VATICAN CITY, April 29: Pope John Paul on Thursday renewed his appeal for the release of three Italians held captive in Iraq, as relatives of the hostages marched in St Peter's Square to press for their freedom.

The pope, who strongly opposed the Iraq invasion, made his appeal in a message read to the demonstrators in the square on his behalf by the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo.

"In the name of the one God, who will judge all of us, John Paul II renews to the kidnappers his pressing appeal to allow the hostages to return to their families," Archbishop Lajolo said. Several thousand demonstrators, many carrying rainbow peace flags, marched from the Tiber River to the Vatican. They included several luminaries such as Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo.

Kidnappers have threatened to kill the three workers unless Italians protest Rome's military presence in Iraq. In a tape aired on Arab television networks on Monday, they set a five-day deadline. "The pope invites everyone to pray to God, who loves every person and does not want the death of anyone, for a happy ending to this painful episode," Archbishop Lajolo said.

He said the pope was praying in his private chapel during the demonstration for the release of the hostages. Salvatore Stefio, Umberto Cupertino and Maurizio Agliana were captured more than two weeks ago outside Baghdad, where they were working for a private US firm. A fourth Italian kidnapped with them was murdered after the captors demanded Italy withdraw its 2,700 troops from Iraq. -Reuters