Pope Benedict XVI began his four-day state visit to the UK by flying into Edinburgh Airport on 16th September 2010, met by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, before journeying into the centre of the city to meet HM Queen Elizabeth II, Scottish church leaders and other dignitaries at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. As he had done for the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982, the Irish politician Rev. Ian Paisley led a protest against these meetings.
Benedict then took part in a parade on Princes Street in honour of St. Ninian, who had brought christianity from Rome to Scotland in the 5th C. Afterwards he lunched with Cardinal Keith O'Brien at his home, St. Bennet's, in the Church Hill district of the city.
Pope Benedict then travelled along a closed M8 Motorway to Bellahouston Park in Glasgow where he celebrated an open-air mass. The Pope left Scotland that evening for London via Glasgow Airport.