Young people from more than 50 nations, traveling to Germany for World Youth Day, spent several days in Bavaria learning about the province that helped form Pope Benedict XVI.

Some groups toured in the footsteps of the pope, visiting places like Marktl Am Inn, his home town, and Altotting, where he often prayed, while others tried to get to know him through culinary delights, such as white sausage.

"For me, it is very important to learn about Bavaria and its culture," said Veronica Jimenez, 18, of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Bakersfield, Calif. "I want to understand our pope's roots."

"I think in Bavaria people are very pious," said Juanita Carcelin, a teacher from Guayaquil, Ecuador. "Perhaps it is no accident the new pope comes from here. Wherever I look, there are churches, and people always seem to pray."

Bishop Victor Corral Mantilla of Riobamba, Ecuador, agreed.

"It is wonderful to have a pope from a traditional province like Bavaria who does not give in to the pressure of modernism, which dissociates society with its upside-down values. He is a very good pope for Latin America, I think," the bishop said.

Some 6,000 pilgrims from five continents visited Bavaria for the Aug. 11-15 "Days of Encounter," a national program designed to help pilgrims from other countries get to know Germany and its Catholics. From there, they headed to Cologne for the Aug. 16-21 World Youth Day activities, including an Aug. 18-21 visit from Pope Benedict.

Father Klaus Hofstetter, youth director of the Munich-Freising Archdiocese, said the presence of so many young people "shows that our faith is powerful and unites. Many of the youths come from nations that are at war with each other. When they met here on the streets in prayer, they shook hands and said: Let's see if we can do it better than our parents and pray together instead of making war on each other."

More than 15,000 people gathered Aug. 13 on Munich's Odeon Square for an outdoor Mass. As Bavarian capital, the city holds special significance for pilgrims because Pope Benedict was archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 until 1982.

His successor as archbishop, Cardinal Friedrich Wetter, celebrated Mass with bishops from France, Italy, Ecuador and Serbia-Montenegro and told the young people life was not about computer games and trying to make lots of money.

"Accept Jesus' offer of friendship and let him into your life," he told the cheering crowd. "Terror and violence cannot solve the world's problems. Only justice, freedom and love can."

After Mass, the youths celebrated their faith with Gospel songs. Throughout the day, they danced and prayed in Munich's streets.

On Aug. 14, following an outdoor Mass in Spanish and German, Maria Schutz Parish in Pasing invited pilgrims to a traditional "weisswurst" (white sausage) breakfast. The white sausages, typical of Bavaria, are said to be among Pope Benedict's favorite foods.

"I think it is important to taste these," said Frania Vargas Sanchez, 18, a music student from Guadalajara, Mexico. "Wanting to know a person, it is good to discover what they eat."

To thank their hosts for the experience, the pilgrims taught traditional Latin American dances.

"It is the first time I have hosted World Youth Day pilgrims," said Rosa Mueller, a widow from Pasing. "Two are staying with me. Although I speak no Spanish and they no German, we get along using our hands. Faith unites across language boundaries."

A message of hope came from a group of pilgrims from South Los Angeles.

"Our neighborhood is rough, best known for gang activities," said Juan Manuel Fraire Jr., 29, a youth minister accompanying a group from St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and Ascension churches. "But we are consciously making a decision away from crime and for God. Most of us have family members in a gang, but our faith has guided us toward a more constructive life. I brought my group here to show them that our community is global and that, in faith, we are one people."

Traveling with the Los Angeles group, Christian, 15, who would not give his last name and said he is from Guatemala, said: "I am at school and for me the pressure to join a gang is enormous, and this is very hard for me. My church friends help me resist that pressure."

Javier Yampara Chara, 25, a law student from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, said he saw a big gap between Bolivian and German young people.

"I have a hard time understanding their critical stance," he said. "We are very conservative, while they are progressive. They say they want reforms and are not so happy with a conservative pope, but he suits us Bolivians just fine."