All the same, Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Paris today and was met at the airport by President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni. Apparently, President Sarkozy has reserved this honour to only two other visitors: former South African President Nelson Mandela and the freed hostage of the FARC, Ingrid Betancourt.

On his four-day visit, the Pope will meet with Sarkozy at the Elysée palace, address cultural representatives at the recently refurbished Collège des Bernardins in the afternoon.

Friday evening, the pope is scheduled to give a vespers service at the Cathedral of Notre Dame and address young people outside the church. Some 250,000 people are expected to attend mass held by the Pope on Saturday in Paris and a further 200,000 are expected to gather at the Roman Catholic shrine at Lourdes, southwestern France to welcome him.

If you are going to try to see the Pope, good luck! The crowds are already horrific and he?s being guarded by 10,000 strong.

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