Bush Meets With Pope in Rome

Security was heavy in Rome Saturday where U.S. President George Bush met with Pope Benedict XVI on the latest leg of Bush’s European tour.

Bush and the pope were expected to discuss abortion, gay mariage and the plight of Christians in Iraq, the BBC reported.

In his Easter address, the pope criticized the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq saying, Nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civilian population flees.

The pontiff is concerned about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians forced into exile during the war, the BBC said.

Bush also was to meet with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi during his one-day visit to Rome, where thousands of people were expected to demonstrate against the Iraq war.

Bush was in Poland Friday after three days at the Group of 8 summit in Germany.