An honour guard greeted Pope
Francis as he touched down in Amman at the start of his three-day trip
to boost understanding between Christians and Muslims- Pope Francis has invited the presidents of Israel and Palestine to the Vatican for prayers and talks early next month
- The Pontiff prayed at the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock - two of the holiest sites in Judaism and Islam
- He also visited a Holocaust memorial where he met several survivors of the Nazi regime and kissed their hands
Pope
Francis today continued his diplomatic initiative to revitalise the
stalled Middle East peace process with a hugely symbolic gesture beside
one of Judaism's holiest sites.
Standing
in front of the Western Wall, the Pontiff hugged his two friends,
Argentine Rabbi Abraham Skorka and leader of the South American
country's Muslim Community, Omar Abboud. Both men were part of the
inter-faith delegation.
The
three-day visit has been deemed a diplomatic success, despite some
early controversy, after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli
President Shimon Peres agreed to travel to the Vatican next month for
talks.
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Standing in front of the Western Wall, Pope
Francis hugs Argentine Rabbi Abraham Skorka and the leader of
Argentina's Muslim population Omar Abboud
Pope Francis bows his head briefly before
placing a note in the Western Wall in Jerusalem on the third day of his
visit to the Middle East
Pope Francis was greeted in the Old City of
Jerusalem by the grand mufti Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, left, outside the
Dome of the Rock, the third most holy site in Islam
The Pontiff prayed at some of the
holiest sites in Christianity, Islam and Judaism over the past three
days and will hold a mass this evening at the location believed to have
been where Jesus hosted his last supper.
Pope
Francis, in accordance with Jewish tradition left a note in a crack in
the Western Wall calling for peace and understanding between the three
religions.
He bowed his head solemnly at the site, which is regarded as the one of the most sacred places in Judaism due to its proximity to the Temple Mount. He performed a similar gesture earlier in his trip at a controversial Israeli 'peace wall' in Manger Square, Bethlehem.
Pope Francis, right, greets his friends Rabbi
Abraham Skorka, left and Omar Abboud, centre outside the Western Wall.
Mr Skorka and Mr Abboud are firm friends with the Pontiff having worked
together in Buenos Aires
Pope Francis laid a wreath at the Hall of
Remembrance at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem where he
said God had been shamed by what man 'was capable of doing'
Pope Francis kissed the hands of several Holocaust survivors at the Yad Vahsem Holocaust museum during his visit to Jerusalem
This morning, Pope Francis visited the Dome of the Rock which is the third most holy site in Islam.
In a mark of respect, Pope Francis removed his shoes before stepping into the gold-topped dome where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammad ascended into heaven.
The mosque is known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount. The area is central to a territorial dispute between both religions.
Pope
Francis addressed the grand mufti of Jerusalem and other Muslim
dignitaries as 'dear brothers' during this morning's address.
In accordance with Jewish tradition, Pope
Francis bowed his head and left a note calling for peace in the crack of
the wall which is among the most sacred sites in Judaism
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left,
said he explained the security situation facing his country to Pope
Francis, centre,
He said: 'May we respect and
love one another as brothers and sisters. May we learn to understand the
suffering of others. May no one abuse the name of God through
violence.'
Pope Francis also visited the Western Wall which is the holiest place in the Jewish world. He took time to pay homage to Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War Two.
The Pontiff has used his three day trip as a major diplomatic exercise having visited several of the most sensitive sites in the Muslim and Jewish world.
Pope Francis also prayed at the wall which dividing Bethlehem and Jerusalam which was seen as hugely symbolic.
Shimon Peres and Pope Francis plant an olive
tree in the garden of the Israeli President's official residence. The
olive tree is acknowledged as a sign of peace
The Western Wall is one of the most important
sites for prayer in Judaism and Pope Francis used the opportunity to
call for peace between Jews, Christians and Muslims
Before leaving Israel, Pope Francis signed the official visitor's book at Shimon Peres' official residence
Pope Francis used a mass at the Church of All
Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane to call for people of all faiths to
have access to the holy sites in Jerusalem
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu used the opportunity of the Papal visit to explain the
security situation facing Israel during an impromptu visit to a memorial
to the victims of terrorism.
Among
the names listed were 85 people killed in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish
associaiton in Buenos Aires. Francis was an auxiliary bishop of the city
at the time of the attack.
In
particular Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the issue of the
controversial security barrier erected by Israeli forces. Earlier in his
trip, Pope Francis had prayed beside a section of the wall in Manger
Square, Bethlehem.
Commenting after the talks, Prime Minister Netanyahu said: 'I
explained to the pope that constructing the fence (separation barrier)
prevented many more victims of Palestinian terror, which continues
today.'
In a later
meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Pope Francis planted an
olive tree - which is regarded as a sign of peace - in the garden of his
official residence.
Pope Francis said: 'You
are known as a man of peace and a maker of peace, and I express my
admiration and thankfulness for your attitude.'
In
response, President Peres replied: 'We would be honored to offer such a
prayer either in our home or yours, in accordance with your kind
offer.'
President Peres
said the Papal visit would revitalise the stalled peace process between
Israel and the Palestinians 'based on two states living in
peace, a Jewish state, Israel, and an Arab state, Palestine.'
Pope Francis also prayed for the victims of
terrorism with Israeli President Shimon Peres (left) and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, on Mount Herzl
Pope Francis also held talks with Chief Rabbi David Lau, right, in the Heichal Shlomo Center in Jerusalem
Pope Francis also met with six Holocaust survivors, kissing each of them on the hand in an act of humility.
Writing
in a memorial book, he commented: 'Never again, Lord, never again! Here
we are, Lord, shamed by what man - created in your own image and
likeness - was capable of doing.
'With
shame for the fact that man made himself the owner of evil; with shame
that man made himself into God and sacrificed his brothers. Never
again!! Never again!! Francis. 5.26.2014.'
One
of the survivors, Joeseph Gottdenker, 72, from Canada told the Pope of
his experience: 'The Catholic people who saved me and risked the lives
of their whole families to save me, they are looking down today and
proud to see me meet the leader of their faith.'
In a dramatic diplomatic intervention, Pope
Francis managed to invite Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, (left) and
Israeli President Peres (right) to the Vatican next month
Earlier, in a hugely symbolic gesture, Pope Francis bowed his head at the Israeli 'peace wall' in Manger Square Bethlehem
Pope Francis addresses a group
of people in an area known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews
as the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem
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