Asia: Mission To the East

The Pope on human rights—and wrongs

After eight international tours that have covered IS nations, tumultuous motorcades and clamoring multitudes have become familiar when Pope John Paul II is on the road. But the papal procession across the Philippines last week—his ninth foreign journey and his first to Asia—also displayed ample elements of stagecraft along with spontaneous outpourings of devotion.

On the one hand, there were memorable eruptions of unprogrammed exuberance. At Manila's Baclaran Church, John Paul's mere appearance sent 2,000 nuns into a wave of near ecstasy. During a pep rally at...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!