DPA
New York, April 20 (DPA) Pope Benedict XVI arrived at Ground Zero Sunday morning, where he was expected to pray with the survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks that took 3,000 lives - and ask for God’s intercession in the hate which drove the Islamist hijackers to kill so many. A chill mist surrounded lower Manhattan, befitting the mood of the site where nearly 3,000 people died when the World Trade Center came crashing down from the passenger-planes-turned-missiles.

A handful of family members of the dead were gathered inside the securely-fenced area, which is now a building site for the new Freedom Tower being erected in place of the twin towers which came crashing down on September 11, 2001.

The group was kept small to fit the space confines.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York Governor David Paterson were also on hand to receive Benedict at the site, where a yellow carpet on the ground and white and yellow flags - the colours of the Vatican - lined the ramp into the site amidst American and other national flags.

A solemn single cellist provided music as the popemobile, the specially designed car which carried the pope, moved slowly down the ramp.
DPA