London, England, May 30, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to have his first papal audience with Pope Benedict XVI this weekend and to invite the pontiff to set a date for his first visit to the UK, the Telegraph reports.

This is Blair’s second papal audience in three years. Blair had a private audience with Pope John Paul II in 2003 during which the late pontiff expressed his reservations about military action in Iraq.

The audience with Pope Benedict is expected to include discussions about reconciliation between the Muslim and Christian faiths.

Blair's wife, Cherie, is Catholic. She met Pope Benedict in a private audience in April, after attending a Vatican conference on young people.
 

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