In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope to ever visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where he was welcomed by the site’s Muslim clergy, the Islamic Trust (the Waqf) and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. There, he spoke about how true devotion means that we must all “work untiringly to safeguard human hearts from hatred, anger, or vengeance.” As a sign of deference to the Muslims, the Pope removed his shoes when entering. Photos of this historic event appear below.
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