Rome, Italy, Jun 14, 2019 / 05:56 am
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin marked the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel Thursday by calling for a shared commitment to religious freedom and combatting anti-Semitism.
"The peace process and the future of the region are in the heart of the pope and the Holy See," Parolin said June 13 at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary in the Great Synagogue of Rome.
"The Holy See and the State of Israel are called to join forces to promote religious freedom -- of religion and of conscience -- as an indispensable condition to protect the dignity of every human being, and to work together to combat anti-Semitism," he said.
Parolin said that the special nature of the relationship between Israel and the Holy See emerges from the unique character of the Holy Land.