Pope Francis to visit Rome Synagogue

(ANSA) - Rome, April 29 - Pope Francis will visit the Great Synagogue of Rome, Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni told ANSA on Wednesday, without revealing the date of the planned visit. "Yes, yes, we are preparing for this event," said Di Segni, who talked about this issue during an audience with the pope on Monday. Francis will be the third pontiff to go to the synagogue, after John Paul II's historic visit on April 13, 1986, and Benedict XVI's on January 17, 2010. John Paul famously embraced and prayed with former chief rabbi Elio Toaff, who died 10 days ago, during the 1986 visit.