Pope John Paul II Makes Historic Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
Pontiff visits Western Wall and Yad Vashem, calling for reconciliation between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Holy Land.
Pope John Paul II began a historic six-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land today, navigating the complex politics of Jerusalem while delivering messages of reconciliation to Israelis and Palestinians locked in difficult peace negotiations.
The 79-year-old pontiff’s visit, the first papal trip to Israel since Paul VI in 1964, included powerful symbolic moments. At Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, he met survivors and condemned anti-Semitism as “anti-Christian.” At the Western Wall, he placed a prayer asking forgiveness for Christian persecution of Jews.
“God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations,” read the Pope’s note, following Jewish tradition. “We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who caused these children of yours to suffer.”
The Pope also visited Palestinian areas, celebrating mass in Bethlehem and meeting refugees. He called for a “just solution” to the Palestinian issue and supported their “natural right” to a homeland, carefully balancing his statements to avoid taking sides.
Yasser Arafat welcomed the Pope in Bethlehem, hoping papal support would boost Palestinian claims to Jerusalem. Israeli officials appreciated the Pope’s recognition of Jewish ties to the land but worried about Vatican backing for Palestinian aspirations.
The pilgrimage demonstrated Jerusalem’s unique status as holy to three faiths, even as Israeli-Palestinian negotiations approach the explosive issue of the city’s future. The Pope’s message of reconciliation offered a spiritual counterpoint to the political deadlock.