Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., January 21, 2008 Shvat 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 11:42 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Pope Benedict XVI delivering a speech after his arrival at the airport in Vienna on Friday. (Reuters) Last update - 11:17 08/09/2007 Pope visits Vienna memorial to 'show repentance' for Holocaust By Reuters Tags: Vienna, Austria, Holocaust  Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Austria on Friday for a three-day pilgrimage, during which he was to pay solemn tribute to Holocaust victims and extend his "sadness, repentance and friendship to the Jewish people." Beginning his seventh foreign trip in two years as pope, the German-born pontiff professed his affection for the mostly Catholic country, telling Austrians he felt a vivid sense ... of being at home here in your midst. After an opening ceremony at Vienna's lavish Am Hof square, the pope was to join the capital's chief rabbi at the Judenplatz, or Jewish Square, in silent tribute at an austere memorial to Jewish victims of pogroms through the ages. Advertisement The spot commemorates not only the 65,000 Viennese Jews who perished in Nazi death camps, but others who were burned at the stake in the 1400s after they refused to convert. In 1938, Vienna's Jewish community was one of the world's largest and most vibrant with 185,000 members. Today, there are fewer than 7,000. Alluding to the nation's Nazi past, Fischer conceded that Austria had dark hours in its history. Benedict told reporters on the flight to Vienna that the stop was intended to "show our sadness, our repentance and our friendship to the Jewish people." Later Friday, at the former imperial Hofburg Palace, Benedict was to address Austrian authorities and foreign diplomats based in Vienna. Benedict said he would use the speech to take another look at our present and our future. On Saturday, the pope holds an open-air Mass to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the founding of Mariazell, a famous shrine to the Virgin Mary about 100 kilometers southwest of Vienna. The Vienna Archdiocese said 33,000 pilgrims were ticketed for the event and that 70 bishops, mostly from Eastern Europe, would join in. Benedict called the anniversary the reason for my coming and said he would go as a simple pilgrim. Benedict's visit concludes Sunday with a Mass at Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral and a visit to the Heiligenkreuz abbey outside the capital. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   Vision of cooperation Saudi prince says if Israel leaves Arab land, it could join the Arab world. At odds with PM Bolton says the final IDF op in Lebanon had no impact on UN truce talks.   1.   Repentance? 14:47  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/07   2.   Durson 16:07  |  17 07/09/07   3.   Nice Gesture 16:11  |  Semsem 07/09/07   4.   I like this pope 16:44  |  Man on a rock 07/09/07   5.   Here`s an Idea !! 16:47  |  Stephen Puzio 07/09/07   6.   pope 18:00  |  siegfried buchwalte 07/09/07   7.   Re 1 what difference 18:13  |  Alan the real one 07/09/07   8.   Who Cares ?? 18:17  |  C Haimowitz 07/09/07   9.   Forget about the suffering of the past 18:42  |  EverythingIsPolitics 07/09/07   10.   Repentance. 19:01  |  Mark 07/09/07   11.   i agree with #4 20:50  |  Matt 07/09/07   12.   What a bad joke! 21:08  |  Muwallad 07/09/07   13.   Repentance 21:41  |  Leser 07/09/07   14.   Muwallad, late repentance is more... 21:56  |  Karl 07/09/07   15.   Mark- Don`t think Austria cares really 22:16  |  Dick Hertz 07/09/07   16.   Muwallad - huh? 22:17  |  Dick Hertz 07/09/07   17.   Pope = racist neo-conserv. 22:35  |  Dog 07/09/07   18.   Christians must ally with Jews 00:14  |  Hal 08/09/07   19.   Wow, it Almost Makes it All Better 02:24  |  David P 08/09/07   20.   Austria does not care 02:28  |  sweis Melbourne 08/09/07   21.   Get off your mighty horse, fellow Jews 02:31  |  Yered Shmuel 08/09/07   22.   And the Inquisition??? 03:05  |  Luis 08/09/07   23.   Yered Shmuel - Amen! 05:31  |  Catholic 08/09/07   24.   Yered Shmuel - True! 05:32  |  Just a jew 08/09/07   25.   A way to show repentance 06:12  |  a Jewish Reader 08/09/07   26.   You said it all Yered! 07:31  |  Jewish CANADIAN 08/09/07   27.   RABBIS WILL DO THE SAME THING, SOON 10:36  |  refugee 08/09/07   28.   Christians must ally with Jews - comment 11:59  |  Michael 08/09/07   29.   Pope visit to Vienna 13:53  |  Gamal Abdul Nasser 08/09/07   30.   Your name is Yarad, or Yored, Shmuel 14:42  |  Jesus 08/09/07   31.   a clarification 20:32  |  Stephen Puzio 08/09/07   32.   Number 30 02:25  |  Yered Shmuel 09/09/07   33.   stephen puzio 31 17:57  |  realism 10/09/07   34.   Misleading title 23:49  |  David King 18/01/08   35.   YES HE SHOULD VISIT 02:39  |  TOBIA 19/01/08   36.   To: A Jewish Reader 07:38  |  Christian Mom 21/01/08   37.   Jews and Catholics should know the truth. 11:05  |  JustUs 21/01/08

Today Online J'lem sources: Power shortage in Gaza worse than expected Responses: 69 Poll: Only 16% of Israelis back Diaspora input on fate of J'lem Responses: 22 Source: Israel won't free 2/3 of prisoners demanded by Hamas Responses: 10 Israel launches new satellite bolstering ability to spy on Iran Responses: 2 Gideon Levy: The mass killing in Gaza is just hurting both sides Responses: 7 Marek Halter: Mideast peace is inconveivable without Damascus Send response Editorial: Israel musn't give in to Nasrallah's provocations Send response Rosner's Domain Domain's guest: Americans must help improve Israel's education system Why Huckabee worries the Jewish voter 67% of Nevada Jews voted for Clinton Meadow Soprano is more proud of Israel than the US (WTR) Blog & Poll: Can Joe Lieberman convince Jews in Florida to vote for McCain? More Headlines 11:10 Satellite launch bolsters ability to spy on Tehran 11:37 Security officials: Gaza power shortage worse than expected 08:35 Source: Israel won't free 2/3 of prisoners Hamas wants released 05:08 Poll: Only 16% of Israelis back Diaspora input on fate of J'lem 09:19 IDF officer lightly wounded, militant killed in Tul Karm raid 01:58 Bolton: Final IDF op in Lebanon had no impact on UN truce talks 06:16 PM works to pre-empt Labor revolt ahead of Winograd report 04:48 Holocaust survivor kills wife in botched suicide pact 09:18 New industrial dispute looms as lecturers end 90-day strike Previous Editions Select Day 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan

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