Ulster Protestant Interrupts Pope, Yelling 'Antichrist!'
NEW YORK TIMES
Published: October 12, 1988
LEAD: Pope John Paul II was interrupted at the beginning of a speech to the European Parliament today by the Rev. Ian Paisley, the Northern Ireland Protestant politician, who noisily denounced him as ''the Antichrist.''
Pope John Paul II was interrupted at the beginning of a speech to the European Parliament today by the Rev. Ian Paisley, the Northern Ireland Protestant politician, who noisily denounced him as ''the Antichrist'.'
The incident occurred on the final day of the Pope's four-day visit to the Alsace-Lorraine region. John Paul used his address to the European Parliament, the legislative body of the 12-member European Community, to voice strong support for steps toward European economic and administrative union, and to call for greater attention to common Christian values.
Moments after the Pope began to speak, Mr. Paisley, a member of the European Parliament from the Democratic Unionist Party, stood up holding a red poster saying, ''Pope John Paul II - Antichrist,'' and began shouting, ''I renounce you as the Antichrist!''