Pope Francis visited the former
concentration camp of Auschwitz near Krakow on Friday as part of
his programme for World Youth Day (WYD) in Poland.
The pope entered the camp on foot and in silence, with
his head bowed.
He then spent several minutes sitting on a bench in
private prayer before meeting with Holocaust survivors.
During his visit Francis also prayed in the prison cell
once occupied by the Polish saint Massimiliano Kolbe, who
volunteered to take the place of a father selected for death by
the Nazis.
Before departing from the camp he left a message asking for
God's forgiveness for the cruelty perpetrated there.
"Lord, have pity on your people! Lord, forgive such
cruelty!" Francis wrote in Spanish according to a Tweet from the
memorial museum at Auschwitz.
Later in the day the pope is due to visit the paediatric
hospital of Prokocim, before leading a Via Crucis with the young
participants of WYD in Krakow.
The Cross will be carried from one station to the next by
young people belonging to different associations from all over
the world.
After the rite Francis is due to make a speech before
returning to the archbishop's residence in Poland's second city
where he will greet faithful including a group of sick, homeless
and disabled people.
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