VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul, marking a milestone of his papacy, on Saturday brought to an end the Roman Catholic Church's millennium holy year and again appeared to quash speculation he could retire.

The conclusion of the holy year was the fulfillment of a personal dream for the 80-year-old pontiff, whose health has been failing in recent years.

The Pope ended the 2000 jubilee year by closing the "holy door" in St. Peter's Basilica, celebrating a mass for more than 100,000 people in the square outside and issuing an 82-page apostolic letter on the new millennium.

In the letter, the Pope announced that all money left over after expenses for the holy year were covered would be placed in a new endowment fund dedicated to charitable purposes.

The Pope prayed and then drew shut the door which is only opened in holy years, during which Catholics make pilgrimages to Rome or to their local cathedrals.

The next holy year is scheduled to take place in 2025, unless the Pope or one of his successors proclaims an extraordinary jubilee before then.

Some 25 million people have traveled to Rome for this holy year, which began on Christmas Eve 1999, and most of them walked across the threshold of the holy door into the atrium of Christendom's largest church.

The Pope, who wore gold and white vestments during Saturday's ceremony, was determined to reach the millennium, conclude its celebrations and continue his ministry. (Reuter)