Pope Benedict XVI visits Italian president

POPE Benedict XVI made an official visit to the Italian president yesterday, just two weeks after the Roman Catholic Church was accused by some of interfering in an Italian referendum on assisted fertility.

The Pope and President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi agreed both Italy and the Vatican must be autonomous. But Mr Ciampi said he took pride that Italy was a secular state, while the Pope said the Church reserved the right to speak out on ethical matters.

The pomp-filled visit to the Quirinal Palace was arranged before the referendum that sought to loosen restrictions on assisted fertility, but was invalid because only a quarter of the electorate voted. The Church had urged Italians to boycott the polls.