He urged the Iraqi people to raise their heads and reconstruct their life through "reconciliation, forgiveness, justice and coexistence among tribal, ethnic and religious groups."
Benedict says the recent murder of a kidnapped Catholic archbishop near Mosul compelled him to "raise a strong and sorrowful cry" against the 5-year-long Iraq war.
He is set to preside over a memorial service at the Vatican Monday in honor of the archbishop. Typically, the pope only presides over those services when a cardinal dies.
