US President George W. Bush
met Pope John Paul today after saying he would raise concerns about child sex scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church in the US.
The Pope, whose health has been failing, appeared in relatively good condition as he greeted Bush standing at his desk in his private study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.
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President George W. Bush, escorted by Swiss guards, leaves the Vatican after his meeting with Pope John Paul II today.
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"Mr President," the Pope said to Bush, standing at his desk to receive the US leader in his frescoed study.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you so much for receiving me," Mr Bush replied.
After the two sat down, the Pope smiled and brought his hands to his head, shielding his eyes from photographers' flashguns in a joking gesture.
Mr Bush, in Italy for a meeting of NATO and Russian leaders at an airbase outside Rome, met the Pope at the end of a week-long European trip.
He arrived amid tight security in a long motorcade of US and Italian cars with all traffic around the Vatican blocked.
Before the meeting he said he planned to discuss the paedophilia crisis that has shaken the US Catholic Church.
"I will tell him that I am concerned about the Catholic Church in America. I am concerned about its standing. I say that because the Catholic Church is an incredibly important institution in our country," Mr Bush told reporters.
The American Catholic Church has been hit by a series of sex scandals involving priests that led the Pope to call US Church leaders to the Vatican for an unprecedented summit last month.