THE ORIENT AND ROME.

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1919, Page 28

THE ORIENT AND ROME.

•• : The Rome correspondent of the Catholic Times (London) ; writes :—-‘‘Professor lakir Behar, secretary-general of the Israelites’ Society of the Bene-Behar at Constantinople, fulfilled the mission upon which his co-religionists on the Bosphorus had sent him—i.e., to thank Pope Benedict for the aid and protection which he had afforded the Jews in the Turkish Empire during the war. The Jews had performed this duty already through the columns of their newspapers in Constantinople, but they did not feel content with this, and accordingly delegated Professor lakir Behar to come to Rome to express the gratitude which they feel for the kindness of the Vicar of Christ.

On the same day the Holy Father received in audience a group of Greek journalists representing the chief newspaper's in Greece. In the course of a brief address his Holiness said; — “We encourage Greek culture, and not only by words, but by facts, have we shown our benevolence towards the Orient. We are glad to have manifested it by choosing a Greek as Assessor of the Sacred Oriental Congregation I have -no doubt but the Gi'eeks will appreciate this fact at its true value. The name of Athens has ever been united to that of Rome. May God bless your country.’’

The Greek to whom the Pope referred is the Right Rev. Isaiah Papadopulos, Titular Bishop of Graziopolis.