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FREEDOM OF RELIGION IS AT THE HEART OF BRITISH SOCIETY, THE QUEEN SAID AS SHE WELCOMED POPE BENEDICT XVI TO BRITAIN. MEETING THE POPE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT HOLYROODHOUSE PALACE, HER OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN SCOTLAND, SHE PRAISED THE CONTRIBUTION OF CHRISTIANITY TO WORLD DEVELOPMENT. THE QUEEN ALSO PRAISED THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HELPING THE POOR, EDUCATING THE YOUNG AND BRINGING ABOUT PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND. HER COMMENTS ECHOED THOSE MADE BY BARONESS WARSI, THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN, WHO SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT 'FAITH IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND KICKING' IN BRITAIN. THE PAPAL PLANE TOUCHED DOWN AT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THURSDAY MORNING AND IN A BREAK WITH TRADITION THE PONTIFF WAS GREETED BY THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH. THE ENTOURAGE SWEPT ONTO THE COURTYARD OF HOLYROODHOUSE PALACE IN LIMOUSINES WHERE THE QUEEN AND THE POPE SHOOK HANDS AT THE FORMAL WELCOME. THE TWO HEADS OF STATE STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, WITH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH BEHIND THEM, ON A SMALL DIAS IN FRONT OF A GUARD OF HONOR FORMED OF MEN FROM THE QUEEN'S HISTORIC BODYGUARD FROM SCOTLAND, THE ROYAL COMPANY OR ARCHERS, WHO CARRY LONGBOWS AND WEAR BONNETS DECORATED WITH A SINGLE EAGLE FEATHER. THE PAPAL ANTHEM AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WERE PLAYED BY THE BAND OF THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTLAND, BEFORE THE QUEEN INTRODUCED THE POPE TO THE LINE OF DIGNITARIES INCLUDING THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, DR ROWAN WILLIAMS; THE DEPUTY MINISTER, NICK CLEGG; AND ALEX SALMOND, THE FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND. THE QUEEN, THE POPE AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH EXCHANGED GIFTS IN THE MORNING DRAWING ROOM. BENEDICT WAS PRESENTED WITH A FACSIMILE OF 85 DRAWINGS BY HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER, AND THEN GAVE THE QUEEN A COPY OF THE BOOK OF THE LORSCH GOSPELS DATING FROM 778 TO 820. SHE THANKED HIM AND DESCRIBED THE BOOK AS 'LOVELY'. HUNDREDS OF GUESTS WERE INVITED TO THE RECEPTION INCLUDING LEADERS OF MAJOR RELIGIONS AND POLITICIANS. THE QUEEN APPEARED AT A LECTERN AT THE BACK OF THE PALACE, DRESSED IN A DUCK EGG-BLUE COAT AND MATCHING HAT ALONG WITH BLACK GLOVES, AND SPOKE FOR ALMOST FIVE MINUTES. SHE BEGAN BY RECALLING THE VISIT OF THE PREVIOUS POPE, JOHN PAUL II, TO BRITAIN IN 1982 AND CHANGES IN THE WORLD SINCE THEN. 'IN THIS COUNTRY WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE HOLY SEE IN THE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN THE SITUATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND.' ADDRESSING THE POPE DIRECTLY, THE QUEEN WENT ON: 'YOUR HOLINESS, YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY REMINDS US OF OUR COMMON CHRISTIAN HERITAGE AND 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 QUOTED THE POPE'S COMMENT THAT RELIGIONS SHOULD NEVER BECOME 'VEHICLES OF HATRED' AND CONCLUDED: 'TODAY, IN THIS COUNTRY, WE STAND UNITED IN THAT CONVICTION. WE HOLD THAT FREEDOM TO WORSHIP IS AT THE CORE OF OUR TOLERANT AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED KINGDOMS, I WISH YOU A MOST FRUITFUL AND MEMORABLE VISIT.'
