A BOLIVIAN PAINTER DRESSED AS A PRIEST LUNCHED AT POPE PAUL TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH A KNIFE WHEN THE PONTIFF ARRIVED IN MANILA FOR THE FIRST MAJOR VISIT OF HIS ASIA TOUR - THE LONGEST HE HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN.

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT THERE WERE CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS BUT MOST EYEWITNESSES SAID THE MAN ONLY GOT WITHIN FOUR YARDS OF THE POPE BEFORE HE WAS GRABBED BY A BRITISH BISHOP AND SECURITY MEN.

CARDINAL STEPHAN KIM OF SOUTH KOREA, WHO WAS STANDING CLOSE TO THE POPE AT THE TIME, WAS SEEN WITH BLOODSTAINS ON HIS WHITE ROBE BUT LATER HE TOLD NEWSMEN HE WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY HURT.

MORE THAN 5,000 FILIPINO PILGRIMS CHEERED AND WAVED VATICAN AND NATIONAL FLAGS AS POPE PAUL STEPPED OFF HIS SPECIAL DC-8 AIRCRAFT AFTER A LONG FLIGHT FROM EAST PAKISTAN. MINOR SCUFFLES BROKE OUT AS THE PONTIFF RAISED HIS HANDS IN BLESSING. POPE PAUL WAS WELCOMED BY PRESIDENT MARCOS AND HIS WIFE AND THEIR LITTLE DAUGHTER HANDED THE PONTIFF A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS. THE KNIFE INCIDENT OCCURRED AS HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE WELCOMING STAND.

SPEAKING AT MANILA AIRPORT, POPE PAUL SAID HE HAD COME ON A SPIRITUAL MISSION AND TO ATTEND THE ASIAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE BEING ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 170 BISHOPS. THE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN DISCUSSING THE CHURCH ROLE IN SOLVING ASIA'S AGE-OLD PROBLEMS OF POVERTY AND HUNGER. CROWDS LINED THE PAPAL ROUTE UP TO TEN DEEP AS POPE PAUL SMILED AND WAVED AT THEM ALL THE EAY FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE MANILA CATHEDRAL WHERE HE ??? MASS