Posted on 05/13/2014 8:06:33 PM PDT by Former Fetus
Pope Francis is due to arrive in Israel on May 25, but Councilman Aryeh King has made clear that he will not be among the Jerusalem officials welcoming the Catholic leader.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is expected to greet the Pope on Mount Scopus during the visit, and Barkat's office has sent messages to members of the city council inviting them to join in welcoming the Pope.
King, chairman of the "United Jerusalem" faction, responded by mail to Barkat's office and the other council members, declaring that he will not join them.
"I won't come, unless (the Pope) will bring in his suitcase the treasures of the Jewish people that were stolen by his predecessors, treasures that today are located in the Vatican's basement," remarked King.
Several treasures from the destroyed Holy Temple in Jerusalem are believed to have been brought to Rome; indeed the Arch of Titus in Rome, erected shortly after the death of Emperor Titus in 81 CE, clearly depicts Roman soldiers bringing to Rome the golden candelabrum and other Temple artifacts.
The treasures reportedly remained on public display between 75 CE and the early 5th century in the Temple of Peace in Rome's Forum. Jews have requested access to the Vatican's storehouses to ascertain whether the treasures are still there.
The councilman added "without the return of our people's possessions, I see in (the Pope's) visit an unprecedented insolence."
Protecting Jewish possessions and sites.
King has likewise been actively opposing the rumored negotiations that would have Israel sell King David's Tomb to the Vatican. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman denied the deal on Tuesday, after hundreds of Jews protested at the site the day before.
Last month, an Israeli diplomatic source told Arutz Sheva that the Israeli government has no intention of transferring control over the site to the Church; those claims were reiterated Sunday, by the office of the Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
However, Rabbi Yaakov Sevilia, an activist for King David's Tomb, told Arutz Sheva that there is a deal in the works - which would see David's Tomb given to Christians, and the Temple Mount to Muslims. He cited journalist Gulio Meotti, who contributes regularly to Arutz Sheva, as the source for this knowledge.
That’s why I suggested a committee of Catholics and Jews.
Of course he would be expected to follow up with his promise.
My thought exactly, so Mr. King won’t grant the pope an audience. Hilarious
I have often been laughed at for signing on-line petitions, writing letters to the editor... They always ask me what is “little me” able to accomplish? It’s a long story, I don’t always feel like writing a book, but the summary is that when I stand in front of my Lord, He will not ask me “why didn’t you say something about ...?” I think Councilman King is doing the same thing, standing up for what he believes to be right, regardless of how much he can be expected to accomplish all by himself.
I wasn’t thinking of the actual sacking of the temple, but the treasures gained through so many centuries of sacking by the church and it’s military operations and organizations.
Today the denomination’s military force is too small for conquest and looting.
Maybe the Vatican is worried about Jerusalem being taken by radical Islam, in which case NONE of the treasures would ever be seen again. They’d be destroyed as were the giant Buddhas in Afghanistan, because they were the work of infidels!
The Vatican certainly holds Jewish artifacts it would be nice to have access to, whether the spoils of Jerusalem might be questionable.
The Councilman is correct they were displayed at the Temple of Peace. Common sense, the Temple of Peace was built to house the booty, of course it was there. Built by Vespasian, who was not a Pope. It was a pagan Temple. Don't know if it had a basement, probably not.
Near the end of the 2nd century it burned down. Burning down means the inside, not the marble walls. Some of which still stand. It was Rome's art museum, in a sense. Given the fact the Constantine ruled in the early 4th century, and began construction of the old St. Peters, if the booty survived the fire and was credibly seen in the 5th century, imo the implication would be that it was viewed as a Roman artifact, not Christian.
That's not to say the loot couldn't have ended up at the Vatican, Presuming the Vandals didn't value gold, or missed the loot of Jerusalem while sacking Rome
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