Rome, Italy, Jan 16, 2016 / 10:33 am
Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, said Pope Francis' visit to Rome's major synagogue this weekend is a sign of strengthened Jewish-Catholic relations, and shows that differences in belief should be a source of peace rather than violence.
The rabbi told CNA Jan. 14 that for the Jewish community in Rome "there are two main points" to the Pope's visit to the synagogue, which is scheduled to take place Sunday, Jan. 17.
"The first one is that it is a sign of continuity. This Pope wants to confirm the way of his two predecessors and not to put a stop in the way of good relations."
"And the second point is related to the urgency of our time, which is marked by intolerance and violence inspired by religion, or bad teachers of religion."