After visiting the Holocaust memorial, Pope Francis met with the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yhitzak Yosef and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau.
In his speech, Pope Francis summarized the relationship between Jews and Catholics since the Second Vatican Council.
POPE FRANCIS
'It is a bond whose origins are from on high, one which transcends our own plans and projects, and one which remains intact despite all the difficulties which, sadly, have marked our relationship in the past.â?
Pope Francis concluded his speech with an appeal to keep these bonds alive. He also called for greater mutual understanding between the two religions.
POPE FRANCIS
'Together, we can make a great contribution to the cause of peace; together, we can bear witness, in this rapidly changing world, to the perennial importance of the divine plan of creation; together, we can firmly oppose every form of anti-Semitism and all other forms of discrimination.â?
The two Chief Rabbis gave the Pope a copy of one of the Dead Sea scrolls.
On his part, the Pope gave each Rabbi a seven-branch Menorah.
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