Astana - Hundreds of people braved rain and bitter winds in Kazakhstan's steppe capital yesterday to make frantic final preparations for Pope John Paul's historic visit to this remote central Asian land.
The Pope, who arrives today, plans to address the need for ethnic and religious tolerance around the world. Kazakhstan's 15 million people include 100 nationalities, among them eight million Muslims, six million Russian Orthodox, and 360,000 Catholics.
Workers said the Pope's four-day visit would be a blessing for all citizens. "We are sparing no effort for this sacred event," said one woman preparing a Kazakh "yurt" for the Pope.The yurt, a traditional nomadic tent, is decorated with swathes of white silk, rich carpets and fox skins and contains a "dombra" string instrument.
About 2,500 police will guard the Pope. Kazakhstan borders some of the countries that may be caught up in events if the US retaliates to the attacks on New York and Washington last week.