Vatican Millennium , Vatican Millennium

It was in the spring of 1999 that I was approached by journalist Kukai Nanri regarding coverage in the Vatican. With the Great Jubilee—the celebration marking the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ—fast approaching, the Vatican was preparing for a succession of historic religious events. Thanks to the efforts of those involved in the Catholic community in Japan, we were granted permission to report, and in October 1999 we began our coverage of what could be described as a prelude to the millennium: the World Assembly for Peace among Religions. We were advised by those familiar with Vatican protocol not to forget that wearing a dark suit was customary when attending papal ceremonies.

At the Vatican, every Wednesday the Pope appears before the general public for an audience. Precisely at 10 a.m., when the Pope emerges standing in an open white jeep, thunderous applause and cheers erupt from the massive crowd filling St. Peter’s Square, and the entire plaza is swept up in a wave of excitement. For pilgrims who have traveled from all over the world for a glimpse of the Holy Father, it is a moment of pure bliss. Many can be seen with tears in their eyes. Prayers are offered, followed by greetings from the Pope in several languages corresponding to the nationalities of the day’s pilgrims. Finally, selected individuals kneel before him to receive his blessing.

Although I had obtained special permission to photograph from the press section set up in front of the general audience, the distance still made it difficult to capture the shots I wanted. Security was extraordinarily tight, as the Pope had been shot and gravely wounded by a terrorist in this very square in 1981.

One day, however, I received word that the Pope himself would celebrate Sunday Mass at a church on the outskirts of Rome, and that I would be allowed to photograph the event. With modest expectations, I went—only to find a small church attached to a housing complex. What surprised me was the radiance on the Pope’s face as he blessed each child who came to greet him. The expression I saw through my viewfinder was filled with a tenderness I had never witnessed at official Vatican events. I had heard that he loved children, but it seemed to be a moment of deep joy for this otherwise solitary figure.

In 1978, as the world was caught in the turmoil of the Cold War, the Vatican chose as the 264th Pope a Polish cardinal, Karol Wojtyła, who was grappling with the suffering of his homeland. The first Polish Pope—and at the relatively young age of 58—Pope John Paul II confronted his nation’s plight with tireless energy. By mobilizing the power of the Church to support the people, he ultimately played a pivotal role in paving the way for the end of communism.

The present Pope, marking the arrival of the millennium, expressed apologies in the form of “I ask forgiveness” for various historical wrongs committed by the Catholic Church. These included the Church’s silence during the Holocaust and its complicity with colonial policies during the Age of Discovery—frank acknowledgments of history that stood in parallel with his call for reconciliation among the world’s religions. Yet, contrary to the hopes of this apostle of peace, what spread across the world with the dawn of the new millennium was a cycle of terrorism and bloodshed carried out in the name of religion.

—Reprinted from the Kochi Shimbun serialized article “To a Land Beyond Dimensions”—