Many Greeks Praying Against John Paul II Visit

By Anthee Carassava/Athens

The "two-horned grotesque monster," the "devil in disguise." Not the talk you expect to hear about the Pope from your parish priest. Not unless you're in Greece, where Christian Orthodox clergy are hellbent on canceling POPE JOHN PAUL II's first papal visit next week. Protests by zealots--who blame Roman Catholic Crusaders for sacking Constantinople, seat of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, in 1204--will probably not deter John Paul when he starts a biblical pilgrimage that will continue to Syria and Malta, following in the footsteps of St. Paul. The Pope was invited by Greek President COSTIS STEPHANOPOULOS, and some believe the invitation was a jab at Archbishop Christodoulos, who recently roused demonstrators to protest state plans to scrap religious affiliation from state ID cards. Faced with possible international humiliation, Christodoulos grudgingly agreed not to block the Pope's visit "as head of state" but ruled out a joint liturgy with John Paul.

--By Anthee Carassava/Athens