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Pope in historic pardon request from Jews, others

VATICAN CITY: In one of the most significant acts of his papacy, Pope John Paul asked forgiveness on Sunday for the many past sins of his Church, including its treatment of Jews, heretics, women and native peoples.

It was the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that one of its leaders has sought such a sweeping pardon for its past sins.

"We forgive and we ask for forgiveness," the Pope, wearing the purple vestments of Lenten mourning, said in the homily at a moving and unprecedented ceremony in St Peter's Basilica.

"We ask forgiveness for the divisions among Christians, for the use of violence that some Christians used in the service of the truth and for the behaviour of diffidence and hostility sometimes used towards followers of other religions," he said.

The phrase "violence in the service of truth" was an often-used reference to the treatment of heretics during the Inquisition, the Crusades, and forced conversions of native peoples.

"For the role that each one of us has had, with his behaviour, in these evils, contributing to a disfigurement of the face of the Church, we humbly ask forgiveness," he said.

Later during the mass held on the Catholic Church's "Day of Forgiveness" for the 2000 Holy Year, the Pope and his top aides asked for forgiveness for specific sins against Jews, women, other Christians, and ethnic groups.

The prayer for forgiveness for sins against Jews, which was read by a cardinal, said in part:

"Let us pray that, in recalling the sufferings endured by the people of Israel throughout history, Christians will acknowledge the sins committed by not a few of their number against the people of the Covenant."

The Pope then added in his own words: "We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours (the Jews) to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant."

The Pope also said Christians were ready to forgive others for the abuse they suffered over the centuries.-Reuters