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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pope in visit to German hometown | Pope in visit to German hometown |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pope Benedict XVI is due to visit his birthplace, the town of Marktl-am-Inn, as part of a six-day trip to his southern German homeland of Bavaria. | Pope Benedict XVI is due to visit his birthplace, the town of Marktl-am-Inn, as part of a six-day trip to his southern German homeland of Bavaria. |
| The house where the 79-year-old pontiff was born had to be repainted after someone threw paint at it last week. | |
| The Pope began the day with an open-air Mass in the town of Altoetting where thousands had gathered for the service. | |
| He will also visit Regensburg where he taught theology and where his brother George, a retired priest, still lives. | |
| The Pope will only make a half-hour stop in Marktl-am-Inn, a town of 2,700 residents. | |
| Tens of thousands of people flocked to Altoetting for the mass | |
| The house where he was born in 1927 had to be renovated after unknown attackers had thrown paint on it. | |
| Police described the attack - early on Sunday - as an act of vandalism rather than a protest. | |
| He will also visit the church of St Oswald, where he is expected to meet residents. | He will also visit the church of St Oswald, where he is expected to meet residents. |
| Also on Monday, the pontiff will visit Freising, where he was ordained. | |
| The Pope has been using his visit stem the decline in church attendances that are affecting even such a staunchly Roman Catholic region as Bavaria, correspondents say. | |
| Parents' graves | Parents' graves |
| As his tour of Bavaria continues, on Wednesday Pope Benedict will spend the day privately with his brother, when the two of them will visit the graves of their mother and father. | As his tour of Bavaria continues, on Wednesday Pope Benedict will spend the day privately with his brother, when the two of them will visit the graves of their mother and father. |
| The Pope has described the visit to Bavaria as a joyous personal journey. | The Pope has described the visit to Bavaria as a joyous personal journey. |
| On his arrival on Saturday, he was greeted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and spoke of his love for his homeland, saying: "My heart beats Bavarian." | |
| While he faces a warm welcome from many thousands of Catholics in Germany, some have been critical of his uncompromising condemnation of gay marriage and abortion, the BBC's David Willey says. | While he faces a warm welcome from many thousands of Catholics in Germany, some have been critical of his uncompromising condemnation of gay marriage and abortion, the BBC's David Willey says. |
| Such criticism has tempered German pride in last year's election of the first German Pope for centuries, our correspondent adds. | Such criticism has tempered German pride in last year's election of the first German Pope for centuries, our correspondent adds. |
| This is the Pope's second visit to Germany. | This is the Pope's second visit to Germany. |
| He last visited his native country just over a year ago to attend the World Youth Day celebrations in Cologne. | He last visited his native country just over a year ago to attend the World Youth Day celebrations in Cologne. |