Italian ambassador killed in Congo remembered for humanitarian work
- Feb 23, 2021
As the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of two Japanese cities approaches, the president of the county’s Catholic bishops’ conference called on the United States “as a Christian nation” to witness the Gospel of peace as lived by Jesus.
Bosnian church leaders defended their decision to hold a Mass for civilians and former soldiers slaughtered by victorious communist forces in Yugoslavia, despite international condemnations and domestic protests.
The Nazis’ systematic persecution and genocide led to the deaths of 6 million Jews in Europe, but Catholic priests and nuns were also among their victims.
During World War 2, millions of German Catholics died on the battlefield, on execution blocks, in forced labor or in concentration camps. Some have since been beatified, a step on the path to sainthood.
In a joint service marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, Christian churches in Germany issued a call for a commitment to work for peace, reported the German Catholic news agency, KNA.
A top Polish historian has questioned claims by German researchers that newly opened Vatican archives contain information damning the role played by Pope Pius XII during World War II.