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Pope Francis, Visiting Auschwitz, Asks God for the ‘Grace to Cry’ Pope Francis, Visiting Auschwitz, Asks God for the ‘Grace to Cry’
(about 1 hour later)
KRAKOW, Poland — Pope Francis walked in the footsteps of his two predecessors on Friday as he visited the former concentration and extermination camp at Auschwitz, where he paid silent homage to the more than one million victims, mostly Jews, who perished there during the Holocaust.KRAKOW, Poland — Pope Francis walked in the footsteps of his two predecessors on Friday as he visited the former concentration and extermination camp at Auschwitz, where he paid silent homage to the more than one million victims, mostly Jews, who perished there during the Holocaust.
Right before his visit, Francis told reporters that he “would like to go to that place of horror without speeches, without crowds.” He said he intended to go “alone, enter, pray,” adding: “And may the Lord give me the grace to cry.”Right before his visit, Francis told reporters that he “would like to go to that place of horror without speeches, without crowds.” He said he intended to go “alone, enter, pray,” adding: “And may the Lord give me the grace to cry.”
The pope began his visit to Auschwitz — in what is now the Polish town known as Oswiecim, about 30 miles west of Krakow — by meeting 12 survivors of the camp. He greeted them, one by one, mostly in silence, expressing his sorrow and respect just by clutching their hands, looking into their eyes and kissing them tenderly, once on each cheek.The pope began his visit to Auschwitz — in what is now the Polish town known as Oswiecim, about 30 miles west of Krakow — by meeting 12 survivors of the camp. He greeted them, one by one, mostly in silence, expressing his sorrow and respect just by clutching their hands, looking into their eyes and kissing them tenderly, once on each cheek.
Francis was the third pope to visit Auschwitz. Pope John Paul II visited on June 7, 1979, declaring “No more war!” and “Only peace!” Pope Benedict XVI, who as a young man was inducted unwillingly into the Hitler Youth and the German Army, went on May 28, 2006, and asked: “Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate this?”Francis was the third pope to visit Auschwitz. Pope John Paul II visited on June 7, 1979, declaring “No more war!” and “Only peace!” Pope Benedict XVI, who as a young man was inducted unwillingly into the Hitler Youth and the German Army, went on May 28, 2006, and asked: “Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate this?”
Francis made his way to the infamous Block 11, an inconspicuous brick building where Nazi guards tortured prisoners.Francis made his way to the infamous Block 11, an inconspicuous brick building where Nazi guards tortured prisoners.
The pope entered the basement, which housed 28 dark cells. He stopped in a cell that once housed the Rev. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan friar who in 1941 volunteered to die in place of a stranger and was canonized in 1982. Francis sat in a chair placed in the middle of the prison cell, bent his head and prayed for some time.The pope entered the basement, which housed 28 dark cells. He stopped in a cell that once housed the Rev. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan friar who in 1941 volunteered to die in place of a stranger and was canonized in 1982. Francis sat in a chair placed in the middle of the prison cell, bent his head and prayed for some time.
Leaving the cell of Father Kolbe, Francis, 79, the first pope from Latin America, signed the Auschwitz guest book, writing in Spanish: “Lord, have mercy on your people. Lord, forgive so much cruelty.”Leaving the cell of Father Kolbe, Francis, 79, the first pope from Latin America, signed the Auschwitz guest book, writing in Spanish: “Lord, have mercy on your people. Lord, forgive so much cruelty.”
Francis then left his companions to walk alone and in silence beneath the notorious gate that carries the cruel motto “Arbeit Macht Frei,” or “Work Sets You Free.”Francis then left his companions to walk alone and in silence beneath the notorious gate that carries the cruel motto “Arbeit Macht Frei,” or “Work Sets You Free.”
Rabbi David Rosen, the international director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee, who accompanied the pope on his visit, said in a phone interview: “This site bore witness to the most systematic, industrialized atrocity in the history of humanity. In such a place, words are inadequate and it’s silence that becomes the ultimate expression of solidarity with the victims.”Rabbi David Rosen, the international director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee, who accompanied the pope on his visit, said in a phone interview: “This site bore witness to the most systematic, industrialized atrocity in the history of humanity. In such a place, words are inadequate and it’s silence that becomes the ultimate expression of solidarity with the victims.”
The poignant silence was punctuated with the recitation of a Hebrew psalm.The poignant silence was punctuated with the recitation of a Hebrew psalm.
“Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord!” the chief rabbi of Poland, Michael J. Schudrich, recited. “Lord, hear my voice.”“Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord!” the chief rabbi of Poland, Michael J. Schudrich, recited. “Lord, hear my voice.”
Francis, born in Buenos Aires in 1936, did not have personal links to the wartime destruction of Europe like his predecessors. As a seminarian during the war, John Paul helped save a Jewish girl; Benedict, after deserting the Germany Army, was briefly interned in a prisoner-of-war camp.Francis, born in Buenos Aires in 1936, did not have personal links to the wartime destruction of Europe like his predecessors. As a seminarian during the war, John Paul helped save a Jewish girl; Benedict, after deserting the Germany Army, was briefly interned in a prisoner-of-war camp.
Francis met with a group of Polish Catholics who have been recognized by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust remembrance center in Jerusalem, as “righteous among the nations,” for having risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Francis has urged Catholics to help people of other faiths who are seeking refuge, and he appealed this week for Europeans to offer protection to Muslims who have poured into the Continent after escaping violence in places like Syria.Francis met with a group of Polish Catholics who have been recognized by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust remembrance center in Jerusalem, as “righteous among the nations,” for having risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Francis has urged Catholics to help people of other faiths who are seeking refuge, and he appealed this week for Europeans to offer protection to Muslims who have poured into the Continent after escaping violence in places like Syria.
More than 1.7 million people visited the memorial complex at Auschwitz last year. But for many years after World War II, the town played a complex role in the fraught history of Christian-Jewish relations in Poland.More than 1.7 million people visited the memorial complex at Auschwitz last year. But for many years after World War II, the town played a complex role in the fraught history of Christian-Jewish relations in Poland.
A controversy persisted throughout the 1980s and 1990s over a convent of Carmelite nuns in Oswiecim, just outside the walls of the death camp. The disagreement at times seemed to spill over into claims about who had suffered the most. Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939; its prewar Jewish population of around three million, the largest in Europe on the eve of war, was nearly wiped out. For about a decade, a controversy persisted over a convent of Carmelite nuns in Oswiecim, just outside the walls of the death camp. The disagreement at times seemed to spill over into claims about who had suffered the most. Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939; its prewar Jewish population of around three million, the largest in Europe on the eve of war, was nearly wiped out. John Paul ordered the nuns to leave the convent in 1993.
Rabbi Rosen credited Pope Francis’ predecessors for paving the path to reconciliation, saying that Francis had become “the embodiment and epitome of overcoming differences between Jews and Christians.”Rabbi Rosen credited Pope Francis’ predecessors for paving the path to reconciliation, saying that Francis had become “the embodiment and epitome of overcoming differences between Jews and Christians.”
Rabbi Rosen added: “Francis has been saying all along that it is impossible to be a Christian and an anti-Semite. His visit in Auschwitz is an enormous message of solidarity with the victims and affirmation of his unequivocal reprehension of anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism.”Rabbi Rosen added: “Francis has been saying all along that it is impossible to be a Christian and an anti-Semite. His visit in Auschwitz is an enormous message of solidarity with the victims and affirmation of his unequivocal reprehension of anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism.”