From left: Rev. Thomas Baima, JUF President Steven B. Nasatir, Archbishop Blase Cupich and Consul General of Israel to the Midwest Roey Gilad at the opening of the exhibit, Tuesday, March 29, 2016. (Photo by DePaul University/Jamie Moncrief)

A photographic exploration of five decades of papal visits to Israel will be on display at DePaul University this spring in a special exhibition co-sponsored by DePaul and the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.

The exhibit, “Building Bridges of Faith,” opened March 29 on the second floor of DePaul’s John T. Richardson Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave. Opening ceremonies featured remarks by Archbishop Blase Cupich, DePaul President the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider and JUF President Steven Nasatir. The exhibit continues through June 10.

“In a world ridden with conflict and strife, Jewish-Catholic relations stand as a model for authentic human reconciliation,” Nasatir said. “This exhibit photographs and portrays that reconciliation over the past half-century.”

The 44 historic images displayed depict stirring scenes as well as quiet, intimate moments during visits by Pope Paul VI, Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

There also will be a related panel discussion, “The Catholic Church, the Jewish People and the Jewish State,” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 18, in the library. That will feature the Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, professor of social ethics and director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Program at the Catholic Theological Union; Rabbi Yehiel Poupko, the Rabbinic Scholar at JUF; and Consul General Roey Gilad. Thomas O’Brien, associate professor and director of the Center for Religion, Culture and Community at DePaul, will moderate.

For additional information, contact Alice Farrell at [email protected] or 312-362-8822.