This Friday, Pope John Paul II will be laid to rest in the grotto of St. Peter's, close to his predecessors and to the tomb of St. Peter, who was the first pope. As the Vatican and the city of Rome brace for the millions of pilgrims who will be in attendance, many commentators continue to discuss, debate, and argue the various aspects of his time as the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Some...

This week's In the News discusses the Papal visit to Cuba. The nine resources discussed offer a variety of background information and analysis of this event. Pope John Paul II recently completed an historic five-day trip to Cuba. While the Pope is an ardent anti-communist, Fidel Castro gambled that hosting the Pontiff would increase his own and Cuba's international stature. In addition, as...

Responding to a list of "offenses" presented to him by Greece's Orthodox leader Archbishop Christodoulos, Pope John Paul II today asked God's forgiveness for Roman Catholic sins against the Orthodox faith during the last 1,000 years. The pontiff is on the first leg of a six-day pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Paul, the apostle who converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus. The Pope's...