Tony Blair, his wife, Cherie, and their children will have an audience with Pope Benedict in the Vatican today, raising expectations that he will convert to the Roman Cat holic faith when he stands down as Prime Minister.
Mr Blair is expected to use the audience to invite the Pope to make his first visit to Britain next year, and there is growing speculation that it could be made a state visit.
However, Mr Blair may have quit as Prime Minister before the Pope's visit. MPs now expect him to signal his departure date at the Labour conference in September following his decision - disclosed in The Independent - to step down at the same time as John Prescott, his deputy.
Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, yesterday emphasised his increasing grip on the premiership by meeting Angela Merkel, the German leader, as Mr Blair ended his Whitsun holiday in Italy by meeting Romano Prodi, the recently elected Italian Prime Minister.
