Benedict said he considered it his duty "to launch from here a pressing and heartfelt appeal so that all the armed conflicts that bloody the earth may cease, so that weapons be stilled and so that everywhere hate give way to love, offense to forgiveness and discord to union."

"We feel spiritually close to all those who weep, who suffer and who die because of war and its tragic consequences in whatever part of the world," the pope said at the end of Mass in a courtyard below St. Francis Basilica in this hill town associated with the saint who preached peace and tolerance.

"Our thoughts go in a special way to the Holy Land, beloved by St. Francis, to Iraq, to Lebanon, to the entire Middle East," the pontiff said.

"The populations of those places know, for too long, the horrors of fighting, of terrorism, of blind violence, the illusion that force can resolve conflicts, the refusal to listen to the reasons of the others and to do justice," he said, to ringing applause.

"Only responsible and sincere dialogue, backed by the generous support of the international community,can put an end to so much sorrow and restore life and dignity to people, institutions and populations."

The pope was making a one-day visit to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, to mark the 800th anniversary of the conversion of the saint.

Picture: Pope Benedict XVI prays at the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi June 17, 2007. The purpose of the Pope's visit was to mark the 800th anniversary of what is known as the conversion of Saint Francis.

Sources: AP, IHT