Pope Francis sent a blessing and a message of encouragement and “spiritual closeness” to the “Yahad-In Unum worldwide association, which unites Catholics and Jews at the service of the same cause.”
“Yahad-In Unum is the principal Association that engages in research on the mass executions in Eastern Europe, in which, during the period 1941-1944, one and a half million Jews and Rom died.
This extermination is also known with the name of “Shoah by bullets,” in reference to the book by the same name written by the President and Founder of Yahad, French priest, Fr. Patrick Desbois.
In his message, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and sent to the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris, Andre Vingt-Trois, the Pontiff hopes that the Association’s work will enable “present and future generations to seek unity and peace in reconciliation, fraternity and respect of differences.”
“The Holy Father encourages the members of ‘Yahad-In Unum’ to continue their struggle for the just recognition of the violence suffered by so many men and women belonging to different communities,” states the message.
