New York: Pope Benedict XVI held a Holy Mass at New York City's landmark St. Patrick's Cathedral Saturday on the third anniversary of his assuming the papacy.

The 81-year-old pontiff arrived at the cathedral on New York's 5th Avenue in a black limousine, with thousands of onlookers cheering him on his arrival.

More than 1,000 cardinals, bishops and other clergy members, as well as invited guests, attended the mass.

It was on April 19, 2005, that the then German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as pope, succeeding John Paul II who had died a few weeks earlier. Benedict is on a six-day visit to the US running through April 21.

 

Source : IANS