Pope Benedict XVI to make official visit to Britain

From The London Telegraph-

The Pope's visit would be only the second since Henry VIII broke with Rome and established the Church of England 500 years ago.

The Vatican is to announce the visit, which is likely to be next autumn, in the coming days. Buckingham Palace is expected to agree to the invitation.

Hundreds of thousands will be attracted to a series of events over the course of the visit. There are four million Catholics in Britain.

Gordon Brown personally asked the Pope to make a visit to Britain when he visited the Vatican in February.

It will be the first time the Pope has made a visit to Britain since Pope John Paul II in 1982. That was the first visit by a Pope since Henry VIII was excommunicated.

The trip lasted six days and included visits to Canterbury, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff.
In London he held a Mass at Wembley Stadium. It is likely that the Pope will again address a gathering at the new Wembley Stadium which can hold 90,000.

Unlike 1982, when the Troubles in Ulster were raging, the Pope is expected to include Northern Ireland in his itinerary. Mr Brown specifically asked the Pope to visit “all parts of the UK” when he invited the pontiff. Armagh is one location being considered.

More here-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/6223419/Pope-Benedict-XVI-to-make-official-visit-to-Britain.html