Tuesday, May 12, 2009

POPE PHOTOS FROM HOLY LAND

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A stage where the Papal mass will be held is seen in the Kidron Valley, outside Jerusalem's Old City.





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A poster in Jerusalem offered the Pope a greeting in several languages.




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A Palestinian set up Vatican flags in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday.




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The pope leads the prayer service during his visit to the Lady of Peace Church in Amman.




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On the fourth day of his first trip to the Middle East as pope, Benedict XVI arrived Monday in Israel and immediately called for a solution to the conflict that would yield a "homeland of their own" for both Palestinians and Israelis.




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The pope was met by Israel's president, Shimon Peres, second from right, and the country's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, second from left, during a welcoming ceremony Monday.



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Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by hundreds of people outside the Lady of Peace Church in Amman, Jordan, where he held a mass on his first trip as pontiff to an Arab state. In his address, the Pope underlined his "deep respect" for Islam, in an attempt to redress controversial remarks he made about the religion three years ago.
Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by hundreds of people outside the Lady of Peace Church in Amman, Jordan, where he held a mass on his first trip as pontiff to an Arab state. In his address, the Pope underlined his



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Pope Benedict, accompanied by the Jordanian royal family (King Abdullah and Queen Rania are to his left), visits Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the spot on the Jordan River believed to be where Jesus was baptised.
Pope Benedict, accompanied by the Jordanian royal family (King Abdullah and Queen Rania are to his left), visits Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the spot on the Jordan River believed to be where Jesus was baptised.



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Pope Benedict and Jose Rodriguez Carballo, minister general of the Franciscan Order, stand beside The Staff of Moses in Jordan, the spot where God is believed to have shown Moses the Promised Land. The pontiff called for reconciliation between Christians and Jews during his visit to the Arab state.
Pope Benedict and Jose Rodriguez Carballo, minister general of the Franciscan Order, stand beside The Staff of Moses in Jordan, the spot where God is believed to have shown Moses the Promised Land. The pontiff called for reconciliation between Christians and Jews during his visit to the Arab state.



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Pope Benedict walks past Israel's national flag during a welcoming ceremony on his arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International airport. The pontiff on Monday began the most delicate part of his first trip to the Middle East, landing in Israel for a five-day tour that will take him to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.
Pope Benedict walks past Israel's national flag during a welcoming ceremony on his arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International airport. The pontiff on Monday began the most delicate part of his first trip to the Middle East, landing in Israel for a five-day tour that will take him to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.




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Pope Benedict is greeted by Israel's President Shimon Peres at Ben Gurion International airport. The pontiff faces a challenge to win over Israelis, following his efforts to rehabilitate a bishop who questioned the scale of the Holocaust.
Pope Benedict is greeted by Israel's President Shimon Peres at Ben Gurion International airport. The pontiff faces a challenge to win over Israelis, following his efforts to rehabilitate a bishop who questioned the scale of the Holocaust.



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Pope Benedict delivers his address next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and President Shimon Peres, in front of various religious leaders during a welcome ceremony at Ben Gurion International airport.
Pope Benedict delivers his address next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and President Shimon Peres, in front of various religious leaders during a welcome ceremony at Ben Gurion International airport.




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A Palestinian man spray-paints a welcome message on a wall next to a section of Israel's separation barrier in Aida refugee camp, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

A Palestinian man spray-paints a welcome message on a wall next to a section of Israel's separation barrier in Aida refugee camp, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.


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An Israeli right-wing activist is carried away by border police officers during a protest against Pope Benedict's visit. Pope Benedict called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland on his arrival in Israel on Monday, a stance that puts him at odds with some Israelis.

An Israeli right-wing activist is carried away by border police officers during a protest against Pope Benedict's visit. Pope Benedict called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland on his arrival in Israel on Monday, a stance that puts him at odds with some Israelis.