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Pope holds Mass at Turkish shrine Pope meets world Orthodox leader
(about 1 hour later)
Pope Benedict XVI has held Mass in the ancient city of Ephesus in western Turkey, on the second day of a landmark visit to the largely Muslim country. Pope Benedict XVI is meeting Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Turkey, on the second day of a landmark visit to the largely Muslim country.
The open-air service took place outside a shrine to the Virgin Mary said to be her final resting place. The Istanbul talks with the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians aim to heal an old rift.
The Pope will later meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to try to heal a rift with the Orthodox church. Earlier, the Pope held Mass near a shrine to the Virgin Mary in the ancient western city of Ephesus.
The four-day visit to Turkey has been overshadowed by comments the Pope made in September about Islam.The four-day visit to Turkey has been overshadowed by comments the Pope made in September about Islam.
The talks with Bartholomew - the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians - were the original reason for the Pope's decision to travel to Turkey.
See a map of where Orthodox and Catholic Europe meet See a map of where Orthodox and Catholic Europe meet
The meeting with Bartholomew - who heads a community of some 250 million Christians around the world - was the original reason for the pontiff's decision to travel to Turkey.
The two leaders were expected to seek rapprochement between Christianity's Eastern and Western rites, estranged for nearly 1,000 years.
In Istanbul, Benedict will also meet faith leaders and visit the city's famous Blue Mosque.
He is scheduled to lead Mass in a cathedral before he departs.
PilgrimagePilgrimage
The Ephesus service was the only open-air Mass Pope Benedict would say in Turkey, for a congregation of some 500 Catholics brought to the shrine by special invitation. The service in Ephesus was the only open-air Mass Pope Benedict was to say in Turkey, for a congregation of some 500 Catholics brought to the shrine by special invitation.
PAPAL TRIP 29 Nov:
  • Goes to Ephesus to celebrate mass at site where Virgin Mary believed to have died
  • Goes to Istanbul to meet Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the Orthodox Church, for first of series of encounters
    • 1 Dec: Visits Haghia Sophia (6th Century Byzantine church converted into mosque in 1453, then transformed into museum in 1935) and Blue Mosque In pictures: Pope in Ephesus Divisions cloud Pope talks Preaching to the unconverted
    The Pope visited the small stone house set in the lush green hillside where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last days.The Pope visited the small stone house set in the lush green hillside where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last days.
    It is visited every year by tens of thousands of pilgrims.It is visited every year by tens of thousands of pilgrims.
    PAPAL TRIP 29 Nov:
  • Goes to Ephesus to celebrate mass at site where Virgin Mary believed to have died
  • Goes to Istanbul to meet Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the Orthodox Church, for first of series of encounters
    • 1 Dec: Visits Haghia Sophia (6th Century Byzantine church converted into mosque in 1453, then transformed into museum in 1935) and Blue Mosque In pictures: Pope in Ephesus Divisions cloud Pope talks Preaching to the unconverted
    He also honoured the memory of a Roman Catholic priest who was killed amid Muslim anger over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.He also honoured the memory of a Roman Catholic priest who was killed amid Muslim anger over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
    "Let us sing joyfully, even when we're tested by difficulties and dangers, as we have learned from the fine witness given by the Roman priest John Andrea Santoro, whom I am pleased to recall in this celebration," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency."Let us sing joyfully, even when we're tested by difficulties and dangers, as we have learned from the fine witness given by the Roman priest John Andrea Santoro, whom I am pleased to recall in this celebration," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
    There is only a tiny Catholic community left in Turkey and many in the congregation were foreigners who live in the country and some had travelled from the Mediterranean coast for the occasion, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Ephesus. HAVE YOUR SAY It's such a shame that the Pope's visit was overshadowed by protests before his arrival Serkan, Istanbul href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4818&edition=1&ttl=20061128091957" class="">Send us your comments href="/1/hi/talking_point/6189398.stm" class="">Read our online debate
    From there, the Pope will travel to Istanbul, once - as Constantinople - the centre of the Byzantine empire, but now the largest city in a secular Turkish republic. There is only a tiny Catholic community left in Turkey and many in the congregation were foreigners who live in the country and some had travelled from the Mediterranean coast for the occasion.
    HAVE YOUR SAY It's such a shame that the Pope's visit was overshadowed by protests before his arrival Serkan, Istanbul href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4818&edition=1&ttl=20061128091957" class="">Send us your comments href="/1/hi/talking_point/6189398.stm" class="">Read our online debate In Istanbul, he will be the guest of the Orthodox Patriarch, who heads a community of 250 million Christians around the world. From there, the Pope travelled to Istanbul, once - as Constantinople - the centre of the Byzantine empire, but now the largest city in a secular Turkish republic.
    The Pope will also meet faith leaders and visit the city's famous Blue Mosque.
    Benedict is scheduled to lead Mass in an Istanbul cathedral before he departs.
    Call for dialogueCall for dialogue
    On his first day in Turkey - and his first in a mainly Muslim country as Pope - Benedict called for an "authentic dialogue" between Christians and Muslims in a speech at Turkey's directorate of religious affairs. On Tuesday, Pope Benedict called for an "authentic dialogue" between Christians and Muslims in a speech at Turkey's directorate of religious affairs.
    He said the exchange must be "based on truth and inspired by a sincere wish to know one another better".He said the exchange must be "based on truth and inspired by a sincere wish to know one another better".
    I want to reiterate the solidarity between the cultures - this is our duty Pope Benedict XVI Press doubts Pope's motivesI want to reiterate the solidarity between the cultures - this is our duty Pope Benedict XVI Press doubts Pope's motives
    The visit has been overshadowed by angry protests by Turkish Muslims.The visit has been overshadowed by angry protests by Turkish Muslims.
    Tens of thousands of people protested on the streets of Istanbul at the weekend, calling on the Pope to stay away or apologise for comments he made about Islam in a speech in September.Tens of thousands of people protested on the streets of Istanbul at the weekend, calling on the Pope to stay away or apologise for comments he made about Islam in a speech in September.
    Speaking to an academic audience in Germany, the Pope quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterised Islam as a violent religion.Speaking to an academic audience in Germany, the Pope quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterised Islam as a violent religion.
    While the Pope insisted the remarks did not reflect his own views, the speech was widely reported and caused anger across the Islamic world.While the Pope insisted the remarks did not reflect his own views, the speech was widely reported and caused anger across the Islamic world.
    In Ankara, the Pope began his trip with a visit to the hilltop mausoleum of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
    WHERE EAST MEETS WEST Kosovo is an overwhelmingly Muslim province of Serbia, pushing for independenceIn Lviv and other western parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church predominates - a church that follows Eastern rites but vows allegiance to RomeRepublika Srpska is the Serb part of BosniaCyprus is divided between the Greek, Orthodox south and the breakaway Turkish, Muslim northWHERE EAST MEETS WEST Kosovo is an overwhelmingly Muslim province of Serbia, pushing for independenceIn Lviv and other western parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church predominates - a church that follows Eastern rites but vows allegiance to RomeRepublika Srpska is the Serb part of BosniaCyprus is divided between the Greek, Orthodox south and the breakaway Turkish, Muslim north
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