Twenty years to the day after surviving an assassination attempt, Pope John Paul II appealed to international leaders to end the vicious cycle of violence in the Middle East.
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"It is everyone's duty, in particular the leaders of the international community, to help both sides in the conflict to break from this immoral chain of provocations and reprisals" the Pope said toady in front of 20,000 devotees.
The pontiff told how he was saddened by dramatic news from the Holy Land during his pilgrimage in Greece, Syria and Malta from May 4 to May 9.
The Pope called on the Fatima Virgin to protect the Middle East in an allusion to when he was shot on May 13, 1981.
"I have had occasion to test the protection myself on this day twenty years ago" the Pope said.
Mr Ali Agca, a former Turkish terrorist, shot the pope in Saint Peter's Square, hitting him three times. The Pope who maintains the Fatima Virgin deflected the bullets and saved his life, publicly forgave his would-be killer a few days after the attack.
The Catholic church officially recognises the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherds at Fatima, in Portugal. Some believe they witnessed a prophesy of the assassination attempt over 60 years later.
Two of the shepherds Mr Francisco Marto and his sister Jacinta, who both died as children, were beatified by the pope in Portugal last year.
In the morning the pontiff, 81 next week, ordained 34 new priests from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and New Zealand in a two and a half hour ceremony at St. Peter's basilica.
AFP