Portugal plans warm welcome for Pope

Portugal plans to give Pope Benedict XVI a warm reception when he begins a visit to the country tomorrow at a time when the Roman Catholic Church is in turmoil over its handling of sexual abuse cases.

In Lisbon the pontiff will step on a carpet made of 10,000 flowers from Portugal's Madeira island in the Atlantic, while the streets of the sanctuary town of Fatima -- the "heart" of his four-day visit according to the Vatican -- have been perfumed with a lemon scent.

The Portuguese bishops’ conference said it hopes Benedict's first visit to Portugal will be "a great moment of joy" for the predominantly Catholic country of some 11 million people.

The 83-year-old German pope on Sunday at the Vatican urged the faithful to "accompany him in this pilgrimage" and to pray "for the Church and especially for priests".

But he did not make any specific reference to the wave of scandals which have tainted the Church over allegations that the Vatican for years covered up the sexual abuse of children by priests in various countries, including many in Europe and the United States.

Benedict himself has been accused of not taking action against paedophile priests in the years before he became pope.

Portugal's Catholic clergy have been untainted by the abuse allegations that have engulfed Europe. In such an atmosphere, the Church hierarchy has repeatedly said that the papal visit will not be "overshadowed" by the scandal -- nor by planned demonstrations including the distribution of more than 25,000 condoms by AIDS activists.

Portugal is planning "to welcome a head of state, not to make propaganda," said the spokesman for the country's bishops' conference, Father Manuel Morujao.

"The pope will speak to all the Portuguese, whether Catholic or not," he added.

The Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Socrates has spared no effort to support the state visit and has granted leave to the nation's 675,000 civil servants to attend mass despite the country's major fiscal problems.

Portugal has strayed from Vatican teaching on key issues since the late pope John Paul II visited the country in May 2000 to beatify two of the shepherd children who reported having visitations by the Virgin Mary at Fatima in 1917.

While officially 88 percent of Portugal's population claim to be Roman Catholic, voters approved the loosening of the nation's abortion law in a 2007 referendum.

In February parliament passed a bill allowing gay marriage which only awaits the signature of the president to become law.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope will speak about "today's society" during his visit to Portugal.

Some 800,000 people are expected to flock to the open air mass which the pope will celebrate in each of the three cities on his trip -- Lisbon, Fatima and Oporto -- and he will pronounce several speeches where he will have the opportunity to address the changes Portuguese society has undergone.

Exceptional security measures have been set up for the visit.

Driving and parking along the route which the Popemobile will travel in Lisbon and Oporto will be banned, and two F-16 fighter jets will escort the pontiff's plane when it enters Portuguese airspace.

But religious authorities have ruled out searches of the faithful.

"People should come to Lisbon, Fatima or Oporto. They can see the pope without any sort of complication," said Morujao.

The ash cloud from Iceland's erupting volcano, which once again has disrupted air travel in Europe, would not prevent the pope from traveling to Portugal, he added.

"In any case, there is a 'Plan B' to allow the pope to arrive in Portugal," said Morujao.