It has long been known that in the Vatican catacombs are many Jewish artifacts that have yet to be released back to the Jews. This is completely shameful on the part of the Vatican. Pope John Paul II while in Israel during an historic visit in 2000 made a formal apology to all Jews on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church for the Vatican’s indifference to the plight and suffering of Jews during the holocaust that took place during World War II. Yet they still to date hold on to artifacts belonging to the Jewish people.
There are countless books and artifacts in the Vatican catacombs. Many important writings and other objects of religious and historical significance to the Jews that are located in the Vatican’s present dwellings. One in particular comes to mind is the Menorah that is from the Temple of Solomon.
This was posted on Free Republic in 2004:
When the Romans sacked Jerusalem in 70 A.D., they took huge amounts of booty home. Legend has it that religious articles from the Temple, including the menorah, were among them.
The Arch of Titus in Rome depicts victorious Roman legions marching off with the seven-branch menorah in hand.
Amar said the Vatican official denied the menorah was there.
“My heart tells me this is not the truth, but that it is some kind of camouflage,” Amar said. An aide to the rabbi said the Vatican was not likely to permit a search.
The Vatican will allow the rabbis to view rare Jewish manuscripts in its possession, Amar said.
He said if the rabbis were to come across “other objects,” they would be happy to bring them home.
The menorah was the most important symbol of the Temple after the Ark of the Covenant. The image of the biblical menorah is the symbol of the modern state of Israel.
Some Orthodox Jews believe the restoration of the menorah and other holy vessels to Jerusalem would be the first step in rebuilding the Temple, whose site is now occupied by the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine of Islam.
There is this interesting fact also:
The fact that the Vatican holds these holy Temple vessels has been very well know since 70 CE and many Jews traveled to the Vatican when they could do so to look for them and to see them. Some of the travelers testified that they had personally seen the golden Menorah and the vessels in the basements of the Vatican. Some priests have even confirmed the fact that the Menorah and holy vessels are in the Vatican.
To date it is shameful that none of these artifacts have been returned to their rightful owner - THE JEWS. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME ON THE VATICAN!
Crossposted from The HILL Chronicles
Loading ...
4 users commented in " Jewish artifacts in Vatican catacombs "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackThe Jewish section of Rome is down the hill from the Vatican, next to the river. The fact that it is still there says a lot about the Vatican.
Usually the Vatican allows scholars to search their archives. However, before you wonder why the Vatican is keeping these objects, just remember that if the Vatican hadn’t gone to the time and effort to save these objects they would have been destroyed in one of the many sacks of Rome, or stolen by greedy merchants and melted down for the gold. If the objects had been “returned” to Israel after the fall of the temple but before 1948, they would now be in the hands of the Muslims, and one doubts they would still exist.
A rabbi can’t just go in there and demand these objects. He needs authorization The Israeli government can do it however.
Who is their “rightful” owner? Interesting question. England still owns a lot of Greek and Egyptian artifacts, and the Indians are mad at the Smithsonian.
You could say the same for every object in every museum in the world.
[…] Jewish artifacts in Vatican catacombs Blogger News Network - USA It has long been known that in the Vatican catacombs are many Jewish artifacts that have yet to be released back to the Jews. This is completely shameful on … See all stories on this topic […]
To whom do these artifacts belong? The State of Israel? The local synagogue? The State of Israel is only sixty years old. How long has the Vatican supposedly had these artifacts. I think I smell anti-Catholicism in this b.s.
Michael, You seem to forget that the Christian religion came from the Jewish Religion…Old Testament came before New Testament
…and that Abraham was the first Jew…and first person to believe in one G-d. Christianity came long after that as well as the Romans…as well as the Vatican. After all, the Jews built the 2 Temples before the Vatican was created. The Romans plundered Israel and the Jews to stop them from practicing Judaism.
So I think that the Jewish people have a right to their plundered artifacts and history. After all, if Germany and and the private Swiss banks are returning possessions of Jews stolen by the Nazis in WWII, then I think the Vatican can do the same.
Leave A Reply