through the gardens at the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sept. 16.

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Britain’s Queen Elizabeth stands with Pope Benedict XVI as they greet school children at the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sept. 16.

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EDINBURGH, Scotland – Arriving in Scotland on the first leg
of a four-day visit to Great Britain, Pope Benedict XVI
appealed for preservation of the country’s long Christian
tradition and warned against “aggressive” forms of secularism
and atheism.

“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,” the pope said Sept. 16
at a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and more than 400
distinguished guests at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the
Scottish capital.

The pope evoked the moral heroism of a long line of British
figures, from Florence Nightingale to Cardinal John Henry
Newman, whom the pope was to beatify during the visit.
Christian witness was also evident during World War II
against a “Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from
society,” he said.

“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,” he
said.

In an unusual courtesy gesture, the queen sent her husband,
Prince Philip, to greet the pope when he arrived at the
Edinburgh airport after a two-hour flight from Rome. The pope
looked eager to begin his busy program in Britain, and on the
plane he told reporters he felt confident the country would
give him a respectful reception – despite differences with
some critics of religion.

Edinburgh welcomed the 83-year-old pope with a display of
enthusiasm and Scottish tradition, including a parade,
bagpipe bands and plaid tartans designed especially for the
visit. It was his first visit as pope to Britain and the
first time the country has hosted a pope since 1982, when
Pope John Paul II toured England, Scotland and Wales for six
days.

Pope Benedict was being hosted in an official state visit,
and British authorities pulled out all the stops at
Holyroodhouse, a former Augustinian monastery that now serves
as the queen’s official residence in Scotland.

The pope removed his white zucchetto from his head and held
it close to his chest as a military band played “God Save the
Queen” after having played the Vatican anthem. The Guard of
Honor gave the pope a royal salute in the courtyard of the
palace, then the pope and the queen held a private meeting
and exchanged gifts.

The two moved out onto the palace grounds to a giant marquee,
a tent-like structure where hundreds of government and
cultural invitees listened to their speeches.

The pope outlined an argument for the place of religion in
public affairs, emphasizing that British saints and other
leading Christians have “shaped the nation for good at the
deepest level.” While Great Britain today strives to be a
multicultural society, he said, it must respect the
traditional values and cultural expressions “that more
aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even
tolerate.”

He said the British media have a big responsibility in
shaping the ideas and culture of its society and in promoting
the “honesty, respect and fair-mindedness” for which the
country is known.

Queen Elizabeth also underlined the importance of Britain’s
Christian heritage and told the pope that his visit also is a
reminder of “the Christian contribution to the encouragement
of world peace and to the economic and social development of
the less prosperous countries of the world.”

The queen said that because religion is so important to
national identity, the relationship between different
churches and different faiths is “a fundamental factor in the
necessary cooperation within and between nation states. It
is, therefore, vital to encourage a greater mutual and
respectful understanding.”

The queen, who serves as governor general of the Anglican
Church of England, told the pope, “We know from experience
that through committed dialogue, old suspicions can be
transcended and a greater mutual trust established.”

“I know that reconciliation was a central theme in the life
of Cardinal John Henry Newman, for whom you will be holding a
Mass of beatification on Sunday. A man who struggled with
doubt and uncertainty, his contribution to the understanding
of Christianity continues to influence many,” she said.

Afterward, the queen introduced the pope to a long line of
government officials and religious leaders. Among the first
was British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, a declared
atheist and the youthful leader of the Liberal Democrats.

The pope’s arrival coincided with St. Ninian’s Day, marking
the feast of Scotland’s first saint and evangelizer.
Traditional celebrations in honor of the fourth-century saint
were resurrected this year, including a parade featuring the
harmonic drone of more than 1,000 bagpipe players.

The parade concluded with the pope’s passage in his
popemobile. Thousands of schoolchildren lined the parade
route and cheered the pope, who was wearing his new tartan
scarf over his shoulders. The bagpipers and drummers who had
led the parade stepped to the sidewalks and played as the
pope went by.

More than 150 protesters also were present, but did not
disrupt the pope’s visit or the celebration of the crowds who
came out to welcome him.

After the parade, the pope was treated to a traditional
Scottish lunch at the residence of Cardinal Keith O’Brien of
St. Andrews and Edinburgh; the menu featured “haggis” – a
dish featuring chopped and spiced organ meat from sheep
placed in a sheep’s stomach and cooked.

The pope’s arrival was carried live on British television,
and his visit was expected to draw widespread media attention
in a country often described as one of the least religious in
Europe. A recent survey of religious attitudes carried out by
the National Center for Social Research found that Britons
generally fell into three groups of roughly equal proportion:
firm believers, deep skeptics and the uncertain.

Church leaders, however, pointed to a poll released in early
September that seemed to show more openness to Catholic
teachings, especially in social areas. That survey found that
significant majorities agreed with 11 of 12 statements
contained in Pope Benedict’s 2009 encyclical, “Charity in
Truth,” on topics ranging from human rights to the
environment.

The theme of the papal visit to Great Britain – “Heart Speaks
Unto Heart” – also reflects the organizers’ hope that Britons
will listen to the pope and his message with an open heart
and mind. If he gets a fair hearing, they believe, he’ll make
an impact.

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