The Pontiff, who arrived by an Alitalia flight at the high-security Palam technical area, was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Panja, top officials and senior members of the Indian church including Delhi Archbishop Alan De Lastic.

The Pope, dressed in a white cassock, a skull cap and wearing maroon shoes, looked apparently weak after a long flight and slowly stepped out of the aircraft holding the railing.

The Pontiff, on his second visit to India since 1986, did not bend and kiss the Indian soil as he did last time owing to his old age and failing health. The 79-year-old Holy Father waved twice to a large number of media people who requested him to look in their direction.

The Pope was introduced to senior external affairs ministry officials, Indian ambassador to the Holy See K P Balakrishnan, members of the Catholic clergy and community leaders. Tears rolled down the cheeks of many as they knelt down and kissed the Holy Father's hands.

Thereafter, the Pontiff along with Archbishop Alan De Lastic and Archbishop Daldisseri left the airport in a black Mercedes Benz car for the Vatican nunciature, where he would be putting up during his stay in the Capital.Police personnel were deployed in strength all along the route from the airport to prevent any untoward incident.

During the visit, eagerly awaited by the country's 16 million Catholics, the Holy Father is scheduled to formally conclude the Asian Synod of bishops `eclesia in Asia' called to discuss the challenges before the community in the new millennium, and release the post-Synodal exhortation.

The Polish-born Pontiff, who leads a high-power delegation, will hold wide-ranging discussions with President K R Narayanan focussing mainly on further consolidation of bilateral ties between the Vatican and India.The Pope would also address a holy mass at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and a multi-religious meet on Sunday which would be telecast live on all Doordarshan channels.

The visit takes place in the backdrop of some Sangh Parivar outfits demanding a Papal apology for alleged atrocities on Hindus by the church during Portuguese rule in Goa, Vasai, Kerala and other parts of the country in the 16th century. The RSS had said the Pope should not proclaim Christianity as the only way to salvation while Sanskriti Raksha Manch, an affiliate of VHP, took out a 1600 km rath yatra from Goa to Delhi against ``fraudulent and forced'' conversions carried out by the church.

Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, a tribal affiliate of the Parivar, is also staging a three day sit-in in the Capital during the Pontiff's stay here ``to draw his attention to the objectionable activities of the church.''The Shiv Sena too has threatened to stage demonstrations if the Pope does not apologise for the Goan inquisitions.

Police have beefed up security in the Capital and detained top Shiv Sena leaders in the runup to the visit and the police commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma has categorically stated that no protests in the presence of the Pope would be allowed.