Pope Benedict XVI meets with former German chancellor Helmut Kohl and his wife Maike Kohl-Richter at the seminary in Freiburg September 24, 2011. Pope Benedict has praised Catholics in eastern Germany who held on to their Christian beliefs despite the "acid rain" that corroded their faith under the Nazis and communism. The Bavarian-born pontiff is on a four-day visit to Germany, his third visit to his homeland since he took over as head of the Catholic church. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION)