World's press hails pope's 'last miracle'

But many of Saturday's papers also cast a more caustic eye at the pomp and ceremony and gloried in the most awkward encounters.

In the Middle East, a handshake between Israeli President Moshe Katzav and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad grabbed the headlines. "Old foes in historic handshake at Vatican," ran the front-page headline in Beirut's The Daily Star.

The Israeli head of state also spoke briefly to Iranian leader Mohammad Khatami, Israeli public radio said. Khatami however, later "strongly denied" he had either shaken hands or spoken to the Israeli president.

Many front pages displayed French President Jacques Chirac elegantly kissing the hand of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"The world came together in peace around the pope's coffin," blazoned the Austrian tabloid Kroenezeitung.

In Budapest, the left-wing daily Nepszava wrote:

"Yesterday, on St Peter's Square everyone was equal. Enemies temporarily forgave each other, forgot the crimes of the other.