Poland has hosted an event titled “In the Glow of the Bethlehem Light of Peace and of the Lights of Hanukkah. Message of Peace and Hope from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin”. The event was attended by bishop Mieczysław Cisło and a representative of the Jewish community, Cantor Symcha Keller, as well as many residents of Lublin. The participants recalled the words of Pope Francis, who offered his heartfelt “wishes of peace and fraternity” on the occasion of Hanukkah, the Feast of Lights.

“May the light of Bethlehem and the light of Hanukkah, hosted together for the third time at the Catholic University of Lublin, be an eloquent symbol of the Catholic-Jewish dialogue, epitomised by our patron and professor, St. John Paul II”, emphasised the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin, Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, in a letter commemorating the event. He recalled the words of Pope Francis, who a few days before, on 26 December, after the Angelus prayer, said that “the Feast of Lights, Hanukkah, celebrated for eight days by our Jewish brothers and sisters throughout the world“. On this occasion, the Pope sent them heartfelt “wishes of peace and fraternity”. Later in the letter, Fr. Prof. Kalinowski, noted: “May the light of Bethlehem and the light of Hanukkah bring hope in 2025”.

Hope and Dialogue 

The event was attended by representatives of the Catholic Church, the Jewish community, professors and staff of the Catholic University of Lublin, media representatives, and local residents who gathered in front of the Main Building of the John Paull II at the Catholic University of Lublin. The event was held by the Abraham J. Heschel Centre for Catholic-Jewish Relations at the Catholic University of Lublin.

Bishop Mieczysław Cisło, in 2006-2016 Chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference Committee for  Dialogue with Judaism, referred in the prayer commencing the ceremony to the motto of the Jubilee Year just begun in the Catholic Church: Hope does not disappoint.

Neocatechumenal and Jewish cantors sang hymns during the ceremony. The organizers expressed their sincere thanks to the representatives of the Neocatechumenate for each time they were present and participated in the event that united two religions and two cultures in a single city – the academic Lublin.

Shared Values

On behalf of the organizers, the director of the Heschel Centre of the Catholic University of Lublin and head of the Polish section of the Vatican media, Fr. Dr. Paweł Rytel-Adrianik, stressed that combining the Bethlehem Light of Peace with the light of Hanukkah has a symbolic dimension and draws attention to the shared values of peace, hope, and collaboration between Jews and Christians. “The lighting of the last Hanukkah candle in the presence of the Bethlehem Light of Peace is an expression of the Christian-Jewish dialogue so much cherished and called for by St. John Paul II”, stressed Fr. Rytel-Adrianik.

International Aspect

Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and a member of the Honorary Committee of the Abraham J. Heschel Centre for Catholic-Jewish Relations at the Catholic University of Lublin sent his greetings to the participants of the event.

Prof. Susanna Heschel, daughter of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, addressed a letter to the participants. Referring to the words of Psalm 119, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”, she stressed that “as our faith deepens, God’s word becomes our lamp” and noted that “Hanukkah means dedication, a week of religious renewal, to rededicate ourselves to our faith”. Furthermore, Prof. Heschel shared her memories: “My father used to point to the setting sun and tell me, look at this great miracle. Hanukkah is a reminder to cultivate our ability to sense the hidden as well as the visible wonders of God’s creation, the miracle of life, the holiness of God’s presence”.

The Genesis of Hanukkah

The word “Hanukkah” literally means “dedication or consecration”. It commemorates one of the greatest miracles in Israel’s history. When the Jews won a victory over the Greeks in the second century BC, they had to cleanse the Jerusalem Temple of pagan idols to re-dedicate it to the God of Israel. However, they had only a small amount of oil at their disposal, which enabled the main lamp, or menorah, to burn for only one day. However, a miracle happened, and the light burned for eight days. At that time it took precisely eight days to prepare the ritually pure oil. This event is commemorated in a ritual of lighting lights, candles, or oil lamps, placed on a special Hanukkah candle holder known as a hanukkiah. It is a joyous celebration spent with one’s family.

The Abraham J. Heschel Centre for Catholic-Jewish Relations at the Catholic University of Lublin is a research and education entity. The Centre’s mission involves the development of the Catholic-Jewish dialogue at a local, national, and international level. Its patron is Abraham J. Heschel, a Jewish theologian, philosopher, and poet committed to the Christian-Jewish dialogue.