Pope prays during Last Supper staging

SYDNEY, July 18 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI attended a staging of the Stations of the Cross, which trace the last hours of Jesus, Friday during World Youth Day celebrations in Sydney.

The pontiff appeared at St. Mary's Cathedral as part of the re-enactment of the "Last Supper," the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. He began with a prayer.

"Lord many people lack the food and drink to bring true joy. They do not know or have forgotten how you wish to meet them at the Eucharist and share with them your humanity and divinity," Benedict said.

About 80 performers participated in the pageant at various Sydney landmarks as part of the World Youth Day celebrations.

A group of people tried to draw attention to the issue of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests was told it had to move from one location in Sydney's Hyde Park to another to accommodate security measures for the pilgrims.

On Saturday, the pope is to join a vigil of tens of thousands of Catholic youths who will sleep out at Randwick racecourse, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Up to 500,000 people are expected to attend the Sunday mass celebrated by Pope Benedict, the Herald reported.