1.   Fulfilling a dream long denied, John Paul II arrived in Romania Friday for the first visit of a pope to a predominantly Orthodox country.

2.   Iran is among the most orthodox Muslim countries, while Turkey is among the most tolerant.

3.   Not only church leaders, but also politicians from predominantly Orthodox countries have appealed for an Easter cease-fire, on the ground and from the air.

4.   Pope John Paul II, who is the first pope to visit a predominantly Orthodox Christian country, is in Romania to mend relations with the Eastern church.

5.   A visit to the mainly Eastern Orthodox country has been in the planning stage for some time.

6.   Across Eastern Europe, and especially in Russia, embittered Orthodox leaders have made no secret of their resentment of Roman Catholic expansion into traditionally Orthodox countries like Bulgaria.

7.   Although cremation is allowed in other predominantly Orthodox Christian countries such as Russia, it is widely frowned on.

8.   Bishop Hristo Proikov of Bulgaria told BTA the pontiff would officially announce the beatifications during his visit next month to this predominantly Orthodox country.

9.   Both Greece and Serbia are predominantly Orthodox Christian countries and the two nations have longstanding ties.

10.   Bulgaria, a mainly Slavic Orthodox country, suffered harsh Turkish domination for many centuries.