Pope’s US arrival coincides with Yom Kippur

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Pope Francis’ first trip to the U.S. coincides with one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

The holiday began at sundown Tuesday, just hours after Francis’ arrival in Washington.

Jewish leaders were among the thousands of Americans invited to the White House reception for the pope on the South Lawn this morning, but they will not attend, as they spend the day fasting and praying. Many instead will attend an interreligious event Friday morning with the pontiff in New York at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Jewish leaders are accustomed to such scheduling issues as a minority religious faith in the U.S., and the holiday conflict is not the first for a papal trip. In 1995, Pope John Paul II arrived in the U.S. on Yom Kippur for a trip that included an address to the United Nations, which also is on Francis’ agenda.