The pope is coming for his first visit to the Holy Land, bringing what US comedian Stephen Colbert might call "Popeiness " to the Middle East.

His visit, which begins next week, is tightly scripted, carefully regulated and closely watched.

Israel is creating a special, limited edition series of stamps.

Israeli security is worried that the famous Popemobile is not safe enough to protect Pope Benedict XVI from possible attacks.

One Muslim calligrapher has spent two months writing a gospel in Arabic to present to the pope.

Palestinians in Bethlehem are building a stage for the pope right next to a towering concrete section of Israel's separation barrier. (Israel is demanding that they stop because they have no permits and it is a "security risk.")

Hard-line Muslims in Nazareth, where the pope will deliver one of his big sermons, say Benedict is not welcome because of a speech he gave in 2006 that criticized their prophet.

The small number of Palestinian Christians in the isolated, Hamas-led Gaza Strip are upset that the pope is not coming to visit. 

The pope will visit Yad Vashem, but avoid a controversial display that criticized his Nazi-era predecessor for not doing enough to stop the Holocaust.

It should be an interesting trip...