Aryanews- Pope Benedict XVI´s personal preacher at a Good Friday ceremony compared recent attacks against the pontiff over a sexual abuse scandal with the persecution of Jews.
With the pontiff present, Father Raniero Cantalamessa delivered a sermon in St Peter's Basilica in which he included an excerpt from a letter by a Jewish friend.
Cantalamessa said Jews throughout history had been the victims of "collective violence."
Then he read from the letter in which his Jewish friend referred to accusations against Benedict and the Catholic church over the handling of sexual abuse of minors by priests.
Cantalamessa's friend, who was not cited by name, wrote that he was "following with disgust the violent and concentric attacks against the Church and the Pope."
"The use of stereotypes, the shifting of personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt remind me of the most shameful aspects of anti-Semitism," Cantalamessa quoted from the letter.
During the afternoon ceremony, in what Italian news reports described as an unusual gesture, the 82-year-old Benedict removed his shoes and in white stockings walked over to a crucifix, bowing to kiss Jesus' feet.
The pontiff's gesture was an "act of penance," that recalled ancient church tradition, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Guido Marini, explained.
Later Friday, Benedict planned to preside over Rome's traditional Good Friday evening Way of the Cross procession to be held at the Colosseum.
The pontiff is scheduled to lead an Easter vigil at the Vatican on Saturday.
On Easter Sunday, he is due to celebrate Mass in St Peter's before delivering his Urbi et Orbi message and blessing "to the city and the world."
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is regarded by Christians as their most important religious feast.