Pope visits Italian president
24/06/2005 - 12:36:01Pope Benedict XVI made an official visit to the Italian president today, just two weeks after the Roman Catholic Church was accused by some of interfering in an Italian referendum on assisted fertility.
Both the Pope and President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi agreed both Italy and the Vatican must be autonomous. But Ciampi said he took pride 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. A turnout of 50% plus one is required for a referendum to be valid.
