Pope John Paul II will hold a brief meeting with Sir Immanuel Jakobovits, Britain’s Chief Rabbi, during his visit here the week after next, unless it is cancelled because of the Falklands conflict.
They will meet on Monday, May 31 in Manchester, which contains Britain’s second largest Jewish community. Afterwards, the pontiff will also briefly meet other leaders of the Jewish community.
The meeting was suggested by Cardinal Hume, Archbishop of Westminster, who is Britain’s Catholic primate. It would have taken place in London a day earlier except for the fact that this would have coincided with Shavuot.
By coincidence, the Pope will drive through Prestwich, one of Manchester’s most heavily populated Jewish districts, to conduct mass in nearby Heaton Park.
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