VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict appealed on Sunday for a peaceful solution to the "extremely serious" events in Myanmar and expressed his solidarity with the country's impoverished population.

Myanmar's ruling junta has cracked down on mass protests by Buddhist monks against 45 years of military rule and at least 10 people have been killed, according to state-run media. Many, including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, fear the loss of life is much higher.

"I follow with great trepidation the extremely serious events in Myanmar in these days and want to express my spiritual closeness to its dear population in this painful trial that it is going through," the Pope said during his weekly Angelus blessing to the faithful.

"While I offer my firm and intense prayers and invite the whole Church to do the same, I sincerely hope that a peaceful solution will be found, for the good of the country."