The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1922-04-05
PAPAL FRIENDS OF THE JEWS.


Since the Papacy and the Jews are
among the two oldest institutions in
Europe, it is not surprising that the
two should have been in contact. Time
was when the Pope exercised tremel-
dous influence in Europe. He was the
spiritual head of Christendom, and
now and again was mightier than the
temporal chicftain. All in all, despite
militarist Popcs and worldly Popes,
the Inpacy. it must he admitted, did
stand for morality as against force
and therefore the Jews have, Oh the
whole. reason to be grateful for the
protection afforded them by the long
line of Roman poatins. From the
time of Gregory the Great (500-6oD,
who may he said to have laid down
tie official policy of the Catholic
Church towards Jews. the Ropes re-
cardcd il as their duty to protect the
l:fc and property of the Jews, to in
sure for them minimum of religious
liberty and to declare that their Gem
cteries were sacred. Moreover, while
If was desirable that the Gospel should
lie offered to them, prose'ytes We're
not to be won by force. hut by per-
suasion. The reasons for this policy
were twofold On the one hand
the church. in granting this minimum
of protection. looked upon herself as
maintaining the standard of Christian
love on the other. the church needed
tho Jews because they were living
witness to the truth of Christianity
Gin testimoniam orthodoxac -fidei re-
servati). Grcgory's policy was reiter-
ated by many of his successors, but
tho best known bull uf protection
given to the Jews by Pope was that
of Calixtus G119112f(.
Despite their. large claims. the
Popes were. after all, but human. and
If is only natural that. while some
were strong personalities, others
should have been weak and even wick
cd The treatment of the Jews NJ
II cir hands. therefore. varied consid-
crably with the character of the occu
pant of the throne of st. Peter. some
Popes had sufficient humanity within
them to realize the injustice meted
out to Jews. When the Blnck Death
ragged through Europe ahd men died
like flies. the ignorant populncc at
tributed their Affections to the machi'
nations of the Jews. who We're accused
moro particularly of poisoning me
ellis. But Clement VI G342-13'2N
defended them against these faisc ac-
cusations. When the blood libel IT
Germany found general currency
among the masses and tho unhappy
Jews of that country appealed to the
Pope for protection. Innocent ~
f1243-1254D spoae out in their favor
as became one who claimed to be the
vice-rcgent of God on earth. In his
bull. .Iacrimabilem Judeorrrm Al
lcmanie." Innocent set forth with
some feeling his adherence of the
treatment of the Jews by reasons OF
the false accusation leveled against
them. Writing to the German bis
hops, he says: THE bitter cry of
the German Jews has come to our
ears that spiritual and temporal rul-
crs make ungodly accusations against
them. seeking excuses to plumber them
of their possessions. forgetting that
the Jews bear testimony to the truth
TO the Christian religion. For. where
rs. Holy Writ says, Thou shalt not
kill the Jews are falsely accused OF
eating at Passover the heart of n
murdered child. 1t is suggested that
their Law commands them to do TINS
the truth is that it expressly forbids
them Whenever Il dead body is dis
covered. the Jews are accused of muir
der. in order to furnish Il reason for
prosecuting them. They are robbed
without trial, they are expelled from
their homes all against the apostolic
commands The lives of the Jews thus
become more intolerable than that OF
their ancestors under Pharaoh. we
object to seeing them i'll treated, and
we order you to treat them in n
friendly way. Those who Cypress the
Jews shall he subject TO the penalties
Of the church - London Jewish
Chronicle
,,F... INV NJ golJbpro of Chicago