Originally published July 24, 2023 8:00 pm PDT
Christian persecution is on the rise in Jerusalem.
QUICK FACTS:
- German priest Nikodemus Schnabel was instructed to remove his cross while visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel.
- His reaction to the order has now gone viral.
- An employee on site told the priest his cross was “really big” and “inappropriate for this place.”
- “That’s a Jewish place. You need to respect the place,” the woman adds.
- “This is very harsh of you,” the priest responds.
- As the woman says she is “respecting” his religion, the priest responds, “No, you’re not. You’re not respecting my religion.”
- “This is not provocation. I’m an abbot. This is my dress. This is how I’m dressed,” he says, noting that the cross is part of his dress code.
- He tells the employee, “So, you want from me that I am not dressed as my faith told me how I should dress.”
REACTIONS FROM OFFICIALS AND WESTERN WALL FOUNDATION:
- According to Jewish media organization YNet, an anonymous official said, “Unfortunately, we are seeing too many incidents that causer the appearance that there is hostility towards Christianity and Christians and that is harmful to Israel’s reputation and must stop.”
- Germany’s consulate in Ramallah supported the priest, saying in a statement, “We share his concern about the limitations placed on the space of some faiths in Jerusalem. Mutual respect and tolerance are the sources of the holy city’s unique character.”
- The Western Wall Heritage Foundation released a statement apologizing for the situation.
- “We apologize for any distress caused. The Western Wall is open to all. It should be emphasized that there are no regulations regarding this matter at the Western Wall Plaza,” the message read.
- “The usher approached and politely asked if it would be possible to cover the cross to prevent any discomfort, as has recently occurred in the Old City, out of a desire to respect both the visitor and the site,” the statement continued. “When he refused, entry was obviously not denied, and the usher respected the decision and continued on her way.”
BACKGROUND:
- American Faith reported that members of Israel’s governing body introduced a bill that would imprison those engaging in Christian discussion.
- The “Prohibition of Solicitation for Religious Conversion” bill criminalizes conversations about Christianity or the Gospel “directly, digitally, by mail, or online in order to convert his religion.”
- If caught having such dialogue, the individual may be punished with one-year imprisonment. If conversing with a minor, the offense is punishable by two-year imprisonment.
