NEW YORK - Pope Benedict XVI left the United States Sunday after a historic visit that included massive outdoor masses and stops at the White House and the site of the attacks of September 11, 2001.
The pope left aboard an Alitalia plane at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York after a departure ceremony attended by US Vice President Dick Cheney.
Last week, Benedict celebrated his 81st birthday at the White House with President George W. Bush.
On Sunday, he visited Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead, before celebrating a mass at a packed Yankee Stadium.
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04/21/2008 01:02 GMT