VATICAN CITY (Reuters) — Pope Benedict, starting four days of hectic activity leading up to Easter, said on Thursday priests should recognise the faults in their own lives and seek purity from God.The Pope made his comments at a "Mass of the Chrism" in St Peter's Basilica during which oils that will be used in Church sacraments were blessed.

Holy Thursday is the day the Church commemorates Christ's founding of the priesthood with his apostles and institution of the mass.

"When we approach the liturgy to act in the person of Christ, we realise how far we are from Him and how much filth exists in our own lives," the Pope said in his homily.

He said only Christ could donate to them the gift of total purity.

On Thursday night the Pope travelled to Rome's Basilica of St. John's in Lateran for a ceremony in which he will wash and kiss the feet of 12 men to commemorate Christ's gesture of humility to his apostles on the night before he died.

On Good Friday, he held two services commemorating Christ's death, including a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession around the ancient ruins of Rome's Colosseum.

He says an Easter Eve mass tonight and tomorrow will deliver an "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing and message.