DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with Pope John Paul II's attempt to bring the religious divide in the Middle East. On day two of his historic journey to the Holy Land, the Roman Catholic leader called for closer ties among the region's diverse faiths. After performing mass before 40,000 in Amman, Jordan, the pontiff headed to Wadi al Kharrar, where many believe Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. The pope then heads to Tel Aviv and then Jerusalem. CNN's Jerrold Kessel is traveling with the pope. And he joins us live now from Wadi al Kharrar -- Jerrold.</s>JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, this is the pope embarking on the last step of his -- this phase of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, here in Jordan, in a very wind-swept Jordan River Valley, very close to the Jordan River, where it's always been believed that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. And you can't say anything but that the 79-year-old pontiff is nothing, but if not game, coming out in this very windy conditions out here. And although he traveled down by helicopter, and then into his Popemobile, the conditions are really not perfect. But he has said he is very excited about going to the places where Jesus had lived and traveled. And this might be one of them. And the reason I say "might" is what the -- is that this is now a new conception that Jesus may be baptized by John the Baptist here on the east side of the Jordan River. What we are seeing now is a ceremony and readings from the Book of Deuteronomy and later from the Book of Luke, the gospel according Luke, about John the Baptist, who was practicing on this site of the River Jordan -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Jerrold Kessel, reporting on the pope's Middle East trip, thank you very much. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web
Pope Calls for Closer Ties Among Holy Land's Diverse Faiths