Bishop's killing 'will not overshadow' Pope's visit

Pope Benedict XVI prays as Cypriot Archbishop Chrysostomos, right, waits during a ceremony at Church of Agia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa in Paphos, near the capital Nicosia, at the start of a three-day visit to the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Jun 2010, 21:19 BST
Updated 4th Jun 2010, 21:19 BST

The Pope also said he was 'deeply saddened' by the killing of a

Catholic bishop in Turkey on Thursday but added that this was not political and would not cloud his pilgrimage to Cyprus.

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En route to the island he said that 'this has nothing to do with the themes and realities of this trip'.

The Pope began the sensitive Cyprus visit just a day after the death of Bishop Luigi Padovese, who had been scheduled to meet him. The bishop was apparently stabbed to death by his driver, who had mental health problems.

The Pope said that 'we must not give responsibility to Turkey or the Turks' as he appeared to accept the official explanation, saying the killing was not 'a political or religious assassination, it was something personal'.

Driver Murat Altun, was yesterday charged with murder. He has been detained until he can be tried.

The 83-year-old pontiff visited a site in Paphos where St Paul is believed to have preached.

The Pope's travels have recently included a visit to Portugal and he is due to visit the UK in September.

Related topics:Pope