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Pope celebrates Mass in Nazareth Pope preaches against prejudice in Nazareth
(about 1 hour later)
Tens of thousands of Christians are taking part in a huge, outdoor Mass in Nazareth being celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on his Holy Land tour. Pope Benedict has preached against prejudice and hatred "which kills men's souls before it kills their bodies" at the largest Mass of his Holy Land tour.
The event in the town in northern Israel, where Jesus is believed to have lived, is expected to draw the largest crowds during the Pope's five-day trip. Tens of thousands of Christians, among them many Arabs, attended the service in the north Israeli town of Nazareth, where Jesus is said to have grown up.
The Catholic Church head will then meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, a day after backing a Palestinian homeland. Benedict later met Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, a day after vocally backing the idea a Palestinian homeland.
Mr Netanyahu does not support the idea of an independent Palestinian state.Mr Netanyahu does not support the idea of an independent Palestinian state.
Crowds waved flags to greet the pontiff as he arrived in his white popemobile in the predominantly Israeli-Arab town of Nazareth. The German-born Pope's visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories has sparked criticism from Jewish groups who say he did not condemn Nazi crimes strongly enough.
A 40,000-seat amphitheatre has been built specially for the event at Mount Precipice, where the Bible says an angry mob tried to hurl Jesus off a cliff. While he condemned anti-Semitism at the outset of his visit, and made a strong attack on Holocaust deniers at in his speech at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, he did not directly address the issue of the Catholic Church's silence during the Holocaust.
Pope Benedict is later due to visit the Church of the Annunciation, said to mark the spot where the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she would give birth to Jesus. Some also expected him to talk again about his enrolment, like millions of other German children, into the Hitler Youth during the Nazi era.
The event comes a day after the Pope visited a refugee camp in Bethlehem in the shadow of a concrete section of Israel's West Bank barrier. Appeal for peace
Crowds waved flags to greet the pontiff as he arrived in his white popemobile in Nazareth, a predominantly Israeli-Arab town.
A 40,000-seat amphitheatre was built specially for the event at Mount Precipice, where the Bible holds that an angry mob tried to hurl Jesus off a cliff.
Christians make up about a third of the town's Arab population, which is otherwise Muslim, and there has on occasion been friction between the two communities.
In his homily, Benedict spoke of tensions that have harmed interfaith relations.
"I urge people of goodwill in both communities to repair the damage that has been done, and in fidelity to our common belief in one God, the father of the human family, to work to build bridges and find the way to a peaceful coexistence," he said.
"Let everyone reject the destructive power of hatred and prejudice, which kills men's souls before it kills their bodies."
Pope Benedict is later began talks with Mr Netanyahu near the Church of the Annunciation, said to mark the spot where the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she would give birth to Jesus.
On Wednesday, the Pope visited a refugee camp in Bethlehem in the shadow of a concrete section of Israel's West Bank barrier.
Call for homelandCall for homeland
In Bethlehem, he delivered what correspondents say was one of his strongest expressions of support for the Palestinians, offering his backing for Palestinians' right to a "homeland".In Bethlehem, he delivered what correspondents say was one of his strongest expressions of support for the Palestinians, offering his backing for Palestinians' right to a "homeland".
POPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. Celebrates Holy Mass in Josaphat ValleyWednesday Visits Bethlehem, visits refugees, meets Mahmoud AbbasThursday Mass in Nazareth, talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, meets FranciscansFriday Meets Orthodox Christian leaders, departs Itinerary: Israel and West Bank Guide: Jerusalem's holy sites Pope in the Mid East: The issuesPOPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Monday Arrives in Israel, meets President Shimon PeresTuesday Visits the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. Celebrates Holy Mass in Josaphat ValleyWednesday Visits Bethlehem, visits refugees, meets Mahmoud AbbasThursday Mass in Nazareth, talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, meets FranciscansFriday Meets Orthodox Christian leaders, departs Itinerary: Israel and West Bank Guide: Jerusalem's holy sites Pope in the Mid East: The issues
The Pope called the barrier a symbol of "stalemate" between Israel and the Palestinians.The Pope called the barrier a symbol of "stalemate" between Israel and the Palestinians.
He told the refugees that his heart went out to families divided by detention and restrictions on freedom of movement, a reference to Israeli military control of the West Bank.He told the refugees that his heart went out to families divided by detention and restrictions on freedom of movement, a reference to Israeli military control of the West Bank.
"It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian state, remain unfulfilled.""It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian state, remain unfulfilled."
Earlier he said he prayed for a lifting of Israel's embargo on Gaza, but also urged Palestinians to resist the "temptation" to resort to violence.Earlier he said he prayed for a lifting of Israel's embargo on Gaza, but also urged Palestinians to resist the "temptation" to resort to violence.
One of the aims of the pontiff's visit is to preserve a diminishing Christian presence in the Holy Land.One of the aims of the pontiff's visit is to preserve a diminishing Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The issue is likely to feature during his visit to Nazareth. The town is home to many of the 120,000 Arab Christians who make up about 10% of the fifth of Israel's population that is descended from Arabs who stayed in Israel after its creation in 1948.
The German-born Pope's visit has sparked criticism from Jewish groups, who said he did not go far enough in his speech at the Yad Vashem holocaust memorial.
He condemned anti-Semitism, but did not directly address the issue of the Catholic Church's silence during the Holocaust, or his own - albeit unwilling - membership of the Hitler Youth.