Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-05-05

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast-Sunday

[02] Athens-Pope-Departure

[01] Weather Forecast-Sunday

Variable weather with scattered showers and storms is forecast throughout the country on Sunday. Winds westerly, south-westerly moderate in central Greece and the north and strong to very strong in the south. Temperatures on the northern mainland will range from 11C to 22C, on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 13C to 25C and in the Aegean from 15C to 26C. Variable weather with local showers or storms in Athens with temperatures between 13C and 25C. Weather cloudy with showers and storms in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 12C to 22C.

[02] Athens-Pope-Departure

Pope John Paul II on Saturday, shortly before departing for Damascus, Syria, blessed the Greeks and expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to fulfill the dream of a lifetime, to pray at the place where the Apostle Paul had preached the word of God to the ancient Athenians.

Concluding his historical 24-hour visit to Greece, the Pope addressed Catholics from all over the country at the Athens Olympic stadium's indoor basketball facility during a service, in the midst of enthusiastic applause, he spoke in Greek and thanked his hosts for the invitation to visit Greece.

The event came to a close with the congregation singing hymns and the National Anthem, while the faithful received the Pope's blessing and received holy communion from clerics positioned in various sections of the stadium.

Security measures inside and outside the stadium were tight with women not being allowed to carry handbags with them inside the stadium, while nobody was permitted to carry bottles of water.

At the end of the service, the Pope left for Eleftherios Venizelos airport, east of Athens, where his visit was concluded with a brief ceremony.

He was accompanied at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, on behalf of the government, and by Catholic bishops and clerics who bid farewell to their spiritual leader.

During his stay in Greece, the Pope met with President Kostis Stephanopoulos, Prime Minister Costas Simitis and main opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis, as well as with Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos.

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