German-born Pope Benedict XVI (C) is flanked by German President Christian Wulff (R) and his wife Bettina Wulff (L) as he leaves Bellevue Palace in Berlin after a welcoming ceremony on September 22, 2011, on the first day of the Pontiff's first state visit to his native Germany. The 84-year old pope, German born Joseph Ratzinger, has a packed program, with 18 sermons and speeches planned for his four-day tri p to Berlin, Erfurt in the ex-German Democratic Republic and Freiburg. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL