by Joshua Lapide

“We killed Jesus” and “Christians out”, extremists write. Urinating on the door has become an almost daily event. Graffiti are linked to a statement made by an Israeli deputy ministry claiming that the Vatican wants to claim sovereignty on Mount Zion.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – A further outrage was committed last night against the Franciscan church adjoining the Cenacle on Mount Zion, next to the Room of the Last Supper (pictured, Benedict XVI’s visit in May 2009).

Obscene graffiti on the doors leading to the church read “We killed Jesus", "Christians out" (in English and Hebrew) and "F... off", which were adorned with a "Star of David", apparently so as to leave no one in doubt about the religious affiliation of the perpetrators.

To make the point further, the assailants had urinated on the door and left a long trail of urine leading to it.

According to churchmen at the site, the urination on the door of the shrine has become an almost daily event. Christian sources blame recent false statements attributed by the press to an Israeli deputy minister, suggesting the Vatican wants to claim sovereignty over Mount Zion, for inciting extremist Jewish elements to increase these, by now habitual, attacks.

A few days ago, more graffiti on the wall of the Basilica of the Dormition, near the Cenacle, also read “Death to Christians” (see “"Death to Christians": Hebrew graffiti next to Upper Room in Jerusalem,” in AsiaNews, 12 December 2009).

• israel
• vatican
• mount
• zion
• graffiti
• urination
• basilica
• dormition
• sovereignty
• cenacle
• freedom
• of
• religion