German President attends mass in southern Turkey

German President Christian Wulff yesterday attended a liturgy at a church-turned-museum in southern Turkey, urging the mainly Muslim nation to guarantee religious freedoms for its Christian minority. Two German priests led the service in the 19th-century church of St. Paul, who was born in the city. "I think it would be wonderful if everybody could celebrate Mass without first asking for permission," Wulff told reporters after the service. He expressed hope that Turkey would soon move to meet the demands of its Christian communities for improvements in their legal status and the education of clergy. "We're going in the right direction, but we're not there yet," he added, stressing that Turkey's Christians should have the same rights as Muslims in Germany.