( dpa ) - Pope Benedict XVI began conducting a Holy Mass at New York City's landmark St. Patrick's Cathedral on Saturday, the third anniversary of his assuming the papacy.
The 81-year-old pontiff had arrived beforehand to the cathedral on New York's 5th Avenue in a black limousine, with thousands of onlookers cheering him on his arrival.
More than 1,000 cardnals, bishops and other clergy members, as well as invited guests, were attending the mass.
It was on April 19, 2005 that the then German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as pope in succeeding John Paul II who had died a few weeks earlier.
Benedict is on a six-day visit to the US running through April 21.