Austrian bishops get it right

barred from Jewish holy site in Jerusalem for wearing crosses

Thirteen Austrian bishops were barred from praying at Jerusalem's Western Wall last week by Jewish religious authorities when they refused to take off their Crosses, according to Austrian officials.

On a planned visit on Thursday to the wall — the holiest place where Jews can pray — the bishops were given an ultimatum by the rabbi of the site: Either remove the crosses or stand behind a fence several meters (yards) from the site. The bishops refused the request and watched people praying from behind the fence, according to an Austrian official.

"They were a bit disappointed they were not let into the wall," said Arad Benko, spokesman for the Austrian embassy. "It was a disappointing moment." He said the bishops were not informed before the visit that wearing the crosses would be a problem.


The Austrian bishops clearly have not travelled very much, if they thought that wearing the symbol of the Catholic Faith would not be a problem.

Thanks to the ever-superlative Kreuz.net.

My wife's second husband was Jewish. He was prepared to accept the Suffering Christ being hung on the wall of their home, but without a Cross behind, so as to deny the historical reality. Christ in some senses stands as a figure of universal suffering. It is true that this is an advance on the Protestants, who refuse Christ, but place the Cross at the centre of their worship.
There is one City ofLondon Anglican church that does not have a Cross at all. A coach party came in when I was visiting. One of the party said to the other, "Do we have a Cross in our church (at home, in Yorkshire), I can't remember?". "Sorry, can't remember myself", came the reply!

I Corinthians 1.23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

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