[His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI]

[On behalf of the residents of the city of Jerusalem, and the members of the city council, it is my honor to welcome you and the thousands of people of faith who have accompanied you to the city of Jerusalem.]

On behalf of the residents of our Holy City and the leadership of the City Council, it is my honor to welcome you, Your Holiness, Pope Benedict the Sixteenth, to Jerusalem, along with the thousands of pilgrims and visitors who follow in your footsteps.

During your stay here, you will feel at home amongst friends who practice many faiths together in peace, harmony, and freedom.

You will feel at home as you breathe the ancient history and modern culture of Jerusalem.And you will feel at home because you too, Your Holiness, are a shareholder of this great city. I welcome you here, at the beginning of your historic journey to Jerusalem. I would like to use this opportunity to call upon every person of faith to visit Jerusalem at least once in a lifetime.

[During your visit here, you will feel at home between other religions whose tolerance towards one another is obvious. In Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, and the Jewish people, we encourage pluralism, dialogue, and freedom of religion. These feelings come from a place of mutual respect, as says the prophet Isaiah…]

[“And these I will bring to my holy mountain, and give them joy in my house of prayer, their burnt offerings and sacrifices, will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”]

The City of Jerusalem and I are grateful for your presence and your blessings and for that, I am proud to present to you this ancient map of the world showing Jerusalem as the center of world. Thank you.