Aaron Jean-Marie Lustiger

Aaron Jean-Marie Lustiger was a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005. He was born in Paris to a Jewish family of Polish origin and converted to Catholicism at the age of 13, during the Nazi occupation of France. His mother was deported and killed in Auschwitz, while his father and sister survived. He studied literature at the Sorbonne and theology at the Catholic Institute of Paris, and was ordained a priest in 1954. He became a chaplain at the Sorbonne and later the director of the Richelieu Center, which trained chaplains for French universities. He was appointed the Bishop of Orléans in 1979 and the Archbishop of Paris in 1981. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Lustiger was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church and a close adviser to Pope John Paul II. He was known for his conservative views on moral issues, such as abortion and celibacy, as well as his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and reconciliation between Catholics and Jews. He considered himself a "fulfilled Jew" who never renounced his Jewish roots, and maintained good relations with the Jewish community. He was involved in several historical events, such as the visit of Pope John Paul II to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See, and the apology of the Catholic Church for its role in the Holocaust. He also played a role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the promotion of democracy and human rights. Lustiger retired as Archbishop of Paris in 2005, due to his declining health. He died of bone cancer in 2007, at the age of 80. His funeral was held at Notre Dame Cathedral, where he was buried in the crypt. His epitaph, which he wrote himself, reads: I was born Jewish. I received the name Of my paternal grandfather, Aaron Having become Christian By faith and by Baptism, I have remained Jewish As did the Apostles. I have as my patron saints Aaron the High Priest, Saint John the Apostle, Holy Mary Full of Grace. Named 139th archbishop of Paris by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, I was enthroned in this Cathedral on 27 February 1981, And here I exercised my entire ministry. Passers-by, pray for me. † Aaron Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger Archbishop of Paris