Pope canonizes first Central American saint

GUATEMALA CITY -- Stopping often to catch his breath, an exhausted Pope John Paul II canonized Central America's first saint Tuesday and encouraged hundreds of thousands of cheering Guatemalans to struggle for human rights in a nation bloodied by 36 years of war.

In a voice that became slurred as the pope grew weary, John Paul said the new saint, Pedro de San Jose Betancur, "represents an urgent appeal to practice mercy in modern society."

The pope said Indians, targeted by state forces during a 1960-1996 war that killed 200,000 people, deserve "justice, integral development and peace." The fear of death squads, midnight arrests and massacres continues to haunt the nation, where Indians account for roughly 60 percent of the population.

"The pope does not forget you and, admiring the values of your cultures, encourages you to overcome with hope the sometimes difficult situations you experience," he said to the many Mayan Indians at the ceremony.

The pope was arrived later Tuesday in Mexico City, where he will canonize Juan Diego, the Roman Catholic church's first Indian saint.

'Each day is precious'

The 82-year-old pope, who suffers from hip and knee problems and symptoms of Parkinson's disease, surprised many at the start of his 97th foreign trip last week in Toronto when he walked down the stairs from his plane. He had been using a hydraulic lift since May, and he used it again during his arrival in Guatemala -- his third trip here during his nearly 24-year papacy.

"Latin America has suffered so much, but the pope shows us that each day is precious," said Juanita Bolanos, who traveled with her church group from Colombia, a country plagued by its own 38-year civil war. "Each word and breath is important."

The pope praised the life of Betancur, known here as Brother Pedro, the 463rd saint he has canonized. He called on the faithful to follow the example of Betancur, a 17th-century missionary who dedicated his life to helping prisoners, abandoned children and the sick in Guatemala.

During Tuesday's Mass, the pope gave communion to 22-year-old Adalberto Gonzalez. The Vatican says Gonzalez was cured of lymphoma 17 years ago after he prayed to Betancur and carried a medallion that supposedly contained a piece of the saint's clothing.

Abuses continue

Months after his visit to Guatemala in 1996, both sides signed an accord ending the war, with many crediting the pontiff for pushing the country toward peace.

Yet violence and human rights abuses still plague Guatemala, and even the church has struggled with the country's newfound peace. Former Guatemalan Bishop Juan Jose Gerardi was killed in 1998, two days after accusing the military of human rights abuses during the war.

At the start of Tuesday's Mass, Archbishop Rodolfo Quezada called Gerardi a martyr.