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| Thousands celebrate US papal mass |
| Pope Benedict XVI is celebrating an open-air mass at the Nationals stadium in Washington, where some 40,000 people are taking part
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 17-April-2008
10:24:50 AM |
| After the mass, the Pope will hold an inter-faith meeting on what is the second day of his visit to the US.
On Wednesday, the pontiff met President George W Bush at the White House.
Speaking later to bishops, he criticised their handling of child sex scandals that have rocked the Roman Catholic Church in the US.
Gates at the Washington sports stadium opened before dawn to allow people to trickle through stringent security measures ahead of the mass at 1000 (1400 GMT).
Among the first to arrive was Barbara Loh, who told the Associated Press agency: "I've been Catholic all my life and... my dream has always been to see the Pope."
After the mass, the Pope is due to meet leaders from other faiths at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Centre in Washington.
That gathering has attracted controversy.
Sikhs have refused to attend after the Secret Service insisted ceremonial daggers be removed.
One Muslim group has also pulled out, saying the Pope's statements have given the impression that he is intolerant of Islam.
Other Muslim leaders said they were attending out of respect for the Catholic Church, but admitted they too had some concerns.
Muslims around the world were upset when the Pope in 2006 quoted a medieval text that said Islam was violent.
Relations were upset again when the Pope baptised an Egyptian Muslim known to be a fierce critic of Islam at a high-profile ceremony in the Vatican on the Easter weekend
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