Pope Benedict XVI has led Roman Catholics into Holy Week celebrations, telling a Palm Sunday crowd at the Vatican that man will pay the price for his pride if he believes technology can give him the powers of God.
Tens of thousands of people waved palm and olive branches to commemorate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem the week before he was crucified.
The 84-year-old pontiff wove his sermon around the theme of man's relationship with God and how it can sometimes be threatened by technology.
''From the beginning men and women have been filled - and this is as true today as ever - with a desire to 'be like God', to attain the heights of God by their own powers,'' he said.
"While great advances of technology have improved life for man, the pope said they have also increased possibilities for evil.
"Recent natural disasters were a reminder, if any were needed, that mankind is not all-powerful.
"If man wanted a relationship with God he had to first ''abandon the pride of wanting to become God,'' Pope Benedict said.