Before celebrating the final event of his US visit – a huge outdoor mass at Yankee Stadium - Pope Benedict XVI paid a solemn 20-minute visit Sunday to Ground Zero in New York, the scene of the 11 September terrorist attacks.

On his sixth day in the United States, about 9:30 a.m. local time, the pope arrived at the World Trade Center area, knelt before a pool of water and prayed silently. He blessed with holy water “the scene of incredible violence of pain,” as he described it.

Benedict lit a candle and asked God to heal the ones that had been hurt in the attacks and “all those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.”

“God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world,” he said. “Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.”

The pontiff then spoke to 24 survivors and relatives of those who had died in the terrorist attacks, in an encounter similar with the one that had taken place one day before, when he met several victims of priests’ abuses.

After he left Ground Zero, the pope was greeted by tens of thousands of enthusiastic people at the Yankee Stadium. Inside, the pope circled the stadium, with the windows to his popemobile rolled down so that he could wave to his fans.

During his speech, he encouraged American Catholics to follow their faith and never forget to pray.

“Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society,” the pope said. “It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ's victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal.”

The around 80,000 Catholics who had filled the stadium kept chanting, clapping, and waving white and yellow handkerchiefs in the Vatican’s colors.

“His message of brotherhood rings loud and clear. We welcome him to Yankee Stadium with respect, reverence and enthusiasm,” George Steinbrenner, the German-American owner of the Yankees baseball team, said in a statement.