Pope to visit England, Queen

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VATICAN CITY, March 16 (UPI) -- The pope will visit England's Queen Elizabeth II and beatify a 19th century Anglican convert to Catholicism this September, authorities say.

Pope Benedict XVI will meet the queen in Edinburgh at the official residence, Holyroodhouse, when he visits England and Scotland to beatify John Henry Newman, who converted from the Church of England to Catholicism in his rise to Cardinal, ANSA reported Tuesday.

The pope will also visit Birmingham, where Newman studied and worked, and celebrate mass in the West Midlands and Glasgow.

The archbishop of Canterbury will get a visit from the pope, who will pray with other Christian leaders. This is seen by many as significant if not controversial in light of the Vatican's recent opening of a special department for groups of Anglicans wishing to "return to Rome" and embrace Catholicism, ANSA reported.

Benedict will also speak to representatives of civil society at Westminster Hall where England's first saint, Sir Thomas More, was condemned to death in 1535 for his loyalty to the Church against King Henry VII.