Twenty-five years ago Israel and the Holy See reached a major milestone: The two sides formally established diplomatic relations.
The path was fraught with difficulties, in part because of past recriminations the two sides had had over the years.
But by 1994, the conditions had finally become ripe for a historic recognition of the Zionist enterprise by the world's most important church, and for the first time in history, the two faiths formalized their relations.
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Today the Vatican is concerned over the predicament facing Christians in this part of the world. They face a grave threat for their continued existence due to persecution by global jihad terrorist groups.
In light of this worrying development, relations between Israel and the Holy See seem to be more important than ever.
Israel is key to preserving the presence of Christians in the Holy Land as an island of sanity in this war-torn region, and the Vatican is very grateful for Israel letting Christians flourish here.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, arrived in early October.
Sandri is responsible for helping and guiding the autonomous Catholic churches that have remained loyal to Rome after the great schism of 1054. Those churches have been facing a constant threat over the past several years because of the turmoil in the Middle East and beyond, with terrorists keen on destroying their very way of life.
The attacks in Egypt and Sri Lanka and the constant targeting of Christians in the Syrian civil war are just examples of the horrific experience Catholics have had to endure.
In this regard, the cardinal sees Israel as a partner in the fight to eradicate extremism.
A milestone in the Holy Land
The cardinal served alongside Pope John Paul II, serving as his right-hand man during the first few years of the historic reconciliation with Israel. When he speaks about the shared fate with the Jews, he truly believes in it, because he sees the relations as something that is based on shared values.
"We are duty-bound, as Christians to avoid anti-Semitism but also to stand up to anti-Semitism, because at the end of the day, we [Christians and Jews] come from the same root," Sandri told Israel Hayom in a special interview when asked about the reasons behind Pope John Paul II's decision to turn the page.
Sandri has become one of the most important figures in the Vatican in recent years and sits on the College of Cardinals that elects the pope. He arrived in Israel as the guest of the Custodia Terrae Sanctae, the body through which the pope manages Christian sites in the Holy Land.
The cardinal's visit was part of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's visit to the Holy Land during the Fifth Crusade, in 1219, when the Christians and Muslims were bogged down in a quagmire.
During that visit, he managed to strike a temporary truce.
Ignoring the threats of walking into enemy lines, he arrived at the Muslims' headquarters and proceeded to talk with the sultan, appealing for common sense. The sultan, tremendously impressed by Francis's courage, dedication, and care for human life, agreed to a ceasefire.
Although the fighting resumed several years later, Francis's actions and his relentless fight to help the poor in the Christian world made him into one of the most admired figures in Catholicism.
He was later canonized and even today, he is considered a role model, to the point that the current pope even adopted his name.
Thanks to St. Francis's search for common ground and fraternity among peoples, he manages to put the territorial conflicts on the back burner, at least for a while.
His pilgrimage also had another major accomplishment: He managed to secure a special role for his Franciscans in the Holy Land, with the blessing of the Muslim rulers for many centuries.
Thanks to this arrangement, the Franciscans became the permanent custodians of many sites in the Holy Land and the Middle East as the official representatives of the Holy See.
Hope – through the tears
Although the cardinal is troubled by the crisis facing Christians in the region, he believes that interfaith dialogue will ultimately prevail over deadly fanaticism.
Having been in this position for quite a while, are you optimistic about this region?
"I am responsible for the spiritual aspects of the Christian communities here. I have already been 13 years in this job, and over those years we have had more reasons to shed tears than do other things, because of the wars; because of the persecution of Christians in various countries throughout the Middle East; because of the conflicts that caused the emigration of Christians out of this region. Because of all these reasons, we have been very disappointed, and constantly on guard. But despite all this, we have never lost hope."
Is Jerusalem, being the complex city that it is, the most difficult place for a cardinal?
"Jerusalem is a place that is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If this issue gets resolved, this will send a great message of peace to the Middle East and the entire world. But as far as we are concerned, as Christians, as the church, Jerusalem is a source of great happiness."
For Sandri, Jerusalem is one of the few bright spots in the Middle East, not just because of Israel's positive attitude toward Christians but also because Christians from around the world have been voting with their feet and making pilgrimages despite the many problems this city poses.
"I am personally happy to see the great number of pilgrims who arrive in Jerusalem, who visit holy sites and see the church as a living entity in this place. The arrival of pilgrims to this place is a great message because it indirectly supports the Christian community here.
"We see Jerusalem as a city of peace, true to its literal meaning. What is important, as far as we are concerned, is that it would always be accessible to all faiths. The wave of pilgrims to the city contributes to the State of Israel."
Missing John Paul II
Cardinal Sandri, 75, was born in Argentina to Italian immigrants. He has degrees in philosophy and theology.
Over the years he has served in a variety of roles in the Holy See, in many countries.
Between 2000-2007, some say that he was the third-most powerful man in Vatican City because he was in charge of the vast administrative functions of the Catholic Church.
After Pope John Paul II stopped giving his sermons due to poor health, it was Sandri who delivered his words to the masses on a regular basis.
In 2005, Sandri was the one who told the weeping crowds at St. Peter's Square that their beloved pope had passed away. "Our Holy Father John Paul has returned to the house of the Father … we all feel like orphans this evening," he said.
Even today, more than 10 years after his passing, Sandri talks about John Paul II with great admiration. After Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013, there was widespread speculation that Sandri might become the next pope.
Ultimately, though, after the white smoke appeared, another cardinal from Argentina emerged as the new leader of the Catholic Church: Pope Francis.
Sandri has already passed the age limit for becoming pope, but he can still take part in the selection of popes through the college of cardinals.
Do you believe that in light of the current climate in the Middle East, another truce like that struck by St. Francis in 1219 is within reach?
"Every time I visit Jerusalem, I am always awed by the sight of monks in the Old City walking alongside ultra-Orthodox Jews and Muslims who are on their way to the mosque. Jerusalem, in that sense, serves as a model to what relations between the faiths should look like. It radiates what St. Francis wanted to achieve in his visit to the sultan during the crusade when he crossed the lines and walked over to the enemy camp to engage in dialogue.
"He did not get much in return [for the ceasefire], apart from access to the holy sites, but this started a longstanding tradition of pilgrimage to the Holy Land and a constant presence of Christians in those sites.
"The current pope has made St. Francis's legacy live on. He has bolstered and deepened the dialogue with the Jewish people and Muslims, culminating with the signing of The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, which was signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar.
"Whenever there are hostilities somewhere in the world, we remember the challenge that St. Francis managed to overcome and the initiative he took; we try to implement it in our current era because even today it is very much relevant and necessary."
The celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of that seminal event are very important for the Holy See, is that correct?
"We mark this anniversary and the meeting between the Christian and Muslim worlds through various events, including with an academic conference on how this milestone shaped both faiths. To fulfill St. Francis's legacy, all of us – Muslims, Jews and Christians of every sect – must reach a common denominator of justice, openness, and universal fraternity."
Is the Middle East a better place for Christians today than it was when you started your current position?
"When I arrived today at Jerusalem's Old City and saw the throngs of pilgrims and the diversity of people from every faith, I was filled with joy. It shows that the situation in Jerusalem, in practical terms, is very different than the theoretical divisions in politics. The city's holy sites are accessible, the city has peace on a day-to-day basis. This is also the case in other places in Israel. Pilgrims across the world can come to Israel and visit without constraints.
"But we are also very much concerned about our brethren's situation in the West Bank. For example, the Christians in Bethlehem have a hard time reaching the holy sites because of bureaucracy and very stringent security measures.
"I can see why Israel is using strict security means, and I have many Jewish friends and rabbis. I think that with the goodwill of the state and others, we can reach a situation in which Christians will have an easier time reaching the holy sites."
A commitment to the Jewish people
Israel and the Holy See are marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of relations. Can those ties become even stronger?
"I told the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See that the first 25 years were the beginning of the friendship. This is a joint project between the church and the State of Israel aimed at bringing the two peoples together. Our goal is to have an infinite number of years of relations, leading to positive results and the improvement of all those involved, both Jews and Christians. We want to see these relations flourish not just as diplomatic ties.
"Many cardinals, including myself, are great admirers of Israel and are awed by what it has achieved as a young country: greening the desert; technological advancements; the aid it provides to various countries in agriculture, and medicine; its academic achievements and more. Those who are blessed have an enormous challenge: They have to know how to give to those less privileged and help those who have suffered from war. We admire Israel."
You spoke about John Paul II and his courageous decision to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. As someone who was his right-hand man, can you share more details about the process that led him to this decision? Did he consider it to be part of the Vatican's response to the Holocaust and anti-Semitism or did he just think this was the right thing to do?
"We in the church call him 'The prophet against anti-Semitism.' He adopted the strongest and clearest views against anti-Semitism. You can see that in his speeches and his sermons. He never said to me, 'What do you think about the establishment of relations with Israel?' He was very close to the Jewish people, and he considered the unrelenting fight against anti-Semitism to be one of the missions of the church. He was truly a man who wanted to get closer to the Jewish people in every possible way.
"There was another thing, no less important than establishing relations: John Paul II was the first pope to visit the Great Synagogue of Rome. He was the first to traverse the city and enter the synagogue. This gesture was of great symbolism: It showed just how committed he was to forging close ties with the Jewish people by drawing closer to their faith and to the State of Israel, through diplomatic relations. The two popes since his death have continued to speak up forcefully against anti-Semitism."
We are nearing the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, when a person's sins before God are forgiven. Should Catholics adopt such a holiday as well?
"There is no need because all of the Jewish traditions have been incorporated into Catholicism through our faith, through the New Testament. Many Christian rituals are essentially like Yom Kippur but in a different format, including the 40 days of Lent that allow a person to become pure. This period lets the believer get rid of his or her sins and prepare for light and its victory over darkness.
"We share with Judaism the same scriptures because the New Testament is intertwined with the Old Testament and we use it for our Catholic tradition, our celebrations and our rituals, which originate in Judaism."
What would you want to wish the Israeli people?
"I wish you continued success as a strong and prosperous country, and that you continue giving us reasons to smile and provide an opening for others to smile."
