LIANE HANSEN, Host:
It's been 25 years since the United States and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations. Despite divisions over the war in Iraq, relations have been warmest during the current Bush administration. In the Letter From Europe, NPR's senior European correspondent Sylvia Poggioli reports that Vatican officials are bracing for a sharp shift in relations under an Obama administration that will be openly pro-choice.
SYLVIA POGGIOLI: Vatican analysts say Pope Benedict is also well aware that the next American president enjoys unprecedented worldwide popularity. One church historian quipped this week, it's Obama who now holds the hope card. On January 20th he told me, people will be expecting the new American president to walk on water. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News Rome.
HANSEN: And you can read and respond to Sylvia's letters from Europe at our blog npr.org/soapbox.