Pope John Paul II is visiting the most sacred sites in Jerusalem at the climax of his week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

At the Western Wall - Judaism's holiest site - he held a trembling hand to the ancient stones and begged God's forgiveness for the suffering of Jews throughout history.

The Pope also visited the hilltop mosque complex, where Muslims believe Mohammed ascended to heaven.

The site - sacred to Muslims and Jews alike - is home to the Dome of the Rock mosque, and is known to Jews as the Temple Mount for the biblical temples that once stood there.

There, he was greeted by the top Islamic cleric, or mufti, in Jerusalem, Ikrema Sabri, who urged the Pope to help "end the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem".

Israel controls east Jerusalem, the area claimed by Palestinians as the capital of a future state.

The Pope then went to celebrate mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where Jesus is said to have been crucified and buried.

As the pontiff negotiated the narrow lanes of the walled Old City in a custom-designed Popemobile, Palestinian schoolchildren cheered and released balloons in the colours of their flag.

For the first time in centuries, the Greek Orthodox Church agreed to reschedule Sunday services to enable the Pope's service to take place.

He chose to celebrate a mass of penance to mark the third week of Lent, much of which was conducted in Latin.

Clerics from orthodox churches attended the service, and took communion from an altar erected over the stone where tradition that holds Christ's dead body was anointed by mourners.

Peace prayer

At the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, the Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Rabbi Michael Melchior announced that Israel would set up a forum to promote peace between Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Click here for a map of the Pope's route

The Pope's written plea for forgiveness, which he placed in a crack in the Wall, was the same as that included in a historic apology made at the Vatican on 12 March.

"God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations," the prayer said.

"We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant."

Israeli public television said several right-wing extremists had been arrested by police for attempting to protest against the Pope's visit to the Wall.

Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said the city's police would be on guard throughout the Pope's visit as "some elements" might try to use it to "express extreme positions".

On Saturday, the Pope harshly criticised Christian communities in the Holy Land for what he called their "scandalous" disagreements.

Referring to apparently endless squabbles over everything from doctrine to religious sites, he told an ecumenical meeting at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate that it was vital for Christians to overcome their internal arguments in a region riven by conflict.

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