Honor for Cardinal Schönborn: A star for the interreligious dialogue!

Honor for Cardinal Schönborn: A star for the interreligious dialogue!

Stadttempel, Wien, Österreich - Vienna, February 12, 2025: Cardinal Christoph Schönborn was honored by the Israelite cultural community (IKG) Vienna for his remarkable commitment in the Jewish-Christian dialogue. At a solemn ceremony in the Vienna city temple, he was attached to a star in the dome of the temple called "Schönborn-Stern". This is a historical moment, because it is the first time that a Catholic bishop took part in a guest of honor as a meeting of the Culture board of the IKG, such as Kathpress reports .

IKG President Oskar Deutsch paid tribute to Schönborn's many years of commitment to the Jewish community and his contribution to interreligious understanding. "We appreciate the cardinal very much for his strong commitment and his defense of Jewish interests," emphasized German. This is particularly important in view of recent anti -Semitism, which Schönborn always actively denounced and fought. Even after the devastating Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, Schönborn had proven to be the "rock festival friend" of the Jewish community, as Sn.at .

Schönborn's influence and commitment

Cardinal Schönborn, which shaped the interreligious exchange for over three decades, also expressed that Christianity is based on Jewish roots. In his acceptance speech, Schönborn was deeply touched by this honor. He referred to the significant role of the "Nostra Aetate" Council Declaration, which marked a new era in relation to Judaism and Christianity. This teaching is crucial for the understanding of the unexphable of God with Israel, which Schönborn sees as a central concern of his theological career.

The special honor in the Vienna city temple is also a symbolic act of cooperation between the religious communities. Oberrabbi Jaron Engelmayer emphasized the continuous cooperation and the importance of common explanations against religiously motivated violence, which recently expressed in the "Viennese declaration". This star is viewed not only as a commemoration of Schönborn, but also as a sign of hope for continued fertile relationships between Jews and Christians.