Pope John Paul II has commented on Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" after viewing it, saying simply, "It is as it was."

According to a column by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal, the pope watched a DVD copy of the movie the weekend before last on a TV in his private quarters, accompanied by his closest friend, Monsignor Stanislaw Dziwisz.

Noonan says Dziwisz shared the pope's five-word review with the film's co-producer Steve McEveety.

The film, which chronicles the last 12 hours of Jesus' life and his resurrection, has been the target of charges of anti-Semitism, mostly by commentators who have not seen the movie.

As WorldNetDaily reported last week, other Vatican officials screened the movie and came away impressed, insisting it is theologically accurate and not anti-Semitic.

"There is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish about Mel Gibson's film," said Dominican Father Augustine Di Noia, undersecretary of the doctrinal congregation.

Noonan says McEveety, who had flown to Rome uninvited to show the film to as many Vatican officials as he could, gave the DVD to Dziwisz on Dec. 5.

"[The pope] had to watch it late in the evening," McEveety told the columnist. "He's pretty well booked. But he really wanted to see it."

Wrote Noonan, "The film, the holy father felt, tells the story the way the story happened. A week later Mr. McEveety was marveling at what he felt was the oracular quality of the statement. 'Five words. Eleven letters.'"

McEveety told Noonan: "I was kind of relieved – it's a scary thing. But Billy Graham saw it and was very supportive, and now JPII. The amazing thing is they're in agreement on the film."

Noonan concluded her column:

"It is a film that leaves the viewer indicting not Jews and not Romans and not cynical bureaucrats. It leaves you indicting yourself: it leaves you wondering about what your part in that agonizing drama would have been back then, and what your part is today.

"I'm glad the holy father chose to see it; I'm glad he has spoken; I'm glad his judgment was, 'It is as it was.' If this ends the controversy, or quells it, and I believe it should, that would be a beautiful gift to everyone this holiday season."

As WorldNetDaily reported, "The Passion of the Christ" is scheduled to open on Feb. 25, Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent.

Read WorldNetDaily's coverage of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."