We recognise today, that many centuries of blindness

have veiled our eyes,

so that we no longer see the beauty of

Your chosen people

and no longer recognise the

features of our first-born brother.

We know now that the mark of Cain is on

our forehead.

Over the course of centuries our brother Abel

has lain in the blood we have spilled,

and has wept tears which we have caused,

because we forgot

Your love.

Forgive us for the curse,

which we unjustly placed on the name of the Jews.

Forgive us,

for crucifying

You a second time.

For we knew not what we were doing …

Pope John XXIII's Prayer for Penance, written shortly before his death on 3rd June, 1963