Pope Benedict XVI has called on people to renounce hatred in the face of the "deep sorrow" felt over the terror attacks in Norway.

The pope urged people to pray for the dead, the wounded and their loved ones as he spoke to pilgrims and tourists from the balcony of his summer palace in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.

Pope Benedict says he is issuing a heartfelt appeal for people to "abandon hatred once and for all" and renounce what he calls "the logic of evil".

The Pope yesterday sent a condolence message to Norway's king, denouncing the "senseless violence".

His envoy in Norway called the terror attacks "madness" and said the victims would be remembered at Sunday Mass.

"Unfortunately, yet again comes news of death and violence," Pope Benedict said at the start of his greetings to the faithful. "We all feel deep sorrow for the grave terrorist acts."

"I want to again repeat my grief-stricken appeal to all to abandon forever the way of hatred and to run away from the logic of evil," Pope Benedict said in his remarks, speaking in Italian.