BOB ABERNETHY: With Middle East politics complicating his every step, Pope John Paul II this week fulfilled his dream of a personal millennial pilgrimage to the most sacred sites of biblical history. John Paul's first trip as pope to the Holy Land was rich in personal religious reflection, but inevitably, the headlines were about the implications for peace and reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and Jews and Muslims.

We have two reports from Jerusalem: Kim Lawton on the religious significance of the trip, and Paul Miller on the symbolism and politics, beginning with John Paul's historic visit to Israel's memorial for the victims of the Shoah, the Holocaust.

PAUL MILLER: It was an emotional and historic moment: Pope John Paul II praying at Yad Vashem's eternal flame, paying homage to six million Jews murdered by the Nazis. The pope also expressed regret for centuries of anti-Semitism by Christians.

Pope JOHN PAUL II: The Catholic Church is deeply saddened by the hatred and the acts of persecution and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews by Christians at many times and in many places.

MILLER: Some Jews had hoped the pope would apologize for what they see as the immoral silence of Pope Pius XII during the Holocaust. American Rabbi James Rudin said the speech broke no new ground, but was important nonetheless.

Rabbi JAMES RUDIN: I think we will look back on this as a very important speech spoken at a very significant place and time, and it gives impetus to much more work that needs to be done.

MILLER: The work of improving relations between Jews and Catholics was one of the pope's stated goals for this trip. He sought to expand interfaith dialogue with Muslims as well.

Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)