On the second day of a four day trip to his native Germany, Pope Benedict XVI has visited the town of Erfurt, the state capital of Thuringia in the former East Germany.
Deutsche Welle Radio reports Erfurt is the heartland of the Protestant movement.
A monastery where Martin Luther, the leader of the Reformation, once served as a monk, was the venue for talks with leaders of the Protestant Church.
The pope said that in future the two churches should stress what they have in common, not their differences.
On Friday evening the pope held vespers on the site of a chapel in Etzelsbach. The Erfurt diocese said some 90,000 pilgrims attended.
Etzelsbach is a Catholic stronghold in the former East Germany.
Earlier, in a visit to Parliament, Benedict urged politicians to seek justice, not just power, and to hold on to the Christian tradition.
He received a standing ovation from MPs - though some boycotted the event.
