Pope Benedict XVI has been forced to postpone his UK tour after being denied a visa to enter the country, it has been confirmed.
Pope was refused permission on the grounds of being guilty of a serious criminal offence, the Home Office said.
He was sentenced to a community service order in 2001 for issuing a secret Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety.
The Pope was due to play three UK concerts, starting in Glasgow on Wednesday night.
Two further dates in London, Birmingham and Manchester had also been planned, along with a concert Cork, the Irish Republic which has been shelved too.
Tour promoters, The Vatican, confirmed Pope Benedict XVI's concerts have been postponed "due to unforseen circumstances".
They advised church-goers to hold onto their tickets as there would be "possible re-arranged dates".
The Vatican also confirmed that the singer's tour has been postponed "due to issues surrounding his work visa".
"Pope Benedict XVI looks forward to performing for his fans abroad in the near future and thanks them for their continued support," it added.
Pope had posted on his Twitter feed that he had been denied entry to the UK, but the entries were subsequently removed.
In a statement, the Home Office said: "We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone guilty of a serious criminal offense. Public safety is one of our primary concerns.
"Each application to enter the UK is considered on its individual merits," it added.
Or read the official twaddle here.
Original Chris Brown story here.