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JOHN PAUL II NAMED "MAN OF THE YEAR" IN ROMANIA
Pastoral Visit Considered Greatest Event of 1999

BUCHAREST, FEB 1 (ZENIT).- Today Romanian National Radio awarded John
Paul II the title "Man of the Year 1999." The Holy Father was
represented by Archbishop Jean-Claude Perisset, the Apostolic Nuncio,
during the ceremony awarding the symbolic medallion.

The award acknowledges the Pontiff's contribution to the cause of peace
and dialogue among Christians during his visit to Romania last May. This
was the first time a reigning Pope had visited a country with an
Orthodox majority.

Among the candidates for the award were world leaders like Bill Clinton.
However, as Teodor Baconsky, Rumanian ambassador to the Vatican,
explained, the public chose John Paul II because "the Pope is the figure
who impressed Romanians most last year... All agree that the pontifical
visit was the main event in Rumania's public, political, and, obviously,
spiritual life. It is a symbolic gesture that reflects how much this
great Pontiff is appreciated. Indeed, the award was given by listeners,
and Radio Bucharest has a great following in the public."

The Romanian ambassador to the Vatican also said that the award
manifests the effort the Pope is making so that Romania will not become
a society where "unbridled capitalism" reigns but that it evolves into
"a more human and, of course, European society."
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