Rome's chief rabbi, Riccardo Di
Segni, on Thursday wished Pope Francis a happy Easter ahead of
the canonization of popes John XXIII and John Paul II on April
27.
"You will soon honor two great popes, who effected positive
change in the church's relations with Judaism, and this is a
sign of hope for everyone", wrote Di Segni, who had a cordial
relationship with the late Karol Wojtyla and attended his
funeral in April 2005.
"The ancient feast of spring, to which our traditions have
added historical and religious significance, is a time for
renewal and reflection on our duty in this world", added the
chief rabbi.
"The frequent overlapping of our holidays is a call to
share our common values".
Referring to Francis' upcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
Di Segni also said that "our prayer is that you may make a
significant contribution to a political and religious peace".
The pope will visit Jordan, Palestine and Israel from May
24-26.
Francis sent his best wishes to the chief rabbi and to
Rome's Jewish community when Passover began, on April 14.
http://popefrancisnewsapp.com/
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
