Auschwitz marks 85th anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s death

Commemorations were held to mark the 85th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe in Auschwitz. The ceremonies included a Transitus service at the Saint Father Maximilian Center in Harmęże, followed by a pilgrimage from the Birkenau Death Gate to the former Auschwitz concentration camp.

During the pilgrimage, participants visited the Death Wall of Block 11 and Kolbe’s death cell to lay flowers. A central Mass was celebrated at the Death Block, led by Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz. In his homily, the Archbishop of Warsaw emphasized that Auschwitz serves as a confrontation for the modern conscience, noting that Kolbe’s sacrifice demonstrated the Christian commandment of love by giving his life for a stranger.