Reporting from Nicosia where I am on a short stay (not with Tony Woodley..) dealing with the historic visit by the Pope who is here for 3 days which ends later on today.
The visit is of great interest and significance here for many reasons the main one being the need to highlight the neglect and criminal damage inflicted on heritage and historical treasures in the occupied part of the island. There are journalists form at least 30 countries reporting and the visit has gone very well. There has, of course, been criticism about the Catholic church and its stand on many things that many of us don't agree with but the the reaction, on the whole, has been a positive one and has been seen as an opportunity to share a message of peace between different people who have more reasons to be united than divided. The predicted demonstrations have not materialised or have been on a rather small scale so far.
The Pope showed great interest in churches he visited which are older than those in the Vatican and was particularly impressed with the Cathedral of St John on the green line in divided Nicosia which is more than 1400 years old.
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