January 25, 1904: Herzl Finally Meets the Pope, but the meeting did not go well for him! Here is what the Pope told Herzl:
We are unable to favor this movement. We cannot prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem – but we could never sanction it. The ground of Jerusalem, if it were not always sacred, has been sanctified by the life of Jesus Christ. As the head of the Church, I cannot answer you otherwise. The Jews have not recognized our Lord, therefore we cannot recognize the Jewish people. Jerusalem cannot be placed in Jewish hands.
The Complete Diaries of Theodor Herzl – Vol 4 -page 1602