For some it was controversial. For others it was blessed. What is undeniable is that Pope John Paul II's trip to Athens was historic.

The first pope to visit Greece in 13 centuries, John Paul II capped a landmark trip with an equally historic apology for the Catholic Church's "sins of action and omission" against Orthodox Christians.

Deep wounds acknowledged

Reaching across a nearly 1,000-year chasm between Christianity's Eastern and Western churches, the pope expressed remorse for such "painful memories" as the sacking of Constantinople by Latin Christians that "have left deep wounds in the minds and hearts of people to this day."

The 1204 destruction of the Byzantine capital during the fourth crusade is credited with contributing to the Byzantine Empire's fall about three centuries later.

The long-sought apology caught the Greek Orthodox Church by surprise but was greeted with applause from Archbishop Christodoulos who earlier asked for a "formal condemnation of injustices committed against [Orthodox people] by the Christian West."

The archbishop's spokesman Harris Konidaris called the papal statement a "bold move" that could help "heal the years of misunderstanding."

In the footsteps of St Paul

During his 24-hour visit, the Pontiff was welcomed by President Costis Stephanopoulos, and fulfilled a dream of visiting the ancient ruins of Areopagos Hill where the Apostle Paul preached to the Athenians in 51 AD.

Christodoulos helped the frail pope who suffers from Parkinson's Disease up the steps to the ancient hill where they signed a joint declaration that condemned "violence, proselytism and fanaticism in the name of religion" and expressed hope that the Olympic Truce will be revived during the Athens 2004 Games.

The two religious leaders exchanged gifts and the pope held a Mass for 16,000 people who sang "Christos Anesti" in Greek, the language the pontiff also used to say "May God bless Greece."

Years of negotiation

Ultimately the visit that was marked by warmth seemed improbable just days earlier. "We are experiencing today events that two months ago were unthinkable," said John Paul's spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. The 81-year-old pontiff's pilgrimage in Apostle Paul's steps through Athens took two years of negotiations that until the last minute were met with hostile overtones.

No clerics greeted the pope at the airport and the traditional papal gesture of kissing a country's soil on a first visit was in doubt for fear it would incite zealots.

In the weeks before the visit, Orthodox clergy and other faithful openly objected to a visit by the pope, whom they consider to be a heretic and enemy determined to undermine Orthodoxy.

Monks and priests joined Orthodox fringe groups in street protests calling the pope a "two-horned heretic." An all-night prayer vigil was held at a monastery on Mount Olympus.

And after demonstration organisers promised to drape Greek churches in black and ring bells in mourning with the pope's arrival, more than 5,000 police took to Athens' streets, sealing off the city centre to prevent protests.

Yet planned rallies failed to materialise. Church bells rang and Greek flags were lowered to half-mast. But only a few dozen protesters released black balloons while some 300 demonstrators gathered at an Athens church clutching icons, crucifixes and waving Byzantine flags.

Flags at half-mast

"Out with the pope" they shouted before dispersing peacefully.

"We are the only ones left. Others have compromised," said a disappointed Father Efthimios.

The pope's trip had been billed as an attempt to ease centuries of hostility between the churches that split in 1054 after disputes that included papal authority. And after the pope left Greece for Syria and Malta, it seemed things were headed in that direction.

The apology was broadcast live on television and was repeated dozens of times on news programmes. Newspapers gave it front-page coverage.

"It is no exaggeration to say that ... especially due to the stance of the pope, the climate between the two churches has markedly improved," said the newspaper Ethnos.

"The ice breaks," headlined daily Kathimerini.

The pope's words were also welcomed by Greek priests and politicians.

Work remains to be done, says Christodoulos

"I am very happy. The pope was very kind to us," Christodoulos said, but added, "there remains much work to be done."

"It is of enormous historic importance that the pontiff asked for forgiveness in the way he did in Athens," said Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos. "It was an apology not only to the church but to the Greek people."

While Catholics hailed the pope's trip to Greece as "blessed," they weren't completely pleased.

"The archbishop's speech was totally unacceptable to say the least," said Father Theodoros Pandidis, a Catholic priest. "Unfortunately, the apology was not mutual."

Christodoulos headed to Moscow after the pope's departure for meetings with Russian Orthodox leaders, who have strongly resisted contacts with the Vatican and are angered with John Paul's plans to visit neighbouring Ukraine in June. The Russian church wants the visit postponed until disputes over alleged Roman Catholic efforts to convert people in Orthodox countries are addressed.