Archbishop Malines of Brussels has ordered the removal of several paintings from St. Michel Cathedral which depict a 14th Century incident in a way likely to arouse hostility toward Jews. The paintings, and a number of stained glass windows and tapestries, illustrate an event that occurred in 1370 when the Jewish community of Brussels was punished for committing an alleged “eucharistic profanation.” The removal of the paintings, ordered after consultations with local Jewish authorities, was based on the Vatican Council’s declaration of 1965 which called on Christian communities to take a fraternal approach toward their Jewish neighbors. In addition, the Archbishop ordered the posting of explanatory comments near the tapestries and windows not removed so that viewers may understand the incident to be depicted in the context of the time when it took place.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
