Pope Benedict pays visit to Scotland

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday to begin the first state visit to Britain by a pope.

Speaking to reporters on the flight from Rome, the pontiff said the Roman Catholic Church was not "sufficiently vigilant" in cracking down on priest abuse of children, The New York Times reported.

"I must say that these revelations were a shock for me, a great sadness," Benedict said. He also expressed "sadness also that the authority of the church was not was not sufficiently vigilant and not sufficiently swift and decisive to take the necessary measures."

The pope's four-day visit started with a reception by Queen Elizabeth II in Edinburgh, and was to be followed with a parade through the city, The Edinburgh Evening News reported.

Up to 100,000 people were expected to see the pope as he is driven through the city's center before arriving at the home of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, head of Scotland's Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II visited the UK in 1982, the BBC reported. This trip is a state visit because the Queen, rather than the church, invited the Pope.

Pope Benedict was to hold a mass at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park later Thursday. About 65,000 people were expected, the BBC said. It will be preceded by a musical performance from Britain's Got Talent star singer Susan Boyle.