Pope Benedict XVI greets an unidentified Muslim envoy in his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, Monday, Sept. 25, 2006. The pontiff met Muslim envoys as part of an unprecedented diplomatic offensive to show his desire for interfaith dialogue after triggering outrage with recent remarks on Islam. The meeting brought together Muslim ambassadors to the Vatican and Islamic representatives in Italy.
Pope Benedict XVI, background in red and white, meets with Muslim diplomats and members of the Arab League, at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, Monday, Sept. 25, 2006. The pontiff told Muslim diplomats that "our future" depends on good relations between Christians and Muslims as he sought to put to rest anger over his recent remarks about Islam and violence.
Pope Benedict XVI puts his hands together during his Sunday Angelus prayer at his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006. The pontiff praised an Italian nun for pardoning her killers as she lay dying from an attack in Somalia that may have been linked to worldwide Muslim anger over his recent remarks about Islam and violence.
Pope Benedict XVI reads his speech at Regensburg University in Germany on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2006. The pope has said that he "sincerely regrets" that Muslims have been offended by some of his words in the speech, the Vatican said, amid demands for apologies from much of the Islamic world and some violence. The man at left is unidentified.
Pakistani Muslims hold a rally to condemn the remarks by Pope Benedict XVI, Friday, Sept 15, 2006 in Multan, Pakistan. Pakistan's parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the pope for making what it called "derogatory" comments about Islam during his visit to Germany, and sought an apology from him for hurting the sentiments of Muslims.
Iraqis burn an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI during a demonstration in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, Monday Sept.18, 2006.The protest was against his speech last week in Germany, particularly his quoting of a medieval text that characterized some of the teachings of Islam's founder as "evil and inhuman" and referred to spreading Islam "by the sword." Benedict said Sunday that he is "deeply sorry" his remarks on Islam.
An Indian policeman douses a burning tire set afire by protesters during a demonstration in Srinagar, India, Monday, Sept. 18, 2006. Shops, businesses and schools shut down Monday across Indian-controlled Kashmir in response to a strike by separatists to protest Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on Islam.
Policemen try to stop activists of All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) from holding a protest demonstration against Pope Benedict XVI in Srinagar, India, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006. Demonstrations continued in Srinagar as police detained nearly two dozen members of APHC. The group was protesting what it called "derogatory" comments by the pope about Islam.
Pope Benedict XVI raises his arms as he looks at the rainy sky, during the Angelus address to the faithful at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Sunday Sept. 17, 2006. The pontiff said he was "deeply sorry" about the angry reaction sparked by his speech about Islam and holy war. "These (words) were in fact a quotation from a Medieval text which do not in any way express my personal thought," Benedict told pilgrims.
Undated photo shows Italian nun Sister Leonella, right, sitting with an unidentified aunt in Rezzanello di Gazzola, near Piacenza, Italy. Gunmen killed Sister Leonella and her bodyguard Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006, at the entrance of the hospital where she worked in Mogadishu, Somalia. Some feared the attack could be linked to Muslim anger toward Pope Benedict XVI.
Palestinian Greek Orthodox worshiper Samir Mitri cleans an icon at the burnt Greek Orthodox church in the West Bank town of Tulkarem, Sunday, Sept. 17 2006. The church was torched before dawn and its contents destroyed, local Christian officials said. The church is one of two West Bank churches set afire early Sunday as a wave of anger grew over comments by Pope Benedict XVI construed as anti-Islam.
A Palestinian security officer stands guard outside a Roman Catholic Church in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006. Two West Bank churches were set on fire early Sunday as a wave of Muslim anger over comments by Pope Benedict XVI construed as anti-Islam grew throughout the Palestinian areas.
Palestinian security forces stand guard in front of the Church of Nativity, believed by many Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Sunday, Sept.17, 2006. Two West Bank churches were set on fire Sunday as a wave of Muslim anger over comments by Pope Benedict XVI construed as anti-Islam grew throughout the Palestinian areas.
An Iraqi woman lights a candle after mass, in Baghdad, Sunday Sept. 17, 2006. Iraq's biggest political parties condemned comments by Pope Benedict XVI on Islam. The main Sunni party warned of potential violence between Muslims and Christians. In the early 1980s, Iraq's Christian population numbered 1.4 million, but now many of them have left following Church attacks in 2004 and regular threats by insurgents.
A sunset colors the sky behind a minaret and a steeple of a church in the Old City of the West Bank town of Ramallah, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006. Two West Bank churches were set on fire Sunday as a wave of Muslim anger over comments by Pope Benedict XVI construed as anti-Islam spread throughout Palestinian areas.