St. John Paul II in Israel: “Jews and Christians share an immense spiritual patrimony”

The West is experiencing a regrettable wave of antisemitism that is once again placing the Jewish people in the crosshairs of fanatics.

The words of Pope Saint John Paul II to the Jews, our 'older brothers'
A cardinal's resounding message to those who call themselves Christians and hate Jews

This wave of antisemitism is being promoted mainly by the far left and Islamists, but some Christians have also fallen prey to this openly anti-Christian hatred. As a Christian, I am particularly ashamed to see other Christians, and that is why today, the day that the Catholic Church dedicates to Saint John Paul II, I want to remember the visit of the Polish Pope to Israel in March 2000, 25 years ago.

Karol Wojtyła was the second pope to visit Israel: Paul VI had already visited the country in 1964. Furthermore, Saint John Paul II was the first pope to visit Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, located in Jerusalem. Furthermore, during his pontificate, in 1994, the Vatican and Israel established diplomatic relations, establishing an apostolic nuncio in Tel Aviv and an Israeli embassy to the Holy See. It was a rapprochement that helped heal centuries of wounds between Catholics and Jews.

As I explained here two years ago, Saint John Paul II was very firm in his condemnation of antisemitism. On March 23, 2000, in his speech at Yad Vashem, the Polish Pope stated:

"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, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God'.” (Ps 31:14).

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)."

Three days later, on March 26, 2000, Saint John Paul II visited the Wailing Wall, Judaism's holiest site and a remnant of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, destroyed in 70 AD by order of the Roman Emperor Titus. The Polish Pope left a note in English on the Wall with the following text:

God of our fathers,
you chose Abraham and his descendants
to bring your Name to the Nations:
we are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those
who in the course of history
have caused these children of yours to suffer,
and asking your forgiveness
we wish to commit ourselves
to genuine brotherhood
with the people of the Covenant.

Jerusalem, 26 March 2000

Joannes Paulus II

On this day that the Catholic Church dedicates to the Polish Pope, I ask for the intercession of Saint John Paul II so that God may help Jews and Christians to maintain and strengthen their bonds of brotherhood and never allow those bonds to be corrupted by hatred.

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Photo: Yad Vashem. Saint John Paul II placing a note at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on March 26, 2000, during his visit to Israel.