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Pope Benedict XVI said on Wednesday that he has "deep respect" for Islam.
He said he hoped his recent remarks that created a furore in the Muslim community lead to dialogue among religions.
"I hope my deep respect for great religions, in particular for Muslims, has emerged clearly," the pope said during his weekly audience at the Vatican.
Speaking last week at the University of Regensburg in Germany, Benedict XVI cited a medieval text that portrayed some of Prophet Mohammed's teachings as "evil and inhuman", particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith."
The pope said his comments in Germany could be constituted as an impulse and encouragement toward positive and self-critical dialogue among religions and between modern reason and Christian faith.
Security in Vatican square had been stepped up. The pope on Sunday had said that he was "deeply sorry" about the reaction to his remarks, and the quoted text did not reflect his own opinions.