At Ground Zero, a silent prayer
NEW YORK (CNS) -- In the most somber moment of his six-day visit to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI knelt alone at Ground Zero and offered a silent prayer.
The cheering crowds were far away as the Pope blessed the ground where the World Trade Center stood until terrorists flew planes into its twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001.
While the extraordinary security measures that surrounded the Pope’s entire visit tangibly demonstrated how the attacks changed the United States, the Ground Zero visit gave the Pope an opportunity to speak to and console those whose lives were changed most directly that Sept. 11.
Twenty-four people stood around a candle, a plot of earth and a tiny pond as the Pope knelt in prayer; they were the survivors, the family members of the dead and representatives of the New York Port Authority, police and fire departments.
Visits synagogue
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to a synagogue during the New York leg of his U.S. visit is a “clear message of good will to the Jewish community,” said the rabbi hosting the Pope.
Rabbi Arthur Schneier, senior rabbi of Park East Synagogue, said his own commitment to inter-religious dialogue prompted him to extend the invitation while visiting the Vatican
On his last day in Washington, after meeting with 200 inter-religious leaders, the Pope met briefly with Jewish leaders.