 The candelabra was among a hoard of treasures stolen from the Temple |
The Pope has described a meeting with Israel's chief rabbis on Friday as "a sign of great hope" and a chance to improve understanding and co-operation. Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar were the first of Israel's chief rabbis to visit the Vatican. Their trip follows a papal visit to the Holy Land in 2000.
The rabbis had said they would bring up a fabled biblical candelabra thought to have been looted by Romans in AD 70.
But one of them later said they had left it to the Pope's "discretion".
The golden candelabra - or menorah - is depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome being carried away by victorious Roman legions.
"We left it to [the Pope's] discretion to find an object that would be important to us," said Rabbi Metzger.
"We don't know if it [the menorah] exists, but if it does and they decide to give it to us there will be no greater joy."
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