Amman - Pope Benedict XVI celebrated mass Sunday in a sports stadium in the Jordanian capital Amman with some 50,000 believers, on the third day of his Middle East tour.

In his sermon, Benedict said the Christian church in the Holy Land could make an important contribution to "the advancement of a culture of true humanity and the building of a civilization of love."

Benedict acknowledged the difficulties that the dwindling Christian minority in Jordan and the wider region faces. He called on the Christian community to enter into dialogue and to build new bridges with other faith communities.

The Pope called on Christians to "work side by side with other Christians in the service of the Gospel and in solidarity with the poor, the displaced, and the victims of great humanitarian tragedies."

Christians from Jordan and surrounding countries joined in the mass with Benedict. Under two per cent of the Jordanian population is Christian, although some 40,000 Iraqi Christians, fleeing persecution at home, live in the country. (dpa)