Pope confirms controversial UK visit
March 16th, 2010 by Chloe.Setter
The Pope has confirmed the date of his controversial first visit to the UK.
Pope Benedict XVI will make his first tour of Britain following Pope John Paul II’s pastoral trip in 1982.
However, the forthcoming trip, which will take place from 16-19 September, will mark the first ever official Papal visit to the UK.
The Pope will begin his stay in Edinburgh, where he will be welcomed by the Queen at Holyrood.
He will also conduct a prayer vigil in London and meet the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Place, as well as praying with other church leaders at Westminster Abbey.
There are expected to be wide-scale protests when the Pope visits the country, with many people angry over comments he has made regarding gay rights, transgenderism, abortion and AIDS.
The government is also predicted to come under fire for extending the invitation for the trip, which could cost taxpayers up to £20m.
On announcing the trip back in the beginning of February, Pope Benedict sparked controversy after criticising British equality legislation, claiming that it contradicted “natural law”.
At the time, he told a group of Catholic bishops from England and Wales that the effects of equality legislation had imposed “unjust limitations” on the freedom of religious communities.
Previously, he has called gay marriage laws an “attack” on the natural differences between men and women.
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