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    VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II will not travel to Iraq this year, the Vatican has revealed.

    The papal trip to Iraq-- during which the Holy Father hopes to visit Ur of the Chaldeans, the ancient home of the patriarch Abraham-- will not take place until the end of January, 2000, at the earliest, Vatican officials have told reporters. The trip was originally scheduled for December, but tensions between the Holy See and the government of Saddam Hussein brought a halt to the preparations.

    Vatican sources also indicate that the papal trip to Iraq, when it takes place, will probably not be joined with a trip to Egypt for a visit to Mt. Sinai. Such a two-legged voyage had been contemplated for January, but the increasingly fragile health of the Holy Father has led planners to reconsider those plans, in order to avoid taxing the Pope's stamina and exposing him to the harsh Iraqi winter.

    However, Pope John Paul remains committed to making the trip to Iraq. Father Roberto Tucci, the Jesuit priest who has been regularly involved in preparations for papal voyages, will travel to Iraq later this month to resume the planning process.

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