Putin's rabbi invokes Nostra Aetate, praises Pope Francis' ecumenism and fight against anti-Semitism
Russia's Chief Rabbi: Pope Has Done Much to Correct Mistakes of the Past
Russia's Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar said that Pope Francis has always been open to dialogue, which has allowed for mutual understanding. Berel Lazar added that in his speeches, the pontiff has reminded that the Roman Catholic Church rejects any form of anti-Semitism and strongly condemns hatred of Jews or Judaism.
"He was not a politician, he was a religious figure, that is, he approached existing problems based on eternal values. At the same time, he really did a lot to correct the mistakes of the past, to overcome the accumulated misunderstanding," Berl Lazar told the TASS agency.
Pope Francis died at his residence in the Vatican on the morning of April 21. He had held the post of pontiff since 2013. The pope last addressed the faithful on Easter, April 20.