The epic papacy of John Paul II was covered by the media like no other in history. It ranged from the print and broadcast era of the 20th Century to the dominance of cable news and the Internet in the 21st. Out front in this coverage was America's premier news organization, The New York Times. In this scholarly yet accessible book, Christopher Vecsey tells us two compelling stories: the story of John Paul himself and the story of how his image was shaped by The Times. I come away from this book with a much richer understanding of both the church and the press.

Ari L. Goldman, emeritus professor at Columbia Journalism and former religion writer at The New York Times

Christopher Vecsey's latest comprehensive examination of the New York Times' coverage of religion provides both an indispensable chronicle of the Catholic Church during John Paul II's pontificate, and a fair and clear-minded refutation of the charge that the New York Times is an anti-Catholic institution. This book is a monumental achievement of archival commitment and analytical clarity.

Timothy Byrnes, Colgate University