Rome, 8 May-(ANA)-Pope Benedict XVI has left Rome for a visit to the Middle East - his first tour of the holy places of Christendom since his election four years ago.
He begins his week-long trip in Jordan, then goes to Israel and the West Bank.
The visit is aimed at encouraging the minority Christian community in the Middle East, and creating a better dialogue with Muslims and Jews.
Jordanian Islamist leaders have demanded that he apologise for a speech in 2006 that linked Islam and violence.
The eight-day tour - in which the Pope describes himself as a "pilgrim of peace" - is his first visit to the Middle East as pontiff.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church is seeking to strengthen ties with Jewish and Muslim leaders after offending believers of both religions in the past three years.
In 2006, Benedict infuriated Muslims with a speech linking the Prophet Muhammad with violence.
He later said he was "deeply sorry" over the reaction to the remarks and that the passage he quoted did not reflect his own opinion.
But in Jordan, the opposition Islamic Action Front party said Benedict was not welcome unless he offered an outright apology. (ANA)
Amnesty/Report