Pope Francis meets ADL delegation; condemns 'widespread' antisemitism
Pope Francis denounced antisemitism as 'contrary to Christian principles' during a meeting with the ADL at the Vatican.
By JTAPope Francis talks as he leads the weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican (photo credit: REUTERS)
Pope Francis, meeting a delegation from the Anti-Defamation League, denounced “widespread” antisemitism.Francis met with the delegation Thursday at the Vatican, according to a report from Vatican Radio.“Sadly, antisemitism, which I again denounce in all its forms as completely contrary to Christian principles and every vision worthy of the human person, is still widespread today,” Francis said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the Vatican.The pontiff also reiterated a statement released on the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark declaration on Catholic-Jewish relations from 1965, that the church “feels particularly obliged to do all that is possible with our Jewish friends to repel antisemitic tendencies.”In a series of tweets, ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt said the encounter was both meaningful and powerful.
Blessed to have met w @pontifex who talked about fight ag #antisemitism which he called "completely contrary to Christian principles" 1/4
The pope recalled his visit last year to Auschwitz, saying, “There are no adequate words or thoughts in the face of such horrors of cruelty and sin; there is prayer, that God may have mercy and that such tragedies may never happen again.”