From the Register's blog:
The Vatican announced today that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Rome's synagogue slightly later than the expected, in the afternoon of 17th January next year.
According to a statement, the visit will coincide with the 21st Day of Deepening and Development of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, as well as a Jewish festival.
The visit has been on the cards for sometime: papal spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi confirmed it to the Register back in July but no date had then been fixed.
The Holy Father's visit will come after recent controversies such as the Good Friday prayer in the extraordinary form that calls for the conversion of Jews, and the lifting of the excommunication of Bishop Richard Willamson. The Pope has been trying to steer relations back on track, making a special point of thanking some Jewish leaders for their understanding following the controversy over Williamson who denies the extent of the Holocaust. He also condemned anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial during his trip to the Holy Land.
The Jewish place of worship belongs to the oldest Judaic community in Europe and one of the oldest continuous Jewish settlements in the world, dating back to 161 B.C. It was also the venue for John Paul II’s historic visit in 1986, when he became the first Pope ever to set foot inside a synagogue. His gesture helped confirm a path of friendship between Christians and Jews, in the conciliar spirit of Nostra Aetate (In Our Time), the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations between the Church and non-Christians.
The Vatican also announced today that the Holy Father will visit the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the opening of the World Summit on Food Security on November 16.
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