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10 Vatu First Pope in a Synagogue
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of Vanuatu |
|---|---|
| Year | 2011 |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse lettering | RIPABLIK BLONG VANUATU 10 VATU LONG GOD YUMI STANAP |
| Reverse description | The reverse features a full-colour photographic depiction of Pope John Paul II shaking hands with the Chief Rabbi inside the Great Synagogue of Rome, commemorating the historic 1986 visit — the first time a reigning Pope entered a synagogue. The ornate interior of the synagogue is visible in the background. The papal coat of arms, rendered in colour at the lower left, displays the characteristic gold cross on blue field with the letter 'M'. The legend 'RECONCILIATION OF RELIGIONS' arcs along the upper border, with the year '2011' below it, and 'POPE JOHN PAUL II' inscribed along the lower rim, flanked by his birth and death years '1920-2005'. |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark John Paul II's 1986 visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome — the first time a reigning pope had entered a Jewish house of worship in recorded history. He referred to the Jewish people there as "elder brothers," a phrase that drew both praise and considerable theological debate in the years that followed.
Vanuatu has no meaningful connection to either the Vatican or Rome's Jewish community. These silver-plated copper issues are frankly collectibles manufactured for the commemorative market, produced under license and sold internationally rather than circulated in Port Vila.