When Pope Francis visited Israel in 2014, one of his stops was at the Western Wall. This photo is part of an exhibition titled "Building Bridges of Faith," which will be on display at Richardson Library this spring. (Photo courtesy of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI greets children during a visit to Israel in 2009. This photo is part of an exhibition titled "Building Bridges of Faith," which will be on display at Richardson Library this spring. (Photo courtesy of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Pope Francis visited Israel in 2014 and one of his stops was Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. This photo is part of an exhibition titled "Building Bridges of Faith," which will be on display at Richardson Library this spring. (Photo courtesy of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
CHICAGO — A photographic exploration of papal visits to Israel from 1964-2014 will be on display at DePaul University this spring in a special exhibition co-sponsored with the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.
The 44 historic images depict stirring scenes as well as quiet, intimate moments during visits to the Holy Land by some of the most well-traveled popes in history: Blessed Pope Paul VI, Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.
The exhibition titled “Building Bridges of Faith” features papal visits to nearly a dozen Holy Land sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is recognized as the site of the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus of Nazareth; Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust; the Cenacle on Mt. Zion, traditionally held to be the site of the Last Supper; and the Western Wall.
The archival images will be on display in the John T. Richardson Library, second floor, on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave. The exhibition opens March 29 and will be on display through June 10.
“I was in Jerusalem at the same time as Pope Francis in 2014, and I remember his visit as a very special moment for everyone living in that holy land,” said the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M. president of DePaul University. “DePaul is honored to host this exhibition with the Consul General of Israel and to show this unique glimpse of Catholicism and Judaism reaching out to one another over the past half century and Israel’s consistent warm welcome.”
“It is indeed our great honor to partner with such an important Catholic academic institution like DePaul in bringing this exhibition to Chicago. The relationship between the Vatican and Israel had a slow start, but Pope Francis’ visit in 2014, which was the fourth visit of popes to Israel, reflected a peak in the relationship. We in Israel greatly appreciated the warmth in which Pope Francis conducted his visit to Israel. I do believe that this exhibition is a beautiful homage to this unique visit,” said Roey Gilad, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.
The photographic exhibition at DePaul is one of three cultural events this spring co-sponsored with the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest. Each is designed to engage with the broader community and illustrate the positive interreligious dialogue between Catholics and Jews.
Panel discussion set for April 18
On April 18, a panel discussion titled “The Catholic Church, the Jewish People and the Jewish State” will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Richardson Library, Room 400. Speakers include the Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, professor of social ethics and director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Program at the Catholic Theological Union; Rabbi Yehiel Poupko, the Rabbinic Scholar at the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago; and Roey Gilad, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest. The discussion will be moderated by Thomas O’Brien, associate professor and director of the Center for Religion, Culture and Community at DePaul.
Play reading planned for May 18
On May 18, There will be a reading of a version of the play “Imagining Heschel: In Search of Radical Amazement,” written by Colin Greer. The performance is scheduled for 6 p.m. in The Theatre School building, 2350 N. Racine Ave. The reading will be followed by a Q&A and reception. David Y. Chack, with DePaul’s Theatre Studies faculty, is the director. Chack also is the artistic director of ShPIeL and president of the Association for Jewish Theatre.
For additional information, please contact Alice Farrell in DePaul’s Office of Mission and Values,
afarrell@depaul.edu or 312-362-8822.
The photographic exhibition, when it closes in Chicago, will be on display this summer at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, in Mundelein, Illinois, and then this fall at Marquette University in Milwaukee.
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Media Contact:
Carol Hughes
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