Pope Francis thanks Poles, Church in Poland for warm reception

03-08-2016
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Pope Francis thanked Poles and the Church in Poland for the warm reception during his recent visit to Poland. The pope stressed on Wednesday that World Youth Day in Krakow offered a sign of faith, fraternity and peace to the world.

Addressing Poles during a general audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall on Wednesday, Pope Francis thanked the Polish people and the Church in Poland for the great festival of youth that took place in Krakow (south Poland).

Pope Francis thanked the Polish president, Polish government authorities, the archbishop of Krakow, the entire Polish Episcopate and all people who helped organise WYD in Poland, and stressed it offered a sign of faith, fraternity and peace to Poland, Europe and the world.

At the end of the audience the pope said a prayer for the late Cardinal Franciszek Macharski. Pope Francis visited the cardinal, a close friend of the late Pope John Paul II, on July 28. Macharski died on Tuesday.

World Youth Day took place in Krakow and nearby Brzegi on July 26-31. Pope Francis joined the festivities on July 27. (PAP)