Vatican City

3.

The fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of the prisoners of Auschwitz reminds us of one of the darkest and most tragic moments in history. At Auschwitz, as at other concentration camps, innocent people of various nationalities died in great numbers. In particular, the children of the Jewish people, whose extermination had been planned by the Nazi regime, suffered the tragic experience of the Holocaust. It was a darkening of reason, conscience, and the heart. Recalling the triumph of evil cannot fail to fill us with deep sorrow, in fraternal solidarity with all who bear the indelible scars of those tragedies.

Unfortunately, however, our days continue to be marked by great violence. God forbid that tomorrow we will have to weep over other Auschwitzes of our time.

Let us pray and work that this may not happen! Never again anti-Semitism! Never again the arrogance of nationalism! Never again genocide! May the third millennium usher in a season of peace and mutual respect among peoples.