Photo of the Week

Jewish magnate blesses Francis at the Vatican

On January 27, 2017, Francis received in a private audience a delegation of the European Jewish Congress led by its president, the Russian magnate Moshe Kantor.

During the visit, Kantor gave the Pope a picture, above. It is a special Jewish blessing surrounded by an illumination representing the world, a tree of life and two peacocks at its base, which represent the resurrection. The peacock tails fall down and around the Hebrew text wishing love, abundance and fertility. This Jewish custom called Ketubah is commonly given to wish protection over homes and marriages.

We wonder whether Kantor was referring to the marriage of the Conciliar Church and Judaism. It certainly corresponds perfectly with the Russian Jew's proposal to the Pope to work together in areas of education and family. He also suggested that the Vatican hold an exhibit of Jewish art that belongs to him. Kantor is one of the richest men in Russia.

A video of the encounter is available here.

To view another Peacock Ketubah similar to the one given to Francis, click here.

Photos from the video by Rome Reports first seen in Call Me Jorge

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Posted January 29, 2017

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