Pope Benedict visits holy sites throughout Israel
Pope Benedict XVI
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Tuesday, 12, May 2009 11:02
The Pope is today visiting religious sites on his second day in the Holy Land.
On a five-day trip to Israel and the West Bank, Pope Benedict XVI this morning visited Jerusalem's Temple Mount, a religious site for Jews, Christians and Muslims, becoming the first Pope to visit the site.
In a prayer, the Pope asked for peace for "the entire human family", and was seen to remove his shoes, an Islamic sign of respect, when entering a Holy site. Yesterday he paid tribute to victims of the Holocaust, despite his associations with a Nazi youth organisation.
In a message of peace for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Pope this morning implored leaders on both sides to enter into "a sincere dialogue aimed at building a world of justice and peace".
Later today the Pope will meet with two chief Rabbis. He will also pray at the site where Jesus is supposed to have sat at the Last Supper before he was crucified.