The pope told Christians to unite behind the idea that marriage should be between one man and one woman during the visit to his native Germany.

In a speech on Saturday Pope Benedict XVI warned of the threat posed by same-sex marriage and abortion. He said that religion should not be banished from public life and said that Christian churches stand up for human life from conception to natural death. On the subject of same-sex marriage, he added, “Knowing, too, the value of family and marriage, we as Christians attach great importance to defending the integrity and the uniqueness of marriage between one man and one woman from any kind of misinterpretation.”

The visit has been overshadowed by the abuse scandal which has undermined trust in the Catholic Church in recent years. Church leaders in Germany acknowledge that the country’s 24 million Catholics have been shaken by the issue. Pope Benedict has previously been accused of covering up child abuse in both Germany as an archbishop and in his previous role in the Vatican.

Around 9,000 protestors turned out in Berlin to denounce the Vatican’s stance on issues such as same-sex marriage and contraception. This follows larger protests during the pope’s visit to Madrid in August. In September 2010 Pope Benedict visited the UK which provoked arguments between lesbian and gay secularists and their Christian counterparts.

[Via Associated Press]

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