Pope set for Jordan mosque visit

Pope Benedict XVI is set to visit Jordan's largest mosque on the second day of his visit to the Middle East. The pontiff will pray inside the King Hussein Mosque in the capital, Amman, before addressing local Muslim leaders.

He began the day with a visit to Mount Nebo, where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land before he died. Analysts say the Pope is keen to mend relations with the Islamic world. Many Muslims took offence to a speech he made in 2006. The Pope's eight-day tour - his first to the region as pontiff - will take him to Israel and the West Bank. As he arrived in Amman on Friday he described himself as a "pilgrim of peace" and stressed his "deep respect" for Islam.

The problem has never been with the Pope’s respect for Islam but with Islam’s respect to the Pope!