Quizzed about Pope John Paul II's visit to the Holy Land, Israel's Internal Security Minister Shlomo Ben Ami predicted it would be "almost of eschatological magnitude." Eschatology is a term used to describe ultimate things such as judgment, heaven and hell. Since Ben Ami is not Christian, his use of it regarding a Catholic pontiff was probably figurative. In political and police terms, the word fits admirably: the Pope's trip is a remarkable culmination, and its stakes will--for better or worse--be high.
At its simplest, John Paul's journey to Jordan, Israel and the West Bank, commencing next Monday, is an aging...
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