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American Morning

Pope Visits Greece

Aired May 04, 2001 - 11:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with a history-making trip by Pope John Paul II. Today, the Pope is reaching across a 1,000-year- old divide that separates two branches of Christianity.

After arriving in Athens, Greece today, the leader of the world's Roman Catholics offered a sweeping statement of regret for any sins committed by Catholics against orthodox Christians. The two groups have been split since the year 1054. CNN's Jim Bittermann joins us on the phone from Athens. He has more on what has been and what will continue to be a very controversial visit -- Jim, hello.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. As you mentioned, in a move that could (UNINTELLIGIBLE) centuries of division, Pope John Paul begged for all sins of omission and commission committed by Roman Catholics against their orthodox brethren. The Pope's mea culpa was immediately applauded by Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos, who only moments before had said that until now there has not been a single request for pardon by Roman Catholics. But the Pope went further, expressing regret for events 800 years ago when Catholic Crusaders laid waste to the orthodox capital Constantinople. So the Pope, the Catholic Church, is irrevocably committed to the tacit unity with all churches.

After the speeches, the archbishop said he was happy with the way things went. He said the Pope was very kind, and now there is much work to be done. All of it seemed to go a long way toward healing divisions between the two Christian churches and toward the Pope's ultimate goal of traveling to Moscow to meet with the orthodox patriarch there, Daryn.

KAGAN: Jim, this Pope has taken on so many huge goals during his papacy, how -- why this one? Why is it so important to take on a thousand-year-old writ?

BITTERMANN: Well, basically, I think the Pope always believed that not only is it kind of silly for Christians who believe basically in the same kinds of things to be divided, but also the Bible sort of has several lessons in it that suggest that Christians should not be divided, as the papa spokesman said to us on the plane coming over here today. It's like neighbors in the same apartment building who use the same water and the same electricity but who don't speak to each other in the hallway.

So I think that's essentially the kind of attitude the Pope has toward this. There are certainly a lot of differences, both in liturgy and doctrinal differences, that separate the sides. But it is this historical difference that the Pope trying to address today by begging pardon, begging forgiveness, Daryn.

KAGAN: Of course, there for a long time has been much concern about the Pope. How does he appear to be on this visit, Jim?

BITTERMANN: Well, I would say he still appears very frail. I think, however, he did appear very animated today when first met the Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos in a private meeting.

We saw just a glimpse of it, of the private meeting, before they closed the doors. And they were quite animated. The Pope was quite animated. Then later on in the speeches, he appeared somewhat more tired, as he sometimes does. But I think that basically the Pope has clear goals, and it really does carry him forward despite his health problems.

KAGAN: And from here, the six-day trip also takes him to Syria and Malta, as I understand it.

BITTERMANN: That's correct. Yes, in Syria, he will become the first Pope to ever set foot in a mosque. He will be visiting the tomb of John the Baptist and also be visiting the Golan Heights. And we expect to see perhaps some political statements there in the sense that the Pope will no doubt be recognizing the fact he's right on the Golan Heights, the disputed territory between Syria and Israel for many years now.

KAGAN: Jim Bittermann in Athens, thank you for the latest on that.

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