Pope Benedict to visit Scotland this year

THE Pope will visit Scotland later this year, the Catholic Church has confirmed, ending months of speculation.

The announcement was made after Pope Benedict XVI told English and Welsh bishops visiting Rome that he would be coming to the UK.

Sources close to the Catholic Church in Edinburgh have revealed that Benedict is expected to visit Glasgow and Edinburgh on 16 and 17 in September.

Meanwhile, the Pope has attacked the Westminster government over equality legislation he claims limits religious freedom.

He said the effect of some legislation designed to give equality of opportunity had been to limit the freedom of religious communities to act "in accordance with their beliefs."

His remarks have been interpreted as an attack on the new rule that forced Catholic adoption agencies to consider gay couples as potential adoptive parents.

Pope Benedict said: "In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded."