Pope Francis warns of 'scourge of antisemitism' ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis warned of the “scourge of antisemitism” in his Angelus prayer on Sunday, the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, noting it marks 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

“The horror of the extermination of millions of Jewish people and others of different faiths during those years must never be forgotten or denied,” Francis said, citing the example of Hungarian-born poet Edith Bruck, who lives in Rome.

He noted that many Christians were also killed in Nazi concentration camps, “among whom there were numerous martyrs.”

“I renew my appeal for everyone to work together to eradicate the scourge of anti-Semitism, along with every form of discrimination and religious persecution,” Francis said.

“Together, let us build a more fraternal, just world, educating young people to have hearts open to all, in the spirit of fraternity, forgiveness, and peace,” he added.

The pontiff also launched an appeal for an end to the civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, saying it is causing “the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world, with dramatic consequences even in South Sudan.”

The pope also expressed concern for the situation in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, where many civilians have been killed by clashes between armed groups, which have forced over 30,000 people to leave their homes.