Athens - The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos, announced yesterday he would not oppose a controversial visit to Greece by Pope John Paul II and would even accept an invitation to meet him. Speaking on church radio, he said if the pope "wants to come, our door is open".
"If he comes, after requesting a visit, I am not going to close the door, after all, even if it was the Mufti of Tehran who was coming I would accept it," he said, adding that he would meet the pope "as the rules of courtesy oblige".
The pontiff said he wanted to make a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the apostle Paul in May.