• A handout picture released by the Vatican press office shows Pope Francis praying at Israel’s separation barrier on May 25, 2014 after he made an unscheduled stop at the security wall drawing attention to the towering eight-metre high concrete wall topped by a guard tower. Vatican press office/AFP Photo
    A handout picture released by the Vatican press office shows Pope Francis praying at Israel’s separation barrier on May 25, 2014 after he made an unscheduled stop at the security wall drawing attention to the towering eight-metre high concrete wall topped by a guard tower. Vatican press office/AFP Photo
  • Nuns wave as they attend a mass led by Pope Francis at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity on May 25, 2014 in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Abbas Momani/AFP Photo
    Nuns wave as they attend a mass led by Pope Francis at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity on May 25, 2014 in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Abbas Momani/AFP Photo
  • Pope Francis, centre, leads an open-air mass in the Manger Square, next the Nativity Church, in the West Bank. Fadi Arouri/EPA
    Pope Francis, centre, leads an open-air mass in the Manger Square, next the Nativity Church, in the West Bank. Fadi Arouri/EPA
  • Pope Francis waves to the crowd from inside his pope-mobile on his way to Manger Square to celebrate an open air mass on May 25, 2014 in the West Bank Biblical town of Bethlehem. Pope Francis is expected to begin in Bethlehem the most sensitive part of his three-day Middle East tour aimed at forging regional peace and easing an age-old rift within Christianity. Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Photo
    Pope Francis waves to the crowd from inside his pope-mobile on his way to Manger Square to celebrate an open air mass on May 25, 2014 in the West Bank Biblical town of Bethlehem. Pope Francis is expected to begin in Bethlehem the most sensitive part of his three-day Middle East tour aimed at forging regional peace and easing an age-old rift within Christianity. Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Photo
  • People attend an open-air mass led by Pope Francis at the Manger Square on May 25, 2014 outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank Biblical town of Bethlehem. Pope Francis arrived in Bethlehem to begin the most sensitive part of his three-day Middle East tour aimed at forging regional peace and easing an age-old rift within Christianity. Vincenzo Pinto/AFP Photo
    People attend an open-air mass led by Pope Francis at the Manger Square on May 25, 2014 outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank Biblical town of Bethlehem. Pope Francis arrived in Bethlehem to begin the most sensitive part of his three-day Middle East tour aimed at forging regional peace and easing an age-old rift within Christianity. Vincenzo Pinto/AFP Photo
  • Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives to lead an open-air in the Manger Square, next to the Nativity Church in the West Bank town of Bethlehem May 25. 2014. Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for peace on a pilgrimage on Sunday to Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, urging an intensified effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fadi Arouri/Reuters
    Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives to lead an open-air in the Manger Square, next to the Nativity Church in the West Bank town of Bethlehem May 25. 2014. Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for peace on a pilgrimage on Sunday to Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, urging an intensified effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fadi Arouri/Reuters
  • A video grab taken from Palestinian TV shows Pope Francis waving to the crowd from inside the popemobile as he makes an unscheduled stop in front of the West Bank’s separation barrier on May 25, 2014 in the town of Bethlehem. Palestinian TV/AFP Photo
    A video grab taken from Palestinian TV shows Pope Francis waving to the crowd from inside the popemobile as he makes an unscheduled stop in front of the West Bank’s separation barrier on May 25, 2014 in the town of Bethlehem. Palestinian TV/AFP Photo

World

In pictures: Pope Francis arrives in Bethlehem

Rob Gurdebeke

May 25, 2014

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Pope Francis arrived in the West Bank on Sunday to start the most delicate part of his Middle East tour, with visits to the Palestinian Territories and Israel scheduled.

Pope FrancisWest BankMahmoud AbbasMiddle East