Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Pope Calls Killing in Middle East 'Great Tragedy'

Aired March 31, 2002 - 10:52   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And another person who is closely following the crisis in the Middle East is Pope John Paul II. The Pontiff spoke about the situation during Easter mass.

CNN's Alessio Vinci has more from Vatican City.

POPE JOHN PAUL II: La tragedia (INAUDIBLE) Israel (ph) ...

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN, VATICAN CITY: Pope John Paul II says, the current crisis in the Middle East is a truly great tragedy, and calls for an end to what he said was a dramatic spiral of abuse of power and killings that bloody the Holy Land.

The Pope urged leaders around the world to do more to bring the fighting to an end.

No one, he said, can remain silent and inactive -- no political or religious leader.

POPE JOHN PAUL II: ... (IN LATIN) ...

VINCI: It seems that war has been declared on peace, he said. But nothing is resolved by war. It only brings greater suffering and death.

The Pope spoke after celebrating Easter mass in St. Peter's Square, packed with tens of thousands of pilgrims.

He looked in good form despite a grueling Holy Week, which saw him attending, but not celebrating, all of the ritual events.

An arthritic knee forced him to spend most of the time seated, walking only briefly.

But despite his ailments, the Pope managed to celebrate mass Saturday evening inside St. Peter's Basilica, and again on Sunday, outside in St. Peter's Square.

A warm Roman sun appeared to bring him comfort.

In both locations, a special alter was prepared, allowing him not to walk up steps to reach it.

Doctors say the Pope may undergo simple surgery to his knee to alleviate his pain, although no final decision has been made yet.

Vatican officials say the pope is following events in the Middle East closely, events, they say, which have hurt the Pope well beyond his physical pain.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Vatican City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com