The Pope in the Holy Land.

1. Jews know little about Catholics

On the eve of the papal visit to the Holy Land, a Vatican news despatch pointed out that only 63 per cent of Israeli citizens knew that the Vatican officially recognized the state of Israel in 1994; only 44 per cent know the Church's official position on anti-Semitism.

Fr. David Jaeger, a Jew born in Israel in 1955 who converted to Catholicism and became a Franciscan priest, contends that "in Israel all the progress made since Vatican II in relations between Catholics and Jews is virtually unknown." An agreement between Israel and the Vatican signed in 1993 was made known only in 1999; a second agreement ratified in February 1999 has not yet been published in the official Gazette. Since Vatican II(1962-1965), the Church has revised the way it speaks about Jews in the liturgy, catechesis and theology. Almost none of which is known among Jews. Not surprisingly, on Israel's side there is no reciprocity. The important document Nova Aetate, issued by the Vatican Council in 1965, is just now being translated into Hebrew.

Nevertheless the Israeli Government turned the papal visit into a national priority. Prime Minister Ehud Barak entrusted his closest minister, Haim Ramon, with the responsibility for seeing that all arrangements were carried out.

Meanwhile, on the fringes there were groups with different views, especially the orthodox religious leaders. Some of these protested that the Pope would give grave offence if he wore his pectoral cross when he visited Jewish holy places, such as the Wailing Wall. The mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, said it would be better if on his visit the Pope did not touch on the thorny question of the status of Jerusalem. Jewish leaders consider it indivisible, and "the eternal capital of Israel," whereas the Church's position is that it must be shared to protect the cultural and religious patrimony of the city.

2. Pope arrives in Jordan

Amman

March 20, 2000

Text

My visit to your country and the entire journey which I am beginning today is part of the religious Jubilee Pilgrimage which I am making to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. From the beginning of my ministry as Bishop of Rome, I have had a great desire to mark this event by praying in some of the places linked to salvation history--places that speak to us of that moment's long preparation through biblical times, places where our Lord Jesus Christ actually lived, or which are connected with His work of redemption. I have already been to Egypt and Mount Sinai, where God revealed His name to Moses and entrusted to him the tablets of the Law of the Covenant.

2. Today I am in Jordan, a land familiar to me from the Holy Scriptures: a land sanctified by the presence of Jesus himself, by the presence of Moses, Elijah and John the Baptist, and of saints and martyrs of the early Church. Yours is a land noted for its hospitality and openness to all. These are qualities of the Jordanian people which I have experienced many times in conversations with the late King Hussein, and which were confirmed anew in my meeting with Your Majesty at the Vatican in September last year....

Without peace, there can be no authentic development for this region, no better life for its peoples, no brighter future for its children. That is why Jordan's proven commitment to securing the conditions necessary for peace is so important and praiseworthy....

3. The Catholic Church, without forgetting that her primary mission is a spiritual one, is always eager to cooperate with individual nations and people of goodwill in promoting and advancing the dignity of the human person. She does this particularly in her schools and education programmes, and through her charitable and social institutions. Your noble tradition of respect for all religions guarantees the religious freedom which makes this possible, and which is in fact a fundamental human right. When this is so, all citizens feel themselves equal, and each one, inspired by his own spiritual convictions, can contribute to the building up of society as the shared home of all.

3. Impressive papal ceremony in Jordan

Following Mass in Amman, Pope visits place of Jesus' baptism

Amman--In the morning of March 21, Catholics of the Middle East met with John Paul II in what was, perhaps, one of the most imposing ceremonies of the whole of his pontificate in a country of Muslim majority. 60,000 people attended the Mass in Amman's stadium; they came from all corners of the region: Syria, Lebanon, and even Iraq.

When the Holy Father entered the stadium, the congregation gave him a thunderous applause. Among the personalities present were the Crown Prince of Jordan and government representatives. Some 50 cardinals and bishops concelebrated with the Pope, among whom was Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem, who introduced the baptismal profession of faith.

The eye-catcher was a brilliantly coloured carpet of flowers spelling out the slogan "Jordan, Land of Dialogue and Peace." The representatives of other Christian denominations who participated in the ceremony confirmed this message, as well as the presence of a choir and orchestra, the majority of whose members were Muslims.

In Jordan, the Holy Father repeated the same words that John the Baptist cried in the desert:

In Christ, "the Son of God, the promise made to Abraham and the Law given to Moses are fulfilled. Jesus is the realization of the promise. His death on the Cross and his resurrection lead to the definitive victory of life over death. Through the Resurrection the gates of Paradise are thrown open, and we may walk once again in the Garden of Life."

Holy Land Catholics prepared for the Jubilee of the Year 2000 with a special Synod that lasted five years. John Paul II recalled that this second Synod of the Church in this region, following the one held by the Apostles, has made it very clear that "your future lies in unity and solidarity." These were, precisely, the two great objectives that he proposed to the Christians of Jordan and the whole of the Holy Land, a small minority in an Arab-Muslim-Jewish world.

"May the resources of the Church, the families, parishes, schools, lay associations, youth movements set unity and love as their supreme goal. There is no more effective way to be involved socially, professionally and politically, above all in the work of justice, reconciliation and peace."

In order to carry this out, the Pope requested everyone's help: from Bishops and priests, whom he asked to be good pastors; to the mothers in Jordan, whom he asked to build a civilization of love; to the children, to whom he said: "Jesus is your friend."

Indeed, during the ceremony 2,000 children, symbolizing the number of years since Christ's birth, received their First Communion, some directly from the Pope's hands.

4. Warm welcome for John Paul in Israel

John Paul II arrives in Israel as pilgrim in God's footsteps

Tel Aviv--Finally, on March 21 John Paul II saw his dream come true. Arriving from Amman in a plane of the Royal Jordanian Airlines, the Pontiff landed at nightfall in Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, where he was welcomed by the highest Israeli government officials, among whom were President Ezer Weizman and Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

"In this year of the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, it has been my strong personal desire to come here and to pray in the most important places which, from ancient times, have seen God's interventions, the wonders he has done," the Holy Father said during the welcome ceremony.

A rainy, windy evening robbed the meeting of serenity. The ceremony was graced with the Vatican and Israeli flags. "Welcome to the Holy Land," Prime Minister Barak said firmly when he greeted the Pope.

The Holy Father explained that his visit "is part of a larger pilgrimage of prayer and thanksgiving which led me first to Sinai, the Mountain of the Covenant, the place of the decisive revelation that shaped the subsequent history of salvation. Now I shall have the privilege of visiting some of the places more closely connected with the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Along every step of the way, I am moved by a vivid sense of God, who has gone before us and leads us on, who wants us to honor him in spirit and in truth, to acknowledge the differences between us, but also to recognize in every human being the image and likeness of the One Creator of heaven and earth."

"I pray that my visit will serve to encourage an increase of interreligious dialogue that will lead Jews, Christians and Muslims to seek in their respective beliefs, and in the universal brotherhood that unites all the members of the human family, the motivation and the perseverance to work for the peace and justice that the peoples of the Holy Land do not yet have, and for which they yearn so deeply," the Pope concluded, and raising his voice he said: "May peace be God's gift to the Land he chose as his own!"

In his welcoming speech, President Weizman was also very frank. He thanked the Pope for the petition for forgiveness, pronounced on March 12, for the anti-Semitism that on occasions some children of the Church have expressed, and he described Jerusalem as the "heart of Judaism, city of peace and pride of Israel." John Paul II then returned to a waiting helicopter that took him to the Apostolic Nunciature in Jerusalem, where he spent the night.

5. Pope asks Christians and Jews to "remove all forms of prejudice"

March 21, 2000

Text

Dear President Weizman

Dear Israeli Friends

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Yesterday, from the heights of Mount Nebo I looked across the Jordan Valley to this blessed land. Today, it is with profound emotion that I set foot in the Land where God chose to "pitch his tent" (Jn 1:14; cf. Exod 40:3435; 1 Kgs 8:10-13), and made it possible for man to encounter Him more directly.

In this year of the two thousandth anniversary of the Birth of Jesus Christ, it has been my strong personal desire to come here and to pray in the most important places which, from ancient times, have seen God's interventions, the wonders he has done. "You are the God who works wonders. You showed your power among the peoples" (Ps 77:15).

Mr. President, I thank you for your warm welcome, and in your person I greet all the people of the State of Israel.

2. My visit is both a personal pilgrimage and the spiritual journey of the Bishop of Rome to the origins of our faith in "the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob" (Exod 3:15). It is part of a larger pilgrimage of prayer and thanksgiving which led me first to Sinai, the Mountain of the Covenant, the place of the decisive revelation which shaped the subsequent history of salvation. Now I shall have the privilege of visiting some of the places more closely connected with the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Along every step of the way I am moved by a vivid sense of God, who has gone before us and leads us on, who wants us to honour him in spirit and in truth, to acknowledge the differences between us, but also to recognize in every human being the image and likeness of the One Creator of heaven and earth.

3. Mr. President, you are known as a man of peace and a peacemaker. We all know how urgent is the need for peace and justice, not for Israel alone but for the entire region. Many things have changed in relations between the Holy See and the State of Israel since my predecessor Pope Paul VI came here in 1964. The establishment of diplomatic relations between us in 1994 set a seal on efforts to open an era of dialogue on questions of common interest concerning religious freedom, relations between Church and State and, more generally, relations between Christians and Jews. On another level, world opinion follows with close attention the peace process which finds all the peoples of the region involved in the difficult search for a lasting peace with justice for all. With new-found openness towards one another, Christians and Jews together must make courageous efforts to remove all forms of prejudice. We must strive always and everywhere to present the true face of the Jews and of Judaism, as likewise of Christian s and of Christianity, and this at every level of attitude, teaching and communication (cf. Address to the Jewish Community of Rome, 13 April 1986, 5).

4. My journey therefore is a pilgrimage, in a spirit of humble gratitude and hope, to the origins of our religious history.

It is a tribute to the three religious traditions which co-exist in this land. For a long time I have looked forward to meeting the faithful of the Catholic communities in their rich variety, and the members of the various Christian Churches and communities present in the Holy Land. I pray that my visit will serve to encourage an increase of interreligious dialogue that will lead Jews, Christians and Muslims to seek in their respective beliefs, and in the universal brotherhood that unites all the members of the human family, the motivation and the perseverance to work for the peace and justice which the peoples of the Holy Land do not yet have, and for which they yearn so deeply. The Psalmist reminds us that peace is God's gift: "I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace, peace for his people and his friends, and those who turn to him in their hearts" (Ps 85:8).

May peace be God's gift to the Land he chose as his own!

6. Manger Square words in Bethlehem delight Palestinians

Mass interrupted by Muslim call to prayer

Bethlehem--On March 22, the Holy Father travelled to Palestinian territory to celebrate one of the high points of the Jubilee: the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Manger Square in Bethlehem.

John Paul II was received with every honour and courtesy by the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat. The Pope kissed a bowl of earth from Bethlehem upon arrival. This is a typical gesture of devotion, explained Holy See spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, and should not be interpreted as an act of implicit recognition of the Palestinian State. "It would have been rather strange if the Pope had not kissed the land on which Jesus was born," he explained.

Muslim call to prayer

After the Pope's homily, the prayer caller in the minaret of the mosque located adjacent to the stage began to summon the Muslim faithful of the city to prayer, by means of a loudspeaker, while the faithful in Mass were waiting in a moment of prayerful silence. The event disturbed many of those present, particularly Yasser Arafat.

Varying explanations were given for the call. Some thought it a provocation, while others felt it was an act of deference toward the Holy Father, because the caller had waited until after the homily was over. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, almost applauded. He explained that the prayer for peace of the Pope combined with the prayer of the Muslims provided joint testimony before God that Christians and Muslims wanted peace.

Meeting with Arafat

Before Mass, the Pope met with Yasser Arafat in the Presidential Palace in Bethlehem. In his discourse, the Palestinian leader stressed that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Palestinian people, presumably in response to Israeli President Ezer Weizman, who yesterday called the Holy City the capital of the Jewish State.

A political cartoon in the Harez newspaper illustrates well the political overtones that various factions want to give to this pilgrimage. It shows the Pope, arms outstetched in a cross, with a Star of David pulling on one arm, and the Muslim crescent moon pulling the other. When he spoke about interreligious relations in Jerusalem, Arafat only mentioned the Christians and Muslims, omitting the Jews. Arafat ended his discourse quoting Jesus, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God!"

"The promise of peace," responded the Pope, "will become a reality for the world when the dignity and rights of all human beings created in the image of God are recognized."

Refugee camp

The Pope also took the opportunity to visit a Palestinian refugee camp. He greeted the descendants of the shepherds who were present at Christ's birth, to comfort them:

"Dear refugees, do not think that your present condition makes you any less important in God's eyes! Never forget your dignity as his children! Here at Bethlehem the Divine Child was laid in a manger in a stable; shepherds from nearby fields who were your ancestors were the first to receive the heavenly message of peace and hope for the world. God's design was fulfilled in the midst of humility and poverty."

7. Pope backs Palestinian homeland Bethlehem

Bethlehem

March 22, 2000

Text

Dear Chairman Arafat, your Excellencies, dear Palestinian friends,

1. "Here Christ was born of the Virgin Mary": these words, inscribed over the place where, according to tradition, Jesus was born, are the reason for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. They are the reason for my coming to Bethlehem today. They are the source of the joy, the hope, the goodwill, which, for two millennia, have filled countless human hearts at the very sound of the name "Bethlehem".

People everywhere turn to this unique corner of the earth with a hope that transcends all conflicts and difficulties. Bethlehem--where the choir of Angels sang: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men" (Lk 2:14)--stands out, in every place and in every age, as the promise of God's gift of peace. The message of Bethlehem is the Good News of reconciliation among men, of peace at every level of relations between individuals and nations. Bethlehem is a universal crossroads where all peoples can meet to build together a world worthy of our human dignity and destiny. The recently inaugurated Museum of the Nativity shows how the celebration of Christ's Birth has become a part of the culture and art of peoples in all parts of the world.

2. Mr Arafat, as I thank you for the warm welcome you have given me in the name of the Palestinian Authority and people, I express all my happiness at being here today. How can I fail to pray that the divine gift of peace will become more and more a reality for all who live in this land, uniquely marked by God's interventions? Peace for the Palestinian people! Peace for all the peoples of the region! No one can ignore how much the Palestinian people have had to suffer in recent decades. Your torment is before the eyes of the world. And it has gone on too long.

The Holy See has always recognized that the Palestinian people have the natural right to a homeland, and the right to be able to live in peace and tranquillity with the other peoples of this area (cf. Apostolic Letter Redemptionis Anno, 20 April 1984). In the international forum, my predecessors and I have repeatedly proclaimed that there would be no end to the sad conflict in the Holy Land without stable guarantees for the rights of all the peoples involved, on the basis of international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions and declarations.

We must all continue to work and pray for the success of every genuine effort to bring peace to this land. Only with a just and lasting peace--not imposed but secured through negotiation--will legitimate Palestinian aspirations be fulfilled. Only then will the Holy Land see the possibility of a bright new future, no longer dissipated by rivalry and conflict, but firmly based on understanding and cooperation for the good of all. The outcome depends greatly on the courageous readiness of those responsible for the destiny of this part of the world to move to new attitudes of compromise and compliance with the demands of justice.

3. Dear Friends, I am fully aware of the great challenges facing the Palestinian Authority and people in every field of economic and cultural development. In a particular way my prayers are with those Palestinians--Muslim and Christian--who are still without a home of their own, their proper place in society and the possibility of a normal working life. My hope is that my visit today to the Dheisheh Refugee Camp will serve to remind the international community that decisive action is needed to improve the situation of the Palestinian people. I was particularly pleased at the unanimous acceptance by the United Nations of the Resolution on Bethlehem 2000, which commits the international community to help in developing this area and in improving conditions of peace and reconciliation in one of the most cherished and significant places on earth.

The promise of peace made at Bethlehem will become a reality for the world only when the dignity and rights of all human beings made in the image of God (cf. Gen 1:26) are acknowledged and respected. Today and always the Palestinian people are in my prayers to the One who holds the destiny of the world in his hands. May the Most High God enlighten, sustain and guide in the path of peace the whole Palestinian people! (Original text).

8. Pope celebrates Mass in room of Last Supper 

Jerusalem--In the early hours of the morning of March 23, for the first time in history, a Roman Pontiff repeated in private the breaking of the bread in the Upper Room of the Cenacle, the very place where Christ ate the Last Supper with his 12 Apostles, and instituted the Eucharist.

It was truly a historic event as, in 1964, Pope Paul VI was not permitted to celebrate Mass in this place. Before the Mass, John Paul II explained its significance: "I have ardently desired to visit this place as a pilgrim to celebrate Mass here, where the Lord, on the night he voluntarily gave himself over to the Passion, instituted the ministerial priesthood and left us his Body and Blood as a memorial of his glorious death." During the homily of the concelebration, which included Catholic leaders of the Holy Land and cardinals and bishops accompanying him on his pilgrimage, the Holy Father explained that "in a sense, Peter and the Apostles, in the person of their Successors, have come back today to the Upper Room, to profess the unchanging faith of the Church: 'Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.'"

At the end of the Mass, the Pope signed the traditional Holy Thursday Letter to Priests for this year, here, in the Cenacle, where Christ instituted the ministerial priesthood. "What better opportunity for this Holy Year?" the Pope said.

As a commemoration of this historic visit of the Pope to the Holy Land, Israel promised to return the Cenacle to the Holy See. Since 1967, it has been the property of the Israeli government, entrusted to the Ministry for Worship. The building, which is regarded as the first seat of the newborn Church, is also an object of pilgrimage for Jews, as they believe that King David is buried here, although there is no archeological evidence to prove it. Indeed, the room where Tradition holds that Jesus washed his disciples' feet is today a synagogue. In the past, it was also used for worship by Muslims.

9. Pope asks Rabbis to acknowledge Catholic condemnation of anti-Semitism

Assures them he has done everything possible to overcome prejudices

Jerusalem--The meeting of John Paul II on March 23 with the Chief Rabbis of Jerusalem ended with a firm handshake. The Pope met with Israel Meir Lau and Mordechai Bakshi-Doron, who, respectively, represent the two branches of Judaism--the Ashkenazim, who settled in middle and northern Europe after the Diaspora, and the Sephardim, who settled in western Europe, primarily Portugal and Spain, before the Inquisition. At the end of the meeting, the Jewish religious leaders gave the Pope an ancient copy of the Old Testament, known as the Jerusalem Bible. Raising his voice, Rabbi Lau read the dedication in clear Biblical language: "Blessed be you upon arrival and blessed be you upon departure."

The meeting, which lasted almost a half-hour, was held at the headquarters of the Grand Rabbinate of Jerusalem, following the Pope's Mass in the Cenacle. The Pope was accompanied by several Cardinals of the Roman Curia and Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem.

Text

Very Reverend Chief Rabbis, it is with deep respect that I visit you here today and thank you for receiving me at Hechal Shlomo.

Truly this is a uniquely significant meeting which--I hope and pray--will lead to increasing contacts between Christians and Jews, aimed at achieving an ever deeper understanding of the historical and theological relationship between our respective religious heritages. Personally, I have always wanted to be counted among those who work, on both sides, to overcome old prejudices and to secure ever wider and fuller recognition of the spiritual patrimony shared by Jews and Christians. I repeat what I said on the occasion of my visit to the Jewish community in Rome, that we Christians recognize that the Jewish religious heritage is intrinsic to our own faith: "You are our elder brothers" (cf. Address at the Synagogue of Rome, 13 April 1986, 4). We hope that the Jewish people will acknowledge that the Church utterly condemns anti-Semitism and every form of racism as being altogether opposed to the principles of Christianity. We must work together to build a future in which there will be no more anti-Judaism among Christians or anti-Christian sentiment among Jews.

There is much that we have in common. There is so much that we can do together for peace, for justice, for a more human and fraternal world. May the Lord of heaven and earth lead us to a new and fruitful era of mutual respect and cooperation, for the benefit of all! Thank you.

10. John Paul II says world cannot forget Holocaust

An emotional Prime Minister acknowledges Pope's role in new dialogue

Jerusalem--John Paul II's pilgrimage to the Holy Land was also a very intense moment of encounter with the Jewish world. The climax came on the morning when the Holy Father visited Jerusalem's Holocaust Memorial.

At dawn, the Jewish press was calling for very decisive intervention by the Pope, as many Jews around the world are unaware of what John Paul II has said and done in regard to the Holocaust. The Pope did not disappoint the media. He paid homage to the 6 million Jews who were killed during the Nazi regime, homage that was characterized by overwhelming, emotion-filled silence, broken by the chant of a Rabbi, who raised his voice in a prayer of lament to the Lord.

After lighting the eternal flame that recalls the extermination of the Jews, facing the inscription of the 21 concentration camps and an urn containing the ashes of Jews who died in Auschwitz crematoriums, the Pope renewed the plea for forgiveness for the responsibilities of Christians during the Holocaust.

"I assure the Jewish people that the Catholic Church, motivated by the Gospel law of truth and love, and by no political considerations, is deeply saddened by the hatred, acts of persecution and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews by Christians at any time and in any place."

Before standing to read his address, evidently emotionally moved, the Pope heard the reading of a letter of a Polish Jew deported to Auschwitz, who was entrusting her son to a Catholic friend. The little boy was later killed in the same concentration camp. The Pope also met some Polish Jews who survived the concentration camps. Among them were his childhood friend Jerzy Kiuger, and Edith Zirer, the Jew from Wadowice who says she owes her life to Karol Wojtyla.

Liberated in January 1945, she left the Skarzysko-Kaienna camp totally weakened by tuberculosis and other ailments that had her virtually paralyzed. A young seminarian by the name of Karol Wojtyla found her, gave her a sandwich and a cup of tea. Then he carried her on his shoulders for almost two miles, from the concentration camp to the railway station, where the girl joined other survivors. After staying in a Krakow orphanage and a French sanatorium, in 1951 she emigrated to Israel where she married.

Jerzy Kluger, who, as a child, listened to the Pope's father tell stories, went to Rome after the Second World War. He met Karol ("Lolek," as he calls him) again in the early 60s, during the time of Vatican Council II. The newspapers emphasized one of the interventions of Bishop Wojtyla, and that is how Kluger realized that the young bishop was the friend with whom he went to school and played soccer. When a synagogue was constructed in Wadowice, and Wojtyla was already Pope, the Holy Father wrote a letter and asked his friend Jerzy to read it on his behalf during the assembly.

At the Holocaust Memorial, John Paul II said:

"In this place of memories, the mind and heart and soul feel an extreme need for silence. Silence in which to remember. Silence in which to try to make some sense of the memories that come flooding back.

With a firm and composed voice the Holy Father said:

"I have come to Yad Vashem to pay homage to the millions of Jewish people who, stripped of everything, especially of their human dignity, were murdered in the Holocaust. More than half a century has passed, but the memories remain.

The Holy Father ended by hoping

"that our sorrow for the tragedy which the Jewish people suffered in the 20th century will lead to a new relationship between Christians and Jews. Let us build a new future in which there will be no more anti-Jewish feeling among Christians or anti-Christian feeling among Jews, but rather the mutual respect required of those who adore the one Creator and Lord, and look to Abraham as our common Father in faith."

Prime Minister Ehud Barak responded to the Pope's address, assuring the Pontiff of his "absolute commitment" to guarantee the rights and freedom of worship of all confessions present in the Holy Land, and to "maintain Jerusalem united, open and free, as it has never been until now." The Prime Minister greeted the Pope on behalf of all the citizens of Israel: Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Druses.

Barak quoted the words that the Pope often uses when referring to the Holocaust, "the long night of the Shoah", and he shuddered at the thought of the drama suffered by the Jewish people and his own relatives (his grandparents died in Dachau) during the Nazi regime. "There seemed to be no room for hope in God or the world," he said. But immediately after, he remembered the "just Gentiles," as they are referred to in Israel, who "secretly risked their lives to save others' lives. Their names are written on the walls around Yad Vashem, they will always be imprinted on our hearts." Among the just, Barak named John Paul II. "You have done more than anyone to apply the Church's historic change toward the Jewish people, a change begun by good Pope John XXIII." In this respect, according to the Prime Minister, the Pontiff's visit to the Memorial of the Holocaust, is "the climax of this historic journey of healing."

11. Visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial

Text

The words of the ancient Psalm rise from our hearts: "I have become like a broken vessel. I hear the whispering of many--terror on every side!--as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God"' (Ps 31:13-15).

1. In this place of memories, the mind and heart and soul feel an extreme need for silence. Silence in which to remember. Silence in which to try to make some sense of the memories which come flooding back. Silence because there are no words strong enough to deplore the terrible tragedy of the Shoah.

My own personal memories are of all that happened when the Nazis occupied Poland during the War. I remember my Jewish friends and neighbours, some of whom perished, while others survived. I have come to Yad Vashem to pay homage to the millions of Jewish people who, stripped of everything, especially of their human dignity, were murdered in the Holocaust. More than half a century has passed, but the memories remain. Here, as at Auschwitz and many other places in Europe, we are overcome by the echo of the heart-rending laments of so many. Men, women and children cry out to us from the depths of the horror that they knew. How can we fail to heed their cry? No one can forget or ignore what happened. No one can diminish its scale.

2. We wish to remember. But we wish to remember for a purpose, namely to ensure that never again will evil prevail, as it did for the millions of innocent victims of Nazism.

How could man have such utter contempt for man? Because he had reached the point of contempt for God. Only a godless ideology could plan and carry out the extermination of a whole people. The honour given to the "just Gentiles" by the State of Israel at Yad Vashem for having acted heroically to save Jews, sometimes to the point of giving their own lives, is a recognition that not even in the darkest hour is every light extinguished. That is why the Psalms, and the entire Bible, though well aware of the human capacity for evil, also proclaim that evil will not have the last word. Out of the depths of pain and sorrow, the believer's heart cries out: "I trust in you, 0 Lord; I say, 'You are my God"' (Ps 31:14).

3. Jews and Christians share an immense spiritual patrimony, flowing from God's self-revelation. Our religious teachings and our spiritual experience demand that we overcome evil with good. We remember, but not with any desire for vengeance or as an incentive to hatred. For us, to remember is to pray for peace and justice, and to commit ourselves to their cause. Only a world at peace, with justice for all, can avoid repeating the mistakes and terrible crimes of the past.

As Bishop of Rome and Successor of the Apostle Peter, I assure the Jewish people that the Catholic Church, motivated by the Gospel law of truth and love and by no political considerations, is deeply saddened by the hatred, acts of persecution and displays of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews by Christians at any time and in any place. The Church rejects racism in any form as a denial of the image of the Creator inherent in every human being (cf. Gen 1:26).

4. In this place of solemn remembrance, I fervently pray that our sorrow for the tragedy which the Jewish people suffered in the twentieth century will lead to a new relationship between Christians and Jews. Let us build a new future in which there will be no more anti-Jewish feeling among Christians or anti-Christian feeling among Jews, but rather the mutual respect required of those who adore the one Creator and Lord, and look to Abraham as our common father in faith (cf. We Remember, V).

The world must heed the warning that comes to us from the victims of the Holocaust and from the testimony of the survivors. Here at Yad Vashem the memory lives on, and burns itself onto our souls. It makes us cry out: "I hear the whispering of many-terror on every side!--But I trust in you, 0 Lord; I say, 'You are my God"' (Ps 31:13-15).

12. Courtesy visit to the President of Israel

March 23, 2000

Mr. President,

Government Ministers,

Members of the Knesset,

Text

Your Excellencies,

I am most grateful, Mr. President, for the welcome you have given me to Israel. To this meeting we both bring long histories. You represent Jewish memory, reaching beyond the recent history of this land to your people's unique journey through the centuries and millennia. I come as one whose Christian memory reaches back through the two thousand years since the birth of Jesus in this very Land.

History, as the ancients held, is the magister vitae, a teacher of how to live. This is why we must be determined to heal the wounds of the past, so that they may never be opened again. We must work for a new era of reconciliation and peace between Jews and Christians. My visit is a pledge that the Catholic Church will do everything possible to ensure that this is not just a dream but a reality. We know that real peace in the Middle East will come only as a result of mutual understanding and respect between all the peoples of the region: Jews, Christians and Muslims. In this perspective, my pilgrimage is a journey of hope, the hope that the twenty-first century will lead to a new solidarity among the peoples of the world, in the conviction that development, justice and peace will not be attained unless they are attained for all.

Building a brighter future for the human family is a task which concerns us all. That is why I am pleased to greet you, government ministers, members of the Knesset and diplomatic representatives of many countries, who must make and implement decisions which affect the lives of people. It is my fervent hope that a genuine desire for peace will inspire your every decision. With that as my prayer, I invoke abundant divine blessings upon you, Mr. President, upon your country, and upon all of you who have honoured me with your presence. Thank you.

13. Pope meets youth

Thousands of young men and women await at the Mount of the Beatitudes 

Jerusalem--On the morning of March 24, John Paul II visited Korazim, to celebrate a Mass dedicated to youth on the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus announced the new Law of the Gospel.

The meeting had been meticulously planned. It was the largest, in terms of numbers, of the entire papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In the evening, the youth met in parishes of various rites of the local Catholic Church. Some were welcomed by the Greek Catholics, others by the Latin Church, and still others by the Maronites. The presence of members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way from all over the world was impressive. They took part in a Prayer Vigil to prepare for this meeting with the Pope which, according to the organizer, Fr. Rino Rossi, director of Domus Galileae, is also "prophetic," because of the circumstances that have made it possible.

"Many people who were not Catholics also took part; for example, the Israeli and Muslim authorities who have positions of responsibility in the surrounding towns. Some Druses were present, as well as diplomats from some 60 countries. All this created an atmosphere of expectation. The youth were really enthusiastic and, as a result, they excited the youth of the region, who are so different in culture and language," Fr. Rossi said.

In the afternoon, the Pontiff met Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the shrine that has been constructed at the Mount of the Beatitudes. From there, he went to Tabgha to visit two churches: that of the multiplication of the loaves and that of the commemoration of Peter's primacy, on the shores of Lake Tiberias. Finally, in Capernaum, he spent time in Peter's house, from where he returned to Jerusalem by helicopter.

14. Interreligious meeting at Notre Dame Pontifical Institute

March 23, 2000

Text

Distinguished Jewish, Christian and Muslim Representatives

1. In this year of the two thousandth anniversary of the Birth of Jesus Christ, I am truly happy to be able to fulfil my long-cherished wish to make a journey through the geography of salvation history. I am deeply moved as I follow in the footsteps of the countless pilgrims who before me have prayed in the Holy Places connected with God's interventions. I am fully conscious that this Land is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Therefore my visit would have been incomplete without this meeting with you, distinguished religious leaders. Thank you for the support which your presence here this evening gives to the hope and conviction of so many people that we are indeed entering a new era of interreligious dialogue. We are conscious that closer ties among all believers are a necessary and urgent condition for securing a more just and peaceful world.

For all of us, Jerusalem, as its name indicates, is the "City of Peace". Perhaps no other place in the world communicates the sense of transcendence and divine election that we perceive in her stones and monuments, and in the witness of the three religions living side by side within her walls. Not everything has been or will be easy in this co-existence. But we must find in our respective religious traditions the wisdom and the superior motivation to ensure the triumph of mutual understanding and cordial respect.

2. We all agree that religion must be genuinely centred on God, and that our first religious duty is adoration, praise and thanksgiving. The opening sura of the Qur'an makes this clear: "Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe" (Qur'an, 1:1). In the inspired songs of the Bible we hear this universal call: "Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord! Alleluia!" (Ps 150:6). And in the Gospel we read that when Jesus was born the angels sang: "Glory to God in the highest heaven" (Lk 2:14). In our times, when many are tempted to run their affairs without any reference to God, the call to acknowledge the Creator of the universe and the Lord of history is essential in ensuring the well-being of individuals and the proper development of society.

3. If it is authentic, devotion to God necessarily involves attention to our fellow human beings. As members of the one human family and as God's beloved children, we have duties towards one another which, as believers, we cannot ignore. One of the first disciples of Jesus wrote: "If any one says, 'I love God', and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 Jn 4:20). Love of our brothers and sisters involves an attitude of respect and compassion, gestures of solidarity, cooperation in service to the common good. Thus, concern for justice and peace does not lie outside the field of religion but is actually one of its essential elements.

In the Christian view it is not for religious leaders to propose technical formulas for the solution of social, economic and political problems. Theirs is, above all, the task of teaching the truths of faith and right conduct, the task of helping people--including those with responsibility in public life--to be aware of their duties and to fulfil them. As religious leaders, we help people to live integrated lives, to harmonize the vertical dimension of their relationship with God with the horizontal dimension of service to their neighbour.

4. Each of our religions knows, in some form or another, the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Precious as this rule is as a guide, true love of neighbour goes much further. It is based on the conviction that when we love our neighbour we are showing love for God, and when we hurt our neighbour we offend God. This means that religion is the enemy of exclusion and discrimination, of hatred and rivalry, of violence and conflict. Religion is not, and must not become, an excuse for violence, particularly when religious identity coincides with cultural and ethnic identity. Religion and peace go together! Religious belief and practice cannot be separated from the defence of the image of God in every human being.

Drawing upon the riches of our respective religious traditions, we must spread awareness that today's problems will not be solved if we remain ignorant of one another and isolated from one another. We are all aware of past misunderstandings and conflicts, and these still weigh heavily upon relationships between Jews, Christians and Muslims. We must do all we can to turn awareness of past offences and sins into a firm resolve to build a new future in which there will be nothing but respectful and fruitful cooperation between us.

The Catholic Church wishes to pursue a sincere and fruitful interreligious dialogue with the members of the Jewish faith and the followers of Islam. Such a dialogue is not an attempt to impose our views upon others. What it demands of all of us is that, holding to what we believe, we listen respectfully to one another, seek to discern all that is good and holy in each other's teachings, and cooperate in supporting everything that favours mutual understanding and peace.

5. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim children and young people present here are a sign of hope and an incentive for us. Each new generation is a divine gift to the world. If we pass on to them all that is noble and good in our traditions, they will make it blossom in more intense brotherhood and cooperation.

If the various religious communities in the Holy City and in the Holy Land succeed in living and working together in friendship and harmony, this will be of enormous benefit not only to themselves but to the whole cause of peace in this region. Jerusalem will truly be a City of Peace for all peoples.

Then we will all repeat the words of the Prophet: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord... that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths" (Is 2:3). To recommit ourselves to such a task, and to do so in the Holy City of Jerusalem, is to ask God to look kindly on our efforts and bring them to a happy outcome. May the Almighty abundantly bless our common endeavours!

15. Holy Father celebrates the Annunciation in Nazareth

Urges renewal of faith

Nazareth--On March 25, the Pope visited the city of Jesus' boyhood, Nazareth, celebrating Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation, where Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she was to be the Mother of the Saviour. Several thousand gathered in the Basilica, despite heavy security and the ongoing tensions over the building of a mosque in the square. In fact, the Muslims had chosen to have their "tent mosque" in operation when the Pope arrived. During the Mass, the muezzin began to call local Muslims to prayer, but the celebration went on as scheduled.

16. Pope visits Wailing Wall and Grand Mufti of Jerusalem 

Jerusalem--"Peace" was the first word John Paul II poke when he arrived in Amman, Jordan, on March 20, and this was the clear message he gave on the last day of his stay in Jerusalem.

Meeting with Grand Mufti 

The Pope's public appointments began with a courtesy visit to the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Akram Sabri, in Mosque Square, a plaza where the worship of Christians, Jews and Muslims comes together, as it is linked to Abraham and Isaac, the Jerusalem Temple, and Christ's prophecy of its destruction. For Muslims, this is the third most sacred place, after Mecca and Medina. There are two imposing mosques in this area: Al-Aqsa and Omar, the old church of the Knights Templar, housing the rock from which, according to Islamic tradition, Mohammed went up to Heaven.

The meeting was preceded by last week's controversial statements by the Grand Mufti, who did not attend the assembly of religious leaders with the Pope on Thursday, because he did not want to shake hands with Israel's Chief Rabbi. The Muslim leader also criticized the Holy Father for asking the Jewish people for forgiveness when he visited the Memorial to the Holocaust. According to the Mufti, by exaggerating the proportions of the Shoah, "the Jewish people has found a formidable way to muster the solidarity of the world."

During the meeting with the Mufti, a Palestinian leader referred to the sufferings of his people. John Paul II confirmed Jerusalem's sacred character, common patrimony of Jews, Christians, and Muslims and of the whole of humanity. He referred to Psalm 122, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!"

At the "Wailing Wall"

The second stage of the Pope's last day in Jerusalem was his visit to the "Wailing Wall," built by Herod to enclose the Temple's courtyard. It is the Jewish sacred place par excellence; here they pray and weep in memory of the ancient splendour of Jerusalem and the Temple, once the center of all Jewish life, definitively destroyed by the Romans. They place small votive messages in the crevices of the slabs of stone.

John Paul II also came to place his bit of paper. It was the prayer he read in Rome on March 12 praying for forgiveness for the sufferings caused to Jews by the Church's children. This petition for forgiveness is also a commitment to genuine fraternity with the people of the Covenant. It was a very emotional moment: the Pontiff walked up to the Wall alone and prayed there for a few moments before placing the piece of paper in one of the crevices. He then placed his right hand on the Wall, before blessing himself. Afterwards, the Pope's bit of paper was taken to the Yad Vashem Museum. It contained a written apology.

Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre 

John Paul II finished his pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his visit to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, built in the place where, according to tradition, Jesus was crucified and buried and rose from the dead. For 2000 years this place has given witness to the event that gives the reason for being a Christian and which the Pontiff wished to venerate, first with a profound prayer by the Lord's empty tomb, and then with the celebration of the Eucharist.

17. Will John Paul II be proclaimed "just among the nations"?

Proposal made to Israel's Parliament

Tel Aviv--Among the Jews who have closely followed John Paul II's visit to Israel is Eliahu Wajcer, an engineer from Beer Sheba in Negev, and a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto, who in a letter written a few days ago (enclosing photocopies of an old magazine) requested Avraham Burg, president of the Israeli Parliament, to proclaim Karol Wojtyla "Just Among the Nations," the highest recognition given by Israel to those who did everything possible to rescue Jews from extermination.

In his letter, Wajcer wrote that "John Paul II has done more than anyone to reconcile the Church with the Jewish people." He adds, "To offer the recognition of 'Just' would enable the opening of a new page in the history between Jews and Christians."

Up to this time, neither the president of the Parliament nor the Yad Vashem Memorial to the Holocaust have commented on the initiative. The proclamation of "Just" requires thorough historical research, direct testimony, and months of work, much like the Church's canonization process.

Wajcer, who was a fellow-inmate with writer Elie Wiesel and with Israel Meir Lau, the current Grand Rabbi of the Ashkenazim of Israel, at Buchenwald concentration camp, continues to be interested in Polish culture. Therefore, he often goes to the library to page through magazines of contemporary history, among which is Zank, a publication produced in Warsaw.

"In the May-June, 1988, issue, writer Stanislav Krajewski described in detail a story about Karol Wojtyla," Wajcer explained. This is information that is not new, but that is not widely known in Israel.

Wajcer takes up the case of a Krakow Jewish couple who in 1942, feeling endangered by the anti-Semitic persecutions, entrusted their 2-year-old child to Catholic friends. At the end of the war, it was proved that the child's natural parents had died. Meanwhile, the Catholic friends had become very attached to the child and wished to baptize him. They asked the advice of Fr. Karol Wojtyla who counseled them, to their surprise, that if the natural parents wanted their son raised in the Jewish faith, that is what should happen.

The couple made all kinds of difficult research to find other relatives of the child. Finally, they located relatives in the United States who agreed to receive him. "That child became an orthodox Jew," Wajcer said. According to the engineer, this gesture of Wojtyla's surprised Polish Rabbi Israel Spira, known as "the just of Lubishev." "God has mysterious ways to reveal his will," Rabbi Spira explained to his students in commenting on Wojtyla's example. "To save a soul in Israel is tantamount to saving the whole world. This priest is worthy of becoming a Pope."

What the future Pope told the family who wanted to baptize the Jewish child was really nothing new. It is what the Catholic Church has taught throughout history, although it has not always been applied by the Church's children. At the Council of Toledo it was affirmed that until a Jewish child reached the use of reason, he could not be baptized against his parents' will, even if they had died. This teaching was set forth systematically by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica, Part III, Question 68, Article 10.

18. Ecumenical meeting with Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem 

March 25, 2000

Editor's note: When the Holy Father refers to "Churches and Ecciesial Communities" he means two different categories. 'Churches' refer to religious bodies with Apostolic Succession, that is, the Latin (Roman) rite together with the Byzantine or other Eastern rite Churches; 'Ecclesial Communities 'refers to all other Christian denominations.

Text

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

1. With profound gratitude to the Most Holy Trinity I make this visit to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and I greet all of you in the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I thank Your Beatitude Patriarch Diodoros for your fraternal hospitality and for the kind words you have addressed to us. I greet Your Beatitude Patriarch Torkom, and all the archbishops and bishops of the Churches and Ecclesial Communities present. It is a source of great joy to know that the heads of Christian communities in the holy city of Jerusalem meet frequently to deal with matters of common interest to the faithful. The fraternal spirit which prevails among you is a sign and a gift to the Christians of the Holy Land as they face the challenges before them.

Need I say that I am greatly encouraged by this evening's meeting? It confirms that we have set out on the path to knowing one another better, with the desire to overcome the mistrust and rivalry inherited from the past. Here in Jerusalem, in the city where our Lord Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead, his words ring out with special resonance, particularly the words he spoke on the night before he died: "that they may all be one;... so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21).

It is in response to that prayer of the Lord that we are together here, all followers of the one Lord despite our sad divisions, and all conscious that his will obliges us, and the Churches and Ecclesial Communities we represent, to walk the path of reconciliation and peace. This meeting reminds me of the historic meeting here in Jerusalem between my predecessor Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, an event which laid the foundations of a new era of contacts between our Churches.

In the intervening years we have learned that the road to unity is a difficult one. This should not discourage us. We must be patient and persevering, and continue to move ahead without wavering. The warm embrace of Pope Paul and Patriarch Athenagoras stands out as a prophetic sign and source of inspiration, urging us on to new efforts to respond to the Lord's will.

2. Our aspiration to fuller communion between Christians takes on a special meaning in the Land of the Saviour's birth and in the holy city of Jerusalem. Here, in the presence of the different Churches and Communities, I wish to reaffirm that the ecclesial note of universality fully respects legitimate diversity. The variety and beauty of your liturgical rites, and of your spiritual, theological and canonical traditions and institutions, testify to the richness of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the universal Church, as it has developed down the centuries in the East and in the West. There exists a legitimate diversity which in no way is opposed to the unity of the Body of Christ, but rather enhances the splendour of the Church and contributes greatly to the fulfilment of her mission (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 50). None of this wealth must be lost in the fuller unity to which we aspire.

3. During the recent Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in this Year of the Great Jubilee, many of you joined in prayer for greater understanding and cooperation among all Christ's followers. You did so in the awareness that all the Lord's disciples together have a common mission to serve the Gospel in the Holy Land. The more united we become in prayer around Christ, the more courageous we shall become in confronting the painful human reality of our divisions. The pilgrim path of the Church through this new century and the new millennium is the path traced out for her by her inherent vocation to unity. Let us ask the Lord to inspire a new spirit of harmony and solidarity among the Churches in facing the practical difficulties which beset the Christian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

4. Fraternal cooperation among the Christians of this holy city is no mere option; it has a significance all its own in communicating the love which the Father has for the world in sending his only Son (cf. Jn 3:16). Only in a spirit of mutual respect and support can the Christian presence flourish here in a community alive with its traditions and confident in facing the social, cultural and political challenges of an evolving situation. Only by being reconciled among themselves can Christians play their full part in making Jerusalem the City of Peace for all peoples. In the Holy Land, where Christians live side by side with the followers of Judaism and Islam, where there are almost daily tensions and conflicts, it is essential to overcome the scandalous impression given by our disagreements and arguments. In this city it should be eminently possible for Christians, Jews and Muslims to live together in brotherhood and freedom, in dignity, justice and peace.

5. Dear Brothers in Christ, it has been my intention to give a clearly ecumenical dimension to the Catholic Church's celebration of the Jubilee Year 2000. The opening of the Holy Door at the Basilica of Saint Paul-Outside-the-Walls, at which so many Churches and Ecclesial Communities were represented, symbolized our passing together through the "door" which is Christ: "I am the door, if any one enters by me, he will be saved" (Jn 10:9). Our ecumenical journey is precisely this: a journey in Christ and through Christ the Saviour to the faithful fulfilment of the Father's plan.

With God's grace, the 2000th anniversary of the Incarnation of the Word will be a "favourable time", a year of grace for the ecumenical movement. In the spirit of the Old Testament Jubilees, this is a providential time for us to turn to the Lord in order to ask forgiveness for the wounds which the members of our Churches have inflicted upon one another down the years. This is the time to ask the Spirit of Truth to help our Churches and Communities to engage in an ever more fruitful theological dialogue, which will enable us to grow in the knowledge of the truth and come to the fullness of communion in Christ's Body. From the exchange of ideas, our dialogue will then become an exchange of gifts: a more authentic sharing of the love which the Spirit unceasingly pours into our hearts. Your Beatitude reminded us of Christ's prayer on the eve of his Passion and Death. This prayer is his last will and testament, and it challenges us all. What will be our response? Dear Brothers in Christ, with hope-filled hearts and unfailing trust, let us make the Third Christian Millennium the Millennium of our new-found joy in the unity and peace of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

19. Palestinians and Israelis agree: Pope's visit stimulated peace

Statements by Israeli Prime Minister Barak and Palestinian Authority

Ramala--After the past week, negotiations for peace in the Middle East can count on a new point of consensus: the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority agree that the Pope's visit to the Holy Land was "historic" and it has given decisive impulse to the peace process.

Position of Israeli government

On Friday afternoon, March 26, John Paul II met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who stated that the Pope's visit to Israel has "immense historical importance." "It is the greatest step taken for the reconciliation between Jews and Muslims," he said.

The meeting, which lasted just over a quarter of an hour, took place by the Sea of Galilee, near the Church of the Beatitudes. At the end, Barak said that during his meeting with John Paul II, they exchanged impressions on some humanitarian aspects of the ongoing peace process between Israel and Palestinians and Syrians.

"The Pope brought a very uplifting message of peace, tolerance and compassion, not only among human beings, but also among nations," Barak said. The Israeli Prime Minister and the Pope had met the previous day during a very moving ceremony in Yad Vashem Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust.

The speed of the meeting was due, in part, to the imminent beginning of Sabbath, the day of obligatory rest imposed by Jewish tradition, which begins at sunset on Friday. On this day, the Israeli government does not take part in any official ceremonies, Barak explained to the Holy Father.

Palestinian position

During a meeting on the night of March 24-25, the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Authority stated that John Paul II's pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Palestinian territories was a "historic visit."

"We very much appreciate the Pope's historical visit and the positions he expressed in Bethlehem and in the Dheicheh [refugee] camp," the Palestine Board said, in a statement published after the meeting.

This organization, which governs the autonomous Palestinian territories, pointed out that the Pope "supported the just cause and rights of the Palestinian people at the international level." In addition, it is grateful for his "support of the refugees and for stressing the need to implement international resolutions relating to the Palestinan people." On March 22, John Paul II visited Bethlehem, the city of Christ's birth, and the Dheicheh refugee camp near that city. In Bethlehem the Holy Father said that the Holy See has always "recognized the Palestinian people's natural right to a homeland."

20. Vatican spokesman pleasantly surprised by Israeli press

Papal pilgrimage front page news in press worldwide

Vatican City--John Paul II's visit to Israel has been the country's biggest media event. Over 3,000 reporters were accredited in the Jerusalem Press Office to follow the visit. At the end of the journey, during an interview on Vatican Radio, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Vatican Press Office, analyzed the impact of the papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land on the media throughout the world.

The Vatican spokesman said it is important to distinguish between the media in general and the media in Israel. As regards the first, the pilgrimage "became front page news in the newspapers around the world. This means that they understood the importance of the trip, with the aspects the Pope was emphasizing; in other words, that it was a personal pilgrimage, in which the entire Catholic Church was represented in the person of the Pope. In addition, they stressed the improvement of relations and better understanding it promoted in the Jewish world."

What surprised Navarro-Valls most was the echo the trip had in the Israeli press. "The first few days it revealed a slight mistrust and expressed some doubts. However, when the Pope visited the Memorial to the Holocaust in Yad Vashem, the Israeli press changed and grew enthusiastic with this Pope whom they were seeing firsthand in their land."

21. Spokesman of Holy Land Custody evaluates Pontiff's visit

Papal Pilgrimage opens new era in relations

Jerusalem--John Paul II's pilgrimage to the places of revelation may bring Jews in Israel to rewrite their history books, according to a spokesman for the Franciscan custodians of the Holy Land. Fr. Frederic Manns spoke with the Vatican agency Fides, providing a preliminary evaluation of the repercussions of this visit.

Impact on Jewish world

Fr. Manns began by analyzing the impact on the Jewish world. He made a distinction between Orthodox Jews, "who don't want to have anything to do with the Pope," and intellectuals and politicians, generally lay people, "who are delighted with the visit." Among these is Ehud Barak, who is continuing the legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, "the first to open relations with the Vatican."

Fr. Manns said that behind "Barak's success is Rabin's sacrifice. A new era is beginning everywhere between Judaism and Christianity."

As regards the impact on the Jewish people, the spokesman of the Custodians of the Holy Land, who is also director of the Jerusalem Centre of Biblical Studies, believes that "up until now, they did not know much about Christianity." Now Israelis realize "that it is necessary to review the history books," because in school everything that related to the Church "was interpreted or eliminated."

"The press and television covered the events," noted the Franciscan, "which was unique in Israel's history, offering services on the Catholic Church, and stirring curiosity even in the larger public."

Impact on Muslim world 

Fr. Manns believed that in regard to Yasser Arafat, things could not have been better. In advocating a "homeland" for the Palestinians, the Pope followed the same road undertaken by Israel in the Balfour Declaration, in which Palestinians were promised a "homeland."

The Franciscan feared that the Islamic fundamentalists, conscious of the good relations established by the Pope with Israel, might increase tensions with the Christian population. "Some Muslim extremists of Nazareth have said that, after the Pope's visit, they will begin to construct the mosque, instead of waiting for the year 2001, as agreed with the Israeli government. They justify this action by accusing Christians of betraying the Palestinians.

Impact on Palestinian Christians

Finally, Father Manns thought that the visit would have an impact on the local Christian community. "It is hard for the Church in Palestine to accept Judaism, he noted, because Palestinians have rejected the State of Israel for decades; this has placed the Jewish roots of the Christian faith on hold for a time. Moreover, another factor, an economic one must be kept in mind. There are many wealthy Christians in the Palestinian territories but they prefer to go abroad, take out new citizenship, and not invest creatively in this area. In appealing for the rediscovery of their identity as God's children, the Pope also asked that they commit themselves to affirm human dignity."

"Christians must acknowledge the great dignity of Jews and Muslims," asserted the priest. "They can, indeed, be a bridge of reconciliation. For example, the Christians of the area reject the Bible or, rather, the Old Testament, because they say that is 'Israel's Book.' In other words, they make a political reading of the Bible, and, in this way, justify the political readings that Israel makes of the Bible. During his pilgrimage, the Pope asked that the spiritual message of the Bible be rediscovered--the promises to Abraham and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. I hope that in the future the Church in Jerusalem will give birth to the greatest Biblical scholars, as for them it is much easier than for a Westerner to learn Hebrew and penetrate the Jewish mentality."

22. Israeli press emotionally moved after Pope's farewell

Visit has knocked down barriers between Jews and Christians

Tel Aviv--"Mercy has come to the State of Israel this week and has left banal politics to one side," the editor of Jewish newspaper Haaretz said today, commenting on John Paul II's pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Knesset President Avraham Burg's impression was similar. "Modern Christianity has changed," he said in an article in the Maariv newspaper. Based on what is taught in Israeli history books, he continued, what had been a "religion that spilt blood with the Crusades and the Inquisition, has become a religion in which its priests are raised to the level of Just among the Nations. It is not possible to understand the fall of totalitarian regimes in Latin America, in South Africa and in Poland without thinking, in recognition, of the man who yesterday kissed the Wailing Wall." However, from his point of view, currents are emerging in Judaism that are turning back to take refuge in the past.

Yediot Ahronot, the daily newspaper with the widest circulation in Israel, significantly dedicated two pages to the picture of the Pontiff in deep prayerful recollection at the Wailing Wall. "This historic visit has brought respect for Israel and contributed to pacification between Judaism and Christianity," Prime Minister Ehud Barak said to the newspaper.

For Rabbi Michael Melchior, Minister for Diaspora Affairs, in just a few days "the Pope knocked down the psychological barriers that still existed between Jews and Christians."

Acknowledgement

Editor: We would like to thank the Zenit International News Agency of Rome for providing us with the addresses, homilies and statements printed in the above collage on the Holy Land. Translations are those of the news agency. Zenit, C.P. 18356, 00164 Rome, Italy. Web address: www.zenit.org