"Israeli religious authorities have warned against celebrations because
New Year's Eve at the turn of the millennium falls on a Friday night, the
Jewish sabbath.
"There has been longstanding tension between hotels and religious
authorities in Israel over celebrations of the Christian New Year. The
rabbinate traditionally threatens to withdraw kosher certification from hotels
that throw Christian New Year's parties."
Millennium Events To Start Early
LONDON (AP) -- Now comes the real celebrating. For Christian pilgrims, civic
boosters and seasoned revelers everywhere, the millennium is shaping up to be
the longest party in history.
Festivities in many countries are starting early and going on late -- right
through to 2001 -- when purists mark the millenium, 2,000 years after Year
One.
At the Vatican, the Roman Catholic church will lead spiritual celebrations to
mark 2,000. Britain, home of Greenwich Mean Time and the world's prime
meridian, plans a lavish celebration at the Millenium Dome, a futuristic
exhibition hall being built over 20 acres in Greenwich.
Pitt Island, in New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands, claims it will be the
first spot of land to see the sun rise on the new millennium -- at 4:04 a.m.
Jan. 1, 2000 (11:04 a.m. EST Dec. 31, 1999). Just a shade west, Gisborne, New
Zealand, is promoting itself as the first city on Earth to catch the first
rays of the new year.
The turn of the century is expected to bring as many as 20 million people to
Rome. The Vatican, sensitive to the press of so many visitors, has scheduled
major pilgrimages throughout the year to spread out the crowds. One such event
is likely to be in August for World Youth Day.
After a visit to the United States and Mexico this month, and barring a
possible trip to the Holy Land, Pope John Paul II will stick close to home in
2000. He will be giving daily blessings to pilgrims flocking to Rome to mark
the start of Christianity's third millennium.
Britain's Millennium Commission is organizing the largest celebratory
construction, a $1.2 billion Millennium Dome and exhibition just across the
River Thames from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
The dome, hailed as visionary by supporters and as a vapid waste of money by
critics, has a circumference of two-thirds of a mile and is 165 feet high.
Under the Teflon-coated glass fiber roof will be exhibits looking ahead to
life in the next 1,000 years.
The Millennium Commission, largely financed by lottery proceeds, also plans to
turn London's bridges into stages for party venues on the eve of Jan. 1, 2000.
Among other things, it has supported 187 building projects throughout Britain,
and it plans to bathe 400 churches in the glow of floodlights and have chimes
ring out from 100 new sets of church bells.
Berlin, Germany's new capital, is planning an open-air party around the
Brandenburg Gate, including a historical theater revue with thousands of
actors portraying ``important historical moments'' on 200 stages.
The focal point of millenium celebrations in France will be Paris' main
boulevard, the Champs-Elysees. Trees and gardens also are to be planted along
the Meridian line dividing the nation in a symbolic attempt to show man must
live together with the environment. And three cities -- Paris, Lyon and
Avignon -- will host exhibitions on French history, language and beauty.
The United States is planning a series of events to honor its past and imagine
the future, including arts projects, education campaigns and new goals for a
host of national projects -- from connecting every classroom and library in
America to the Internet to preserving treasured documents.
Other events include special evenings at the White House featuring prominent
creators and visonaries.
Russia and China have no big plans yet. A Russian government committee meeting
this month will decide on events to mark the 2,000th anniversary of
Christianity. In China, a countdown clock in Beijing's Tiananmen Square isn't
keyed on the millenium, instead it's ticking away time until the Dec. 20, 1999
handover, of the Portuguese colony of Macau.
In Japan, which counts years by the length of an emperor's reign, 2000 will be
Hisei 12, the 12th year of the reign of Akihito -- and few celebrations of the
Western millennium are planned.
Israeli religious authorities already have warned against celebrations because
New Year's Eve at the turn of the millennium falls on a Friday night, the
Jewish sabbath.
There has been longstanding tension between hotels and religious authorities
in Israel over celebrations of the Christian New Year. The rabbinate
traditionally threatens to withdraw kosher certification from hotels that
throw New Year's parties.
In Egypt, French musician Jean-Michael Jarre has been hired to compose a new
opera to be performed at the pyramids starting at sunset Dec. 31, 1999, and
lasting until sunrise the following day. Egypt also plans to affix a gold-
encased capstone on the Great Pyramid, making it whole again, if only for the
night.
