Pope John Paul II reads during an evening prayer service at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999. The service concludes the pope's trip to St. Louis. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Pope John Paul II enters the sanctuary of Cathedral Basilica for the Evening Prayer service Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999, in St. Louis. The pontiff was scheduled to meet with Vice President Al Gore before leaving for Rome on Wednesday night.(AP Photo/Joe Marquette)

Pope John Paul II looks out into the crowd during "The Light of the World" youth rally at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1999. The pope, making his fifth trip to the U.S. mainland, arrived in St. Louis Tuesday for a 30-hour stay after a triumphant, five-day visit to Mexico City. (AP Photo/ Eric Draper)

Pope John Paul II attends the ceremony of the celebration of the Immaculate Conception in central Piazza di Spagna in Rome, Tuesday, Dec. 8,1998. Thousands of people gathered for the feast honoring Mary.(AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II prays on the occasion of his parish visit at Santa Maria del Rosario Church on the outskirts of Rome, Sunday, November 8, 1998. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II jokes with pilgrims from the balcony of his summer residence window in Castel Gandolfo as they attend the Angelus, Sunday, July 26, 1998. The Pontiff returned Tuesday from a 13-day vacation in the Italian Alps for the first Angelus from his summer residence and offered comfort to those who feel alone when others go on summer holiday. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Pope John Paul II waves to the believers at the end of his final mass of his three-day Austrian tour, Sunday, June 21 1998 at Vienna's Heldenplatz. Up to 50.000 faithfuls turned up to attend the event. (AP Photo/Martin Gnedt)

Pope John Paul II delivers his traditional ''Urbi et Orbi'' "To the city and the world" Christmas day blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Thursday, December 25 1997. In his message to the tens of thousands gathered, the pontiff offered Christmas solidarity to refugees, the homeless and the jobless, and announced he would visit Assisi next week to bring comfort to earthquake victims. (Ap Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II attend the Festival of Witnesses at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997. The Pontiff condemned abortion as the shame of humanity, as he pressed ahead Saturday with his moral crusade before tens of thousands of Brazilians packing the world s largest stadium. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II waves to faithfuls as he arrives to Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997, to attend the Festival of Witnesses. Throughout his four-day tour of Brazil, the world s largest Roman Catholic nation, the pontiff rallied the faithful to stand firm against secular threats like birth control. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II attends the celebration of first beatification mass ever held in Paris at Notre Dame cathedral Friday Aug.22,1997. The 77-year-old pontiff, in French capital for a four-day rendezvous with hundreds of thousands of youths from around the world, celebrates a beatification ceremony for Frederic Ozanam, a 19th-century French layman who founded the St Vincent de Paul charity. Beatification is one step before sainthood.(AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Pope John Paul II rides his Popemobile as he leaves Notre Dame cathedral in Paris where he celebrated a beatification mass for Frederic Ozanam 22 August 1997. About 300 bishops from all over the world, together with an estimated 2,500 worshippers crowded into the cathedral where the 77-year-old pontiff was to celebrate mass for the first time in his life.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: papiez Jan Pawel II podczas mszy swietej pod Wielka Krokwia, Zakopane, 06.06.1997. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Pictured: Pope John Paul II greets people during the mass at Wielka Krokiew, Zakopane, Poland, 06/06/1997.

Pope John Paul II gives a blessing to believers on a ski jumping range in Zakopane, southern Poland, Friday June 6, 1997. The Pope is on an eleven-day tour through his home country. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. Msza swieta na wzgorzu Lecha w poblizu archikatedry gnieznienskiej, Gniezno, 03.06.1997. N/Z: papiez Jan Pawel II. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. The mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II at Wzgorze Lecha (Lech's Hill) near the cathedral, Gniezno, Poland, 03/06/1997. Pictured: Pope John Paul II.

Pope John Paul II prays during a Mass in the cathedral of Gniezno, Tuesday, June 3, 1997. The Pope is on an eleven-day tour through his home country. (AP Photo / Alik Keplicz)

Pope John Paul II prays during the outdoor Mass at the Basilica of Saint John in Lateran in Rome Thursday May 29, 1997, on occasion of the celebration of Corpus Domini. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

Pope John Paul II blesses worshippers at the start of a mass celebration in Beirut Sunday May 11 1997. Over 300,000 gathered to hear the Holy Father. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Pope John Paul II blesses an applauding crowd outside of the Czech Papal Nunciate Friday April 25, 1997 from his "Popemobile" during the first of a three-day visit to the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/David Brauchli)

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful during his weekly general audience at the Vatican Wenesday April 9 1997. In background, St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope will fly to Sarajevo Saturday April 12 for a two-day visit in the Bosnian capital. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)