Pope to Muslims, Jews: Let's 'work together'
Publish Date: May 26, 2014
Pope
Francis (L) and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I
hold hands at the end of a meeting on Sunday at the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre in Jerusalems Old City. PHOTO/AFP/POOL
Pope Francis (2R) looks on as he stands with religious leaders near the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site. PHOTO/AFP
"May we work together for justice and peace," he said at the sprawling plaza, which is also considered sacred by Jews because it was the site where their two Jewish Temples once stood.
As he toured the compound accompanied by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Hussein, he was surrounded by a large crowd of Catholic and Muslim officials, as Vatican security guards and Israeli police looked on.
Entering the exquisite blue-tiled Dome of the Rock with its landmark golden cupola, which is used as a place of worship for women only, the pope first removed his shoes.
He then walked down towards the smaller, silver-domed Al-Aqsa mosque -- Arabic for the "furthest mosque" -- which is considered the third holiest shrine within Islam because it is the site where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven.
Pope Francis prays at the Western Wall. PHOTO/AFP
For Jews, it is the holiest site in Judaism but they are forbidden by law to pray there, praying instead at the adjacent Western Wall, the last remnant of the retaining wall that supported the second Temple complex.
It is currently the holiest site at which Jews can pray and was also to be visited by the pope immediately after his tour of Al-Aqsa.
AFP
