Pope celebrates Mass at ancient Christian site
Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass today at one of the holiest Christian places in Turkey as part of his efforts to reach out to the Roman Catholic minority in a mostly Muslim country.
The pontiff conducted the open-air Mass next to the ruins of a house where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years, and security forces had sealed off the area.
Only 250 invited guests attended the event, making it one of the smallest crowds to attend a papal Mass.
The Vatican said the site could accommodate up to 2,000 people. Many of those attending held small Turkish and Vatican flags.
In bright sunshine, the pope stood on a dais under a white,flower-covered canopy.
A paramilitary helicopter hovered low over thecrowd as the pope arrived in a fleet of vehicles, and registered guests went through three separate metal detectors before reaching the sacred site.
A military policeman said security details weren’t given out to officers until the last minute, apparently to keep the pope’s exact travel route secret.
St John the Apostle is believed to have brought the Virgin Mary to the house to care for her after Jesus’ death.
Another belief maintains that the Virgin Mary died in Jerusalem.
