Monday, June 22, 2015
Associated Press
TURIN, ITALY
Pope Francis paused in silent prayer before the Shroud of Turin on Sunday, becoming the latest of hundreds of thousands of people who have come this year to Turin’s cathedral to view the burial linen some believe covered the body of Jesus after crucifixion.
Francis sat for several minutes before the shroud, contained in a protective glass case. He lowered his head at times and occasionally gazed up at the 14-foot long cloth. Then he took a few steps, placed his hand on the case, and walked away without comment.
In Rome on Sunday, Francis denounced what he calls the “great powers” of the world for failing to act when there was intelligence indicating Jews, Christians, homosexuals and others were being transported to death camps in Europe during World War II. He decried the deaths of Christians in concentration camps in Russia under the Stalin dictatorship, which followed the war.
The pope’s harsh assessments came in impromptu remarks during his visit to Turin, when he told young people he understands how they find it hard to trust the world.
“The great powers had photographs of the railway routes that the trains took to the concentration camps, like Auschwitz, to kill the Jews, and also the Christians, and also the Roma, also the homosexuals,” Francis said, citing the death camp in Poland. “Tell me, why didn’t they bomb” those railroad routes?
Referring to concentration camps that came “a little later” in Russia, Francis wondered aloud: “How many Christians suffered, were killed” there?