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Last update - 15:54 10/03/2009
Vatican envoy: Holocaust deniers can't be considered Catholic
By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Jewish World, Israel News 

The Vatican's envoy to Israel asserted on Monday that Holocaust deniers could not be considered Catholic, in an apparent bid to temper tensions ahead of a papal visit in May.

Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco was seemingly referring to Pope Benedict XVI's reinstatement of bishop Bishop Williamson, who has denied the full extent of the Holocaust and says there were no gas chambers. The move sparked an outcry among Israelis and Jews across the world.

Williamson later apologized for his remarks.
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Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev expressed satisfaction at Franco's comment, saying that the conference was a step toward "building trust and creating dialogue, in the wake of the latest crisis with the Vatican."

Franco was speaking at a conference held by both Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and the Vatican on the actions of Pope Pius XII during the Holocaust.

The joint conference was an effort to clear the air between Yad Vashem and the Vatican following another incident that strained relations two years ago.

Then, the Vatican envoy to Israel threatened to cancel his participation in the annual Holocaust-day memorial, as a result of a controversial caption placed under a picture of Pius XII in the museum. The caption stated that the Pope's response to the Holocaust was questionable and that he did not do enough to aid Jews.

Franco also said on Tuesday that Pope Benedict's upcoming tour of Israel will be a religious pilgrimage - not a political mission.

Benedict will end the visit by celebrating Mass in the Galilee - the area in northern Israel where Jesus lived and preached.



Related articles:
  • Pope officially announces Holy Land visit in May
  • Israeli, Vatican historians meet to discuss wartime pope
  • Holocaust-denying bishop back in U.K. after expelled from Argentina
  • Catholic bishop that denied Holocaust apologizes for his remarks
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      1.   Pius XI ,(1857-1939) 12:36  |  ROLAND SEENER 10/03/09
      2.   I am Semite, you are Semite, we are all Semites 13:21  |  Boris 10/03/09
      3.   Oh Pope! where art thou? 13:57  |  Westwell 10/03/09
      4.   Utter nonsense 14:27  |  Giuseppe Sapone 10/03/09
      5.   Bad example Giuseppe #4 16:26  |  Dany 10/03/09
      6.   Jews have a very long history of persecuting Catholics 16:28  |  Boris 10/03/09
      7.   Holocaust 101 16:29  |  Westwell 10/03/09
      8.   Who is in charge in ROME---??? AIPAC 17:15  |  Labhras 10/03/09
      9.   #3,4 Sure are full of hate. Hope you recover. 17:26  |  Lou Medel 10/03/09
      10.   not the place of the envoy to make such statements 17:57  |  Rafael 10/03/09
      11.   Do not criticize the superior authority. 18:37  |  Max 10/03/09
      12.   dany 5 19:56  |  potobac 10/03/09
      13.   #4 Utter nonesense 20:08  |  Michael A. Shoemaker 10/03/09
      14.   Max, don`t be cynical. It doesn`t help. # 11 20:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 10/03/09
      15.   NO connection between the two 20:44  |  get real 10/03/09
      16.   What About former Hitler Youth? 20:59  |  Baruch Gold 10/03/09
      17.   #8 Labhras 21:22  |  H 10/03/09
      18.   Did they just issue a Fatwa? 21:47  |  Muslim 10/03/09
      19.   Potobac 02:21  |  Nano 11/03/09
      20.   The Vatican`s Response to Deniers 21:42  |  Nelson Robison 11/03/09
      21.   Holocaust Perpetrators that is OK, excommuication of Hitler 23:44  |  JMK 11/03/09
      22.   The catch is, Bishop Williamson is not a Holocaust denier 01:00  |  A. Halsey 12/03/09
      23.   Vatican indicates one CAN be both a Holocaust denier & catholic 11:30  |  Wendy 12/03/09
      24.   #20 - Nelson Robison 12:23  |  Wendy 12/03/09
      25.   Pope`s apologies 15:26  |  Yusef Daher 12/03/09
      26.   JPII 03:07  |  Jack 14/03/09
      27.   The Rothschild bank... 07:15  |  Maureen Ann 15/03/09
      28.   Totalitarian 20:42  |  Colin 15/03/09
      29.   Re: Wendy 16:49  |  Nelson Robison 16/03/09
      30.   RE Westwell 05:34  |  Shlomog 17/03/09
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