Pope meets a Saudi King for the first time

Pope Benedict XVI lauded the contributions of Christians in Saudi Arabia - a country that embraces a strict version of Islam, restricts worship by other faiths and bans Bibles and crucifixes - in the first meeting ever between a pope and reigning Saudi king.

Benedict and the Vatican's No. 2 official raised their concerns during separate meetings Tuesday with King Abdullah, the protector of Islam's holiest sites.

The Vatican counts 890,000 Catholics, mainly guest workers from the Philippines, among the estimated 1.5 million Christians in Saudi Arabia. Christians are barred from opening churches in the desert kingdom where Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located.

"The Vatican authorities expressed their hope for the prosperity of all the inhabitants of the country, and mention was made of the positive and industrious presence of Christians," said the Vatican communique on the meetings referring in diplomatic language to the religious plight of non-Muslims in the kingdom.

Benedict greeted the king warmly, grasping both his hands before heading into 30 minutes of private talks in his library.

At the end of the meeting, Abdullah presented Benedict with a traditional Middle Eastern gift - a golden sword studded with jewels - and a gold and silver statue of a palm tree and a man riding a camel. The pope admired the statue but merely touched the sword. He gave Abdullah a 16th century print and a gold medal of his pontificate.

Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia and the kingdom requires all Saudi citizens to be Muslims. Only Muslims can visit the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Vatican City, Wednesday, AP