Pope Benedict XVI departed Friday on a sensitive three-day trip to Cyprus, a visit likely to be overshadowed by shock over the killing in Turkey of a bishop who had been scheduled to meet with the pontiff.
Cyprus, an island divided between ethnic Turks and Greeks, is viewed by the Vatican as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. The pope's visit is expected to be a key test of whether the pope has found his diplomatic feet after his linking of Islam to violence during a speech in Germany led to outrage in the Muslim world _ and nearly forced the cancellation of a trip to Turkey in 2006.
Benedict left from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport at around 9:40 …
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