Pope cites 'horror' of Holocaust, Sudan tragedy

Pope Francis said during Sunday prayers that the horror of the Holocaust can not be "forgotten or denied" as he also highlighted current suffering caused by Sudan's civil war.

Speaking on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, he called on the entire world to "work together to eliminate the scourge of anti-Semitism as well as all forms of religious discrimination and persecution".

Auschwitz-Birkenau has become the symbol of the murder of six million European Jews by Nazi Germany, one million of whom died on the site between 1940 and 1945, as well as more than 100,000 non-Jews.

On Monday, an official ceremony attended by around fifty survivors and 54 international delegations will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camp by Soviet troops.

Turning to Sudan, Francis said it was the "most serious humanitarian crisis in the world".

"I renew my appeal to the warring parties in Sudan to cease hostilities and agree to sit at a negotiating table," he said at the Sunday Angelus service.

The conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia has triggered a huge humanitarian disaster, killing tens of thousands of people, uprooting more than 12 million and causing widespread starvation in parts of the country.