ROME: The pope on Sunday apologized in person for the angry Muslim reaction to his comments on Islam. Benedict XVI added for good measure that his quote from a 14th century Christian Byzantine emperor about Prophet Mohammed and Jehad didn’t reflect his personal opinion.

"I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address," the 79-year-old pope told pilgrims at the summer papal palace, Castel Gandolfo, under increased security, "which were considered offensive."

"These were in fact quotations from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought," he said in Italian, according to the official English translation. "The true meaning of my address in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect."


He said, in what many described as a craven climbdown and public mea culpa unheard of by a pontiff in living memory, that "at this time I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims".

He concluded that the Vatican had already attempted to explain his controversial speech, which quoted the views of the 14th century Emperor Manuel II Paleologos in conversation with a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam.

The pope said, "I hope that this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect".

Catholic commentators said the pope’s second apology to Muslims and the first to be issued in person had put the issue of "dialogue" between faiths firmly on the agenda and underlined Benedict XVI’s long-held belief in that incontrovertible article of faith, reciprocity. This means, they said, that the pope stands by his belief that if Muslims want to enjoy religious freedom in the West, then Christians should have an equal right to follow their faith in Muslim states, without fear of persecution.

But the Sunday apology came too late for a diplomatic upscaling of the row with Morocco withdrawing its envoy to the Vatican, calling the comments "offensive".