|PIC1|Pope Benedict XVI has marked his 80th birthday by offering thanks to God and his family during a huge mass celebration on Sunday.

Thousands gathered in St Peter's Square to join the festivities at the event , which was combined to celebrate the Pope's second anniversary since his election as the Roman Catholic head.

"To all I say the most heartfelt 'thank you'," Pope Benedict declared in a sermon following the mass, "and I extend that to the whole Church which, like a real family, surrounds me with its affection particularly at this time."

He included his family in his thoughts, testifying that his parents had been role models for him: "I thank God because I was able to experience what family means."

In his comments, the Pope also paid tribute to his predecessor who died two years ago: "He lived under two dictatorships [Nazism and Communism] and, in his direct contact with poverty, need and violence, he deeply experienced the power of darkness, which also besets the world today."

Thursday will be the anniversary of Pope Benedict's election as pontiff, which took place on 19 April 2005 following the death of Pope John Paul II, who had been Roman Catholic head for almost 27 years - one of the longest in history.