POPE Benedict XVI is addressing dignitaries in Westminster Hall today. Earlier he made history by becoming the first Pontiff to step foot inside Lambeth Palace.
The leader of the Catholic church was welcomed to the Palace by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams where he attended a service alongside the head of the Church of England.
Lambeth Palace, on the south bank of the River Thames, has been the London residence of archbishops of Canterbury since the 13th century.
This morning the Pope had said schools must "provide a safe environment" for children as he met 4,000 youngsters at St Mary's University College in Twickenham, West London.
In what was a clear allusion to controversy surrounding the child abuse scandal he said the life of faith can "only be effectively nurtured when the prevailing atmosphere is one of respectful and affectionate trust".
The Pope flew to London last night after spending the first day of his four-day UK tour in Scotland where he held mass for 65,000 people.
Monks and nuns were FRISKED by cops ahead of the Pope's arrival at the London college this morning, his first public engagement on English soil, where he unleashed an attack on celebrity culture.
And in a nod to the abuse scandal and demands the Catholic Church apologise for failings, he said he wished to add a "particular word of appreciation" for those whose task is to ensure Catholic schools provide a safe environment for children.
The Pontiff said: "I wish to add a particular word of appreciation for those whose task it is to ensure that our schools provide a safe environment for children and young people.
"I pray that this may continue to be a hallmark of the Catholic schools in this country."
Thousands of people had gathered at the college amid tight security, and crowds of schoolchildren waved flags and sang as he arrived at a sports field in his Popemobile to meet them.
Streams of bemused nuns had earlier waited in long queues to go through security scanners as veils and rosary beads were inspected.
Protesters appeared at the college gates, vocally opposing his position on equality, gay rights and accusing the church of a cover up of child abuse.
Speaking inside Pope Benedict paid tribute to the "outstanding contribution" made by all religious orders to education in Britain.
He told those gathered at the event of his "deep appreciation" for all the dedicated men and women who devote their lives to teaching the young.
Addressing the schoolchildren he attacked celebrity culture, urging them to realise money and fame were not keys to happiness and invited them all to "become Saints".
He said: "We live in a celebrity culture and young people are often encouraged to model themselves on figures from the world of sport or entertainment.
"My question for you is this. What are the qualities you see in others that you would most like to have yourselves? What person would you most like to be?
"Having money makes it possible to be generous and to do good in the world, but on its own it is not enough to make us happy.
"Being highly skilled in some activity or profession is good but it will not satisfy us unless we aim for something greater still. It might make us famous but it will not make us happy."
He also confronted the debate between the scientific and religious communities over the origins of the universe, insisting that science cannot explain the "ultimate meaning" of human existence.
His comments come after Professor Stephen Hawking argued in his new book that God cannot have created the universe.
Pope Benedict XVI was greeted by London Mayor Boris Johnson as he arrived in the capital last night.
Speaking of the Pope's meeting with Archbishop, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster, told worshippers today: "The visit of the Pope with the Archbishop of Canterbury to Westminster Abbey, here at the heart of the establishment, will be a remarkable and truly historic event.
"It will be a sign of the end of old enmities, that in truth have been dying over the past 50 years."
Officials are hoping the Pope will be able to move on from the controversy that surrounded his arrival, as he was forced to comment on child abuse scandals that have rocked the church.
He conceded on his way to Scotland yesterday that some priests had not been quick enough in dealing decisively with accusations of wrongdoing.
His arrival was also overshadowed by comments made by Cardinal Walter Kasper in an interview in which he compared Britain to a "third world country".
He then decided he would not accompany the Pope to Britain, the first papal visit since Pope John Paul II's in 1982.
The Pope flew in to Heathrow last night before retiring to Wimbledon.
SIC: TS/UK