ASSISI, Italy - Pope John Paul and some 200 leaders of different religions were bound for the central Italian city of Assisi Thursday to pray for an end to war and terrorism.
A seven-carriage train provided by the Italian railway system left the Vatican 's little-used train station at 8:40 a.m. (2:40 a.m. EST), pulled out by a diesel locomotive because the Vatican line has not been electrified.
When it crossed the ``border'' into Rome, it was latched on to an electric locomotive for the two-hour trip to the city of St. Francis, the Catholic saint most associated with peace.
In Assisi, leaders of a dozen religions, from Christians to Muslims, from Jews to animists, will stand side-by-side and pledge that each faith should bring peace to the world.
It is the third such day of peace organized by the Pope during his 23-year pontificate, and he wants to ram home the message that conflict, murder and violence should never be carried out in the name of God.
The Pope hopes the meeting will help promote relations with Muslims in the wake of the suicide plane attacks on the United States and the subsequent war in Afghanistan.
The Pope, who appeared in relatively good health, greeted several religious leaders on the train shortly before the Vatican's part-time stationmaster, Daniele Del Vai, raised his hand to give the papal convoy the green light.
He hugged Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch of Orthodox Christians, and a Jewish leader.
The last time the Pope used the Vatican's train station, which is normally used only several times a month for freight, was in 1979, a year after he was elected.
Security was tight along the route, with a police helicopter following the train as it snaked north from Rome into the hilly Umbria region. Thousands of people were expected to flock to the stations along the route to cheer on the religious convoy.
NOT IN GOD'S NAME
Pope John Paul called the meeting in November, tormented by the September 11 attacks on the United States.
``The solution to conflicts is up to single parties, but a day like today should provide a new energy of peace and hope that should help people resolve their conflicts,'' said Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, a founder of the Sant' Egidio peace group.
``Religions don't create conflicts but people do,'' he said.
Islam will be represented by 31 Muslims from 19 countries, including the Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among the Jews attending will be Rabbi David Rosen of Jerusalem, President of the International Council of Christians and Jews.
After a morning session of peace appeals in a huge tent erected in front of Assisi's imposing basilica, the religious groups will then go off to various rooms within the complex for further meditation before joining forces in the afternoon.
However, not all Catholics are happy with the initiative and some have criticized the Pope for linking up with, among others, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians and believers in traditional African faiths.
``To pray with heretics, schismatics, rabbis, mullahs, witch doctors and various idolaters creates confusion among Catholic believers,'' Federico Bricolo and Massimo Polledri, members of an Italian government coalition party, said in a statement.