Lord Patten: 'The eyes of the world will be fixed on Britain'

Lord Patten, the Government co-ordinator for the papal visit, has said that over the next four days the “eyes of the world” will be fixed on Britain.

At a press conference earlier this week he said that it was of especially huge interest to millions of Catholics in the US, Canada, Australia and the British Commonwealth.

“It will be a schedule-stopper right around the world as far as news editors are concerned, “ he said. “Perhaps for many the proudest moment will be the beatification ceremony, the only one this Pope has performed outside the Vatican, in Cofton Park, Birmingham, where Cardinal Newman used to take his country walks.”