Pope Greeted by Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland

Today the Holy Father arrived in Scotland for a 4-day official State visit to Great Brittan.  Already, in the plane to England, he commented on the horrible sins of the sexual abuse of minors and said: "These revelations [of sexual abuse of minors by priests] were for me a shock and a great sadness. It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly ministry was possible," he told reporters aboard his plane to Scotland. "How a man who has done this and said this can fall into this perversion is difficult to understand."  He added, "It is also a great sadness that the authorities of the church were not sufficiently vigilant and insufficiently quick and decisive in taking the necessary measures."


The Holy Father's trip to England is the first EVER State Visit of a Pope to England.  Some may remember that Pope John Paul II visited England, but that was a pastoral visit, not an official state visit.  This is why, this time, Pope Benedict was greeted at the plane by Prince Philip, the husband to Queen Elizabeth.  She then met the Holy Father personally at Holyroodhouse Castle in Scotland. 


There are many places where you will be able to follow the Holy Father's trip including EWTN, SKY news, and the official 24/7 webcam of the events.  


Here are two videos: the welcome of Queen Elizabeth and the Holy Father's opening remarks, both of which were made at Holyroodhouse in Scotland...