|PIC1|Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his deep regret at the anger that broke out within the worldwide Muslim community following a speech he made on Tuesday in which he made controversial references to Islam. He stopped short, however, of retracting his remarks, saying rather that they had been interpreted.

Pope Benedict XVI sparked fury among Muslim communities the world over after a speech on Tuesday in which he repeated criticism of the Prophet Mohammad by the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who said everything Mohammad brought was evil "such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached".

The Pope, who used the terms "jihad" and "holy war" in his lecture, added "violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul".

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone read out a statement on behalf of the Pope which expressed the Pontiff's regret that his speech offended Muslims.

"The Holy Father sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful," read the statement released Saturday.

"In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words ... quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment," the statement said.

It also explained the Pope's reference to the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus: "He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come."

Muslims in Britain have welcomed the statement of regret from the Pontiff.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "It's certainly a welcome step that the Pope recognises the hurt that his speech caused. He quoted the words of the emperor who made very derogatory remarks about the Prophet, and his inclusion has caused enormous hurt."

Muhammad Umar, chairman of Britain's Ramadhan Foundation, a Rochdale-based youth organisation, has accused the Pope of falling into "the trap of bigots and racists". Following the latest statement he said: "We welcome his apology and we hope now we can work together and build bridges. At the same time we would condemn all forms of violent demonstration.

"Burning images of the Pope is not going to help us or any community relationship. These individuals are the small radical element. They don't represent the vast majority of Muslims."

Ihtisham Hibatullah, of the British Muslim Initiative also welcomed the Pope's apology. "Even though the remarks weren't intentionally directed at offending Muslims, the Muslim community worldwide was deeply offended," he said.

The Pope's comments in his Tuesday lecture sparked protest in some areas and Palestinian security officials reported Molotov cocktails were thrown at two churches in the West Bank town of Nablus on Saturday while shots were fired by unidentified gunmen at the oldest Christian church in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, Morocco said it was recalling its ambassador to the Vatican because of the pope's "offensive" remarks.

|PIC2|In an interview with German newspaper Bild, German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier defended the German-born Pontiff's comments, insisting that his comments had been misinterpreted and that they were rather to be taken as "an invitation to dialogue between religions".

The statement can be read in full here:

Given the reaction in Muslim quarters to certain passages of the Holy Father's address at the University of Regensburg, and the clarifications and explanations already presented through the Director of the Holy See Press Office, I would like to add the following:

The position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate:

"The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God.

Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet.

They also honour Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion.

In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead.

Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting."

The Pope's option in favour of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal.

In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims "cannot be reduced to an optional extra," adding: "The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity."

As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way.

He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come.

On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986:
"... demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time. ... In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions."

The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions.

Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervour of Muslim believers, warned secularised Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom".

In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom' (Nostra Aetate no. 3)."