Pope to visit Auschwitz during visit to Poland in JulyJune 9, 2016 - 16:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Pope Francis will visit the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau during a visit to Poland on July 29, the Vatican said on Thursday, June 9, according to Reuters. Both of Francis's immediate predecessors, Pope Benedict, a German, and Pope John Paul, a Pole, also visited the site during their pontificates. Nazi German occupying forces established the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi camp during World War Two in the southern Polish town of Oswiecim, around 70 km (43 miles) from Poland's second city, Krakow. The visit will take place during Francis's pre-planned trip to Krakow for an international gathering of Catholic youth. Poland remains a staunchly Roman Catholic country. Between 1940 and 1945 Auschwitz developed into a vast complex of barracks, workshops, gas chambers and crematoria, where about 1.5 million people, most of them Jews, died. Soviet Red Army troops liberated the camp on January 27 1945. During a visit to Rome's synagogue in January, Francis appealed to Catholics to reject anti-Semitism and said the Holocaust, in which some six million Jews were killed, should remind everyone that human rights should be defended with "maximum vigilance". A month earlier, the Vatican issued a major document saying Catholics should not try to convert Jews. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |