Pope walks through horrors of Auschwitz
OSWIECIM, POLAND — Pope Francis on Friday walked alone through the notorious wrought-iron "Arbeit Macht Frei" gate at AuschwitzBirkenau, beginning a historic visit to the former Nazi death camp.
His head bowed, the pope prayed in silent contemplation before meeting Holocaust survivors — some of whom he tenderly kissed — in front of the death wall where the Nazis summarily executed thousands of people by firing squad.
The Pontiff, who has forged ever-closer ties between the Catholic Church and the Jews since his election in 2013, met with 12 former inmates at the site, which is now a memorial and museum.
Among the survivors he met were Helena Dunicz Niwinska, a 101-year-old woman who played the violin in the Auschwitz orchestra, as well as survivors who worked at the camp hospital or who were there as children.
Francis lit a candle in front of the death wall, bowing his head in prayer before visiting the cell of Polish priest and saint Maximilian Kolbe who died at Auschwitz after taking the place of a condemned man.
The visit falls on the 75th anniversary of the day Polish priest and saint Maximilian Kolbe was condemned to death. The Pontiff later led prayers for the 1.1 million mostlyJewish victims murdered at the camp.
Ahead of his visit Francis said that rather than making a speech, he would stand in silence to reflect on the horrors committed and let his tears flow.
Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich welcomed the pontiff's intention to remain silent during his visit to the camp, saying "often people go to Auschwitz ... and they are silent (about the horrors) for the rest of their lives."
After arriving Wednesday in Poland — the heartland of Nazi Germany's atrocities — Pope Francis said the world had been plunged into a piecemeal third world war. He has repeatedly denounced those committing crimes in the name of religion, after Europe suffered a string of deadly jihadist attacks.