Pope marks Holy Thursday

Pope Benedict XVI continued Holy Week celebrations on Thursday with a special mass dedicated to the world's priests.

During the mass at St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict made no mention of the sex abuse scandals that have shaken the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, he called on priests tooppose violence.

"As priests, we are called in fellowship with Jesus Christ, to be men of peace,"the Popesaid. "We are called to oppose violence and trust in the greater power of love."

Later Thursday, Benedict will wash the feet of 12 priests, commemoratingChrist's washing of the feet of the 12 apostles beforethe Last Supper.

Benedict will preside over a Good Friday Way of the Cross torch-lit ceremonyat Rome's Coliseum. He will also perform a late-night Easter Vigil on Saturday, and mark EasterSunday.

The Holy Week ceremonies come at a time when the church is under increasing pressure over clergy sex-abuse scandals.

Waves of allegations have recently swept over Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and the Pope's native Germany.