Pope Benedict then attended an evening ecumenical service with Protestant and Orthodox clergy at St Joseph's church in Manhattan.

BBC: Pope urges global unity on crises

In Dublin, the Irish president Mary McAleese attended an ecumenical service of remembrance.

BBC: Northern Ireland honours war dead

Mrs McAleese and the Taoiseach attended a special ecumenical service along with hundreds of people in Dublin city centre to mark the national day of mourning.

BBC: NI mourns terror attack victims