Pope Adds Two Events with Jewish Leaders to His Itinerary

Yesterday's and today's news has been filled with stories about the Pope's previously unscheduled visit to a Synagogue in Manhattan. It's significant because it seems to be a later addition to the trip, it falls on the eve of Passover, it will be the first visit by a Pope to an American synagogue, and it comes on the heels of the controversy regarding the revival of the Church's Good Friday prayer.

It's interesting to watch how the Pope's trip has developed. There are the official events, which are plain for all to see from the itinerary, but then there are additional events that have cropped up since the publication of the official itinerary - his meeting with representatives from various Catholic charitable organizations, his lunch with the U.S. Cardinals, and now his "informal and personal" visit to the Park East Synagogue on April 18, and a separate meeting with about 50 Jewish leaders in the Polish Heritage Room of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center the day before in Washington, D.C.

Rocco Palmo offers information from the Vatican regarding the Good Friday prayer, and also adds this:

Announced by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the pontiff's "personal and informal" visit to the Park East Synagogue on Manhattan's 67th Street was intended to convey Benedict XVI's "good will toward the local Jewish community." Given the coincidence of Passover with the the New York leg of the 15-20 April papal visit, the absence of the Jewish community from the pontiff's schedule there had previously come under some criticism.

The New York Times has a full story on Thursday's announcement.

Newsday had these quotes from their article on the visit.

"For him to stop in at my synagogue on the eve of Passover really is a very symbolic and significant step," Rabbi Arthur Schneier said.

"By this personal and informal visit, which is not part of his official program, His Holiness wishes to express his good will toward the local Jewish community as they prepare for Passover," said Monsignor David Malloy, general secretary of the USCCB.

Those who have read Pope Benedict's "Jesus of Nazareth," will recall that the Pope gives significant time to Rabbi Jacob Neusner, author of "A Rabbi Talks with Jesus." Neusner is profiled in this Time article.

This will be Pope Benedict's second visit to a synagogue since his election. Recall, that during World Youth Day in Cologne, he was the first Pope to visit a German synagogue. You'll find his address from that visit, here.

At the time, I blogged about that event. Here's my coverage from the Pope's visit to the Cologne synagogue.

The pope's visit with Jewish leaders at the synagogue here in Cologne just finished. It began with a Rabbi chanting the 23rd Psalm. A Jewish leader spoke about Judaism's five pillars (the soul, memory, good deeds, prayer, and Shalom) before introducing Pope Benedict.

Pope Benedict recounted the Jewish history in Cologne which dates back to 321 and spoke of the Shoah at the hands of an "insane, racist ideology born of paganism...and because the holiness of God was not recognized or the sacredness of human life."

Referring to Pope John Paul II as his venerable predecessor, he said, "I bow my head before all those who experienced this manifestation of man's inhumanity to man. The events of that time must inspire the building of peace."

He spoke of the Judaism as the roots of Christianity and again referred to something John Paul had said: "Whoever meets Jesus Christ meets Judaism."

He called Jewish and Christians to give an "ever more harmonious expression of human rights and the sacredness of life..." and referred to the 10 Commandments as a lamp for our steps and a light for our path.

"God has given the Commandments to us that never again may evil come to power."

After the speech, Jewish leaders presented him with a type of ram's horn. He presented them with a complete handwritten collection of documents from Alexandria that dated from the 3rd century. Then a series of Shoah survivors came forward to greet the pope. Each was presented with a gift in a small green Vatican box. Usually the pope gives out rosaries. I'd like to know what the Vatican hands out to those who are not Christian.

Outside the synagogue, a WYD volunteer greeted him with a WYD backpack. A security person took the bag away from the pope, but the pope then turned and asked for it back, posing with it for a photo.

The visit to the synagogue is historic in most every respect. Here is a German pope, meeting with Jewish leaders in a synagogue which had been destroyed by the Nazis. Considering that the Pope's predecessor, Peter, was once thrown out of the Jewish temple, it was wonderful to witness the coming together of these two great faiths under a Jewish roof.