The Catholic Church is hoping to construct a Christian meeting center at the birthplace of the Apostle Paul in Turkey. German bishops are requesting tolerance for Christians in Turkey in exchange for their support of mosques in Germany.

Der Spiegel, a German magazine, reports that, “there is little left from the days when the town of Tarsus was not Turkish but part of the Roman Empire: a handful of columns, a few old walls -- and a house where, about 2,000 years ago, a man who would become a central figure in Christianity was born.”

In the Bible, Paul calls himself the Jew from Tarsus. Many Christians give credit to Paul for bringing Christianity to the world.

Hence, every year thousands of pilgrims travel to Tarsus near the Turkish-Syrian border. But only a few people are permitted to worship inside the Church of St. Paul that was built several centuries ago.

Pope Benedict wants the Turkish government to loosen restrictions For Christians who want to practice their faith inside St. Paul’s Church in Tarsus. This liturgical year, he declared the ‘Year of St. Paul.’

To read the entire article from Der Spiegel, link here:

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