Lauder has hailed Pope Francis’ visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau as “a strong signal” against hatred and called the Catholic Church leader “one of the closest allies Jews have today in the fight against anti-Semitism and bigotry”.
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He became the third Pope to walk through the main gate of Auschwitz, under its infamous inscription “Arbeit Macht Frei” – work sets you free.
As the Soviets came to liberate Auschwitz in January 1945, the Nazi SS soldiers destroyed much of the evidence of their crimes at Auschwitz, including gas chambers and crematoriums.
Altogether it was a deeply contemplative and private visit of almost two hours that Francis passed in total silence, except for a few words he exchanged with camp survivors and Holocaust rescuers.
(Vatican Radio) Following a busy day on Friday, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, spoke with Lydia O’Kane about the Pope’s message for young people.
Some of the faithful had camped out overnight after an evening of entertainment and prayer with the pope there that drew 1.6 million people, according World Youth Day organizers.
He said: “Today the war in Syria has caused pain and suffering for so many people, for so many young people like our good friend Rand, who has come here and asked us to pray for (her) beloved country”.
Francis said Jesus wants the church “to be a church on the move, a church that goes out into the world”, as he gave his homily in a spanking new monumental church dedicated to John Paul on the outskirts of the southern Polish city of Krakow.
To portray forgiveness, actors dressed as the late Pope John Paul II and his would-be assassin Ali Agca re-enacted the pope visited Agca in a prison cell and shook his hand and embraced him.
For a second straight day, a huge crowd filled a vast field Sunday in the gentle countryside outside of Krakow for Francis, who was visiting Eastern Europe for the first time.
Archbishop of Krakow Stanislaw Dziwisz, addressing Francis at the end of the Mass, said: “We are not closed within ourselves”.
Polish police say no major security incidents have been reported during Pope Francis’ five-day visit to the country, which has been protected by top-level security measures including sniffer dogs and anti-terrorism forces with machine guns.
The Pontiff is due to attend a youth prayer vigil on Saturday evening.
At the Birkenau ceremony, Poland’s chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, recited, in Hebrew Psalm 130, beginning with the words: “From the depths I have cried out to you, Oh Lord”.
After over 1 million people arrived on Europe’s southern shores previous year, some nations on the continent, notably in central and eastern Europe, hastily built fences to keep the refugees out. He then carried a large white candle to the Death Wall, where prisoners at Auschwitz were executed.
After a mostly silent visit to Auschwitz, Pope Francis touched on problem of evil and suffering as he met with young pilgrims – a topic that has relevance to modern-day atrocities.
From the church Francis went to a large field outside the city where he addressed hundreds of thousands of young people in Krakow for an worldwide gathering of Catholic youth.
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The Pope offered his encouragement to all medical professionals, chaplains, and volunteers who have made it a “personal life decision” to respond to the Gospel’s call to “visit the sick”.
