Pope John Paul II blessed a massive basilica Monday that has been praised by some as a glorious gift to God and denounced by others as a scandalous show of opulence.
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The pope's consecration of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the biggest Christian church in the world, wrapped up the last leg of his 10-day, four-nation African trip.Tight security was in place around this city of 70,000, the home of President Houphouet-Boigny, to prevent anti-government demonstrations by recently legalized opposition parties.