Pope stresses family values on Spain visit

IN A visit billed as a mini-showdown with Spain’s Socialist government, Pope Benedict XVI drove home the importance of the traditional family before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims yesterday, insisting that marriage must be between a man and woman.

During a 26-hour trip, the pope met with Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose government has legalised gay marriage and introduced other liberal reforms that have irked the Vatican. Government officials described the talks as cordial and said no criticism was exchanged.

There was no comment from the Vatican.