TONY BLAIR is to meet the Pope next weekend on his second official visit to the Vatican in three years. He is expected to use the meeting to persuade Benedict XVI to set a date for his first formal visit to Britain.

The Pope has already been invited by Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, but no timing has been agreed.

It is understood tentative consideration is now being given to upgrading the invitation to a full state visit in the Pope’s capacity as head of state of the Vatican. Some officials argue this may mark the invitation out from numerous others Benedict has received.

His predecessor’s British tour in 1982 included a mass in front of 80,000 at Wembley stadium. John Paul II also met the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury, but was not accorded the pomp of a full state visit, such as a state banquet and carriage procession along the Mall.

Informal discussions have already taken place about the pontiff addressing MPs in Westminster Hall and visiting Westminster Abbey.

Benedict’s trip, in contrast to John Paul’s week-long tour, is likely to be an excursion of two or three days.

Blair travelled to Italy this weekend. It is understood he joined his family for a break at the Tuscan palazzo of Prince Girolamo Strozzi at San Gimignano. It is the Blairs’ fifth visit there.

Blair’s papal audience is expected to follow meetings with Romano Prodi, the Italian prime minister, and Silvio Berlusconi, his predecessor.

The prime minister will be joined by his wife Cherie and some of their children for the audience on Saturday. They are expected to receive the Pope’s blessing afterwards.

They are not expected to attend mass, in contrast to a visit in 2003 when the prime minister is understood to have received communion from John Paul II.

The visit marks the prime minister’s first meeting with the current Pope, although he met him briefly before his election. Cherie met Benedict on a recent visit to Rome.

The source said Blair and the Pope would also be “discussing reconciling the Christian and Muslim religions in light of all the events since September 11.” On his previous visit, John Paul II urged Blair to avoid war in Iraq.

• The Pope has told a crowd at a shrine near Krakow in Poland, his predecessor’s homeland, that he hoped John Paul II would be made a saint “in the near future”.

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