Israel honors late pope John Paul II with stamp, Galilee park

[Scurrilous]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/578553.html

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"Israel is honoring the late Pope John Paul II with a commemorative stamp recalling his visit in 2000 and dedicating a park in his name in the Galilee, Israel's embassy to the Holy See said Friday.

The stamp depicts the pontiff's stop at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, where he left a letter asking forgiveness for acts committed against Jews by Christians throughout history.

One of the hallmarks of John Paul's 26-year papacy were his efforts to improve Jewish-Catholic relations. The Vatican established formal diplomatic relations with Israel during his papacy, and he was the first pope to visit a synagogue, speaking in Rome's main synagogue in 1986.

The embassy also announced plans to create a park in the Galilee, where the pope celebrated a Mass during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It will be dedicated to John Paul and include an amphitheater to host meetings and events."