World

Pope Visits WTC Site

by Jordan Yerman | April 20, 2008 at 08:14 am

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Pope Benedict XVI continued his tour of New York with a visit to Ground Zero, where he met with survivors and rescue workers after a silent prayer.

He also offered prayers for rescuers, victims, as well as "those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred".

The Pope will later celebrate Mass at New York's Yankees stadium before flying home.

It will be the conclusion to what observers say has been a successful trip.

His visit has dominated the American media, and demand for the 55,000 tickets for Sunday's Mass has far outstripped supply, reports the BBC's David Willey in New York.

This visit, as is noted elsewhere, is the most down-to-earth yet by a pope, in which Benedict has discussed real-world issues pertaining to the Catholic Church and his papacy, both current and past.

In a personal address on Saturday, Benedict told youths at a New York rally about growing up under the "monster" of Nazism.

With a candour that correspondents say has been a hallmark of this visit, he spoke publicly for the first time about being forced to join the Hitler Youth and being conscripted into the Nazi army.

The Pope has also repeatedly condemned paedophile Catholic priests. More than 4,000 US Catholic clergy have been accused of sexually abusing minors since 1950.