Pope Benedict XVI met President Lula da Silva of Brazil yesterday, a day after their subordinates clashed over proposed changes to abortion legislation in the most populous Catholic country in the world.

Local church leaders have attacked plans by the new Health Minister to hold a referendum on changing Brazilian abortion laws, which permit a termination only in the case of rape or if the pregnancy threatens the life of the woman. Pope Benedict said that he backed the Church position of excommunicating politicians who voted for legalisation. Mr da Silva says that he is against abortion, but that the matter should be treated as a question of public health.

According to the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, the Vatican is pushing to have religious instruction again made obligatory in Brazilian public schools, a change that would require a change to the constitution.

On Wednesday an estimated 15,000 people spent hours in the drizzle in front of the Saint Benedict monastery waiting to welcome the Pope to where he is staying during his time in São Paulo. The crowds greeted him with football-style chants of “Olé, olé, olé, olé, Bento, Bento” as he appeared on a balcony. He gave a four-minute greeting and blessing.

The Pope also met the leaders of other religions in Brazil yesterday and joined a gathering of 35,000 Catholic youth activists in a football stadium.

Today the pontiff will celebrate the main Mass of his visit, when an estimated one million people are expected to fill an airbase that usually serves as one of the busiest heliports in the world. The centrepiece of the ceremony will be the canonisation of Frei Galvão, the first Brazilian native-born saint.

The Pope will open the fifth conference of Latin American and Caribbean bishops on Sunday.

A little ray of light for the faithful

Brazil is one of the world’s most violent societies so it was perhaps no surprise that São Paulo security chiefs insisted that Pope Benedict make his first public address from a bullet-proof cabin.

Days before he arrived, those responsible for the Pope’s safety stood on the balcony of the Saint Benedict monastery and imagined 15,000 people showing up to receive the Pope’s blessing — they immediately insisted on the steel and glass cabin.

When the Pope appeared at the balcony he received a loud cheer; he got an even bigger one when the cabin light was turned on, alerting those below to his presence.