Vatican returns relics of saints to Istanbul

VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, seeking to heal rifts with other Christians, on Saturday handed over the relics of two Orthodox saints that were brought to Rome from ancient Constantinople centuries ago.The pope sat beside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, in St. Peter’s Basilica as the bones of the saints, resting on yellow velvet in crystal and alabaster reliquaries, were brought the altar.The two religious leaders later blessed the relics, before the reliquaries were carried away by Vatican ushers in dark suits. The Vatican is retaining some small part of the relics.