Pope Francis urges antisemitism to be ‘banned from the human community’
Catholic leader urges efforts to rid the world of Jew hatred as he lamented antisemitic attitudes during a meeting with rabbis on Monday
Pope Francis has called for efforts to ensure that antisemitism is “banned from the human community”.
Francis lamented current antisemitic attitudes as he greeted visiting rabbis from the World Congress of Mountain Jews from the Caucasus at the Vatican on Monday.
He did not mention last month’s massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
But he referred to the upcoming 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when German Nazis attacked Jews and their property, and the recent 75th anniversary of the roundup and deportation of Jews in Rome, when the city was under Nazi occupation.
Francis said: “Sadly, antisemitic attitudes are also present in our own times.
“As I have often repeated, a Christian cannot be an antisemite; we share the same roots.”
He added: “We are called to commit ourselves to ensure antisemitism is banned from the human community.”
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