Pope prays for Annapolis summit

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged the faithful to pray that the participants at this week8217;s Mideast summit find the 8220;wisdom and courage8221; necessary to bring peace to the Holy Land.

During his traditional Sunday blessing, Benedict noted that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops had called for a day of prayer before the US-sponsored summit to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that opens on Tuesday in Annapolis, Maryland.

He asked the faithful to join in the prayer for 8220;peace in a region so dear to us and for the gifts of wisdom and courage8221;. He said the meeting hoped 8220;to find a just and definitive solution to the conflict which for 60 years has bloodied the Holy Land8221;.