ASSISI, Italy (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI made a pilgrimage to the birthplace of peace-loving St. Francis Sunday, lamenting the violence in the Middle East and decrying “the illusion” that force could resolve conflicts.

The pope journeyed to this Umbrian hill town to mark the 800th anniversary of the conversion of Francis of Assisi, who, as Pope Benedict put it, turned away from a materialistic life as the “king of partying” to one of simplicity and spirituality.

Pope Benedict said he considered it his duty in Francis’ birthplace – “this city of peace” – to make “a pressing and heartfelt appeal so that all the armed conflicts that bloody the earth may cease, so that weapons may go silent and so that, everywhere, hate gives way to love, offense to forgiveness and discord to union.”

“We feel spiritually close to all those who weep, who suffer and who die because of war and its tragic consequences in whatever part of the world,” the pope said at the end of Mass in a courtyard below the Basilica of St. Francis, which houses the saint’s tomb.

“Our thoughts go in a special way to the Holy Land, beloved by St. Francis, to Iraq, to Lebanon, to the entire Middle East,” the pontiff said. “The populations of those places have known, for too long, the horrors of fighting, of terrorism, of blind violence, the illusion that force can resolve conflicts.”

“Only responsible and sincere dialogue, backed by the generous support of the international community, can put an end to so much sorrow and restore life and dignity,” Pope Benedict sad.

Pope Benedict’s remarks Sunday alluded to no specific events in the Middle East, but they came on the same day Palestinian President Abbas swore in an emergency Cabinet and outlawed the militia forces of the Islamic Hamas movement. Hamas seized control of Gaza last week after bloody battles with Mr. Abbas’ Fatah movement.

Millions of people come to Assisi every year to admire the basilica and soak up the mystical atmosphere of the town, where monks walk in sandals even in bitter winter and the voices of cloistered nuns often float through the alleys.

The 80-year-old pope moved through the streets in a closed-top popemobile whose windows were rolled down halfway. Earlier this month, the Vatican had a security scare when a man tried to jump into the popemobile as Mr. Benedict rode around St. Peter’s Square during his weekly audience. The man was wrestled to the ground by security forces. That was a different vehicle, though, completely open on top and on the sides.