“Because of our commons roots, a true Christian cannot be anti-Semitic,” Pope Francis I said.
By JTA
Pope Francis condemned anti-Semitism during a meeting with representatives of the international Jewish community at the Vatican.
Pope Francis I in Vatican City, April 2013 – Photo: Franco Origlia, Getty
“Because of our commons roots, a true Christian cannot be anti-Semitic,” Francis said Monday at a meeting with a delegation of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, or IJCIC.
He added that the Catholic Church “firmly condemns hatred, persecution and all manifestations of anti-Semitism.”
While Francis has met with several Jewish leaders since becoming pope, he said Monday’s meeting was the first time he has spoken with an official group of representatives of Jewish organizations and communities.
