Pope honors Holocaust victims in Austria

Pope Benedict XVI begins a three-day pilgrimage to Austria on Friday with a solemn tribute to Jewish Holocaust victims. Ahead of his visit, Benedict's seventh foreign trip in two years as pope, the German-born pontiff spoke of his affection for Austria, a mostly Catholic country "which has been near to me since my childhood." Pope honors Holocaust victims in Austria But the pope, who visited and vacationed here often as a cardinal, faced a challenge: Many Austrian believers, disgusted by clergy sex scandals and deeply resentful of a government-imposed church tax, have grown cold — and tens of thousands have left the church altogether. Benedict's trip underscored the difficulties the Vatican confronts across Europe, where cathedrals are empty as increasingly jaded believers question the relevance of faith in the postmodern era. Underscoring how apathy has given way to hostility among some Austrians, Socialist youth organizations planned an anti-pope demonstration Friday afternoon in central Vienna to protest the pope's conservative stance on homosexuality, gay marriage and other issues. On the eve of the trip, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the alpine nation's top churchman, appealed to his countrymen not to let cynicism "detract from the joy of this visit." It is the first papal visit to Austria since the late Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage in 1998. Benedict's hoarse voice during his general audience at St. Peter's Square on Wednesday led to speculation that he was ill. But the chief Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pope's health was not a concern. Security was heavy for Benedict's visit, with more than 3,500 police officers and soldiers and 50 aircraft deployed to protect the pope. The Interior Ministry said the measures were taken even before this week's thwarted terrorist plot in Germany. After an opening ceremony at Vienna's lavish Am Hof square, the pope was to join the capital's chief rabbi at the Judenplatz, or Jewish Square, in silent tribute at an austere memorial to Jewish victims of pogroms through the ages. The spot commemorates not only the 65,000 Viennese Jews who perished in Nazi death camps, but others who were burned at the stake in the 1400s after they refused to convert. In 1938, Vienna's Jewish community was one of the world's largest and most vibrant with 185,000 members. Today, there are fewer than 7,000. Later, at the former imperial Hofburg Palace, Benedict was to meet with President Heinz Fischer and other leaders, and then deliver what the Vatican said would be a major address to Austrian authorities and diplomats. Vienna is headquarters to several international organizations, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. On Saturday, the pope holds an open-air Mass to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the founding of Mariazell, a famous shrine to the Virgin Mary about 60 miles southwest of Vienna. The Vienna Archdiocese said 33,000 pilgrims were ticketed for the event and that 70 bishops, mostly from Eastern Europe, would join in. Benedict's visit concludes Sunday with a Mass at Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral and a visit to the Heiligenkreuz abbey outside the capital.

Pope honors Holocaust victims in Austria

But the pope, who visited and vacationed here often as a cardinal, faced a challenge: Many Austrian believers, disgusted by clergy sex scandals and deeply resentful of a government-imposed church tax, have grown cold — and tens of thousands have left the church altogether.

Benedict's trip underscored the difficulties the Vatican confronts across Europe, where cathedrals are empty as increasingly jaded believers question the relevance of faith in the postmodern era.

Underscoring how apathy has given way to hostility among some Austrians, Socialist youth organizations planned an anti-pope demonstration Friday afternoon in central Vienna to protest the pope's conservative stance on homosexuality, gay marriage and other issues.

On the eve of the trip, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the alpine nation's top churchman, appealed to his countrymen not to let cynicism "detract from the joy of this visit." It is the first papal visit to Austria since the late Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage in 1998.

Benedict's hoarse voice during his general audience at St. Peter's Square on Wednesday led to speculation that he was ill. But the chief Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pope's health was not a concern.

Security was heavy for Benedict's visit, with more than 3,500 police officers and soldiers and 50 aircraft deployed to protect the pope. The Interior Ministry said the measures were taken even before this week's thwarted terrorist plot in Germany.

After an opening ceremony at Vienna's lavish Am Hof square, the pope was to join the capital's chief rabbi at the Judenplatz, or Jewish Square, in silent tribute at an austere memorial to Jewish victims of pogroms through the ages.

The spot commemorates not only the 65,000 Viennese Jews who perished in Nazi death camps, but others who were burned at the stake in the 1400s after they refused to convert.

In 1938, Vienna's Jewish community was one of the world's largest and most vibrant with 185,000 members. Today, there are fewer than 7,000.

Later, at the former imperial Hofburg Palace, Benedict was to meet with President Heinz Fischer and other leaders, and then deliver what the Vatican said would be a major address to Austrian authorities and diplomats.

Vienna is headquarters to several international organizations, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

On Saturday, the pope holds an open-air Mass to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the founding of Mariazell, a famous shrine to the Virgin Mary about 60 miles southwest of Vienna. The Vienna Archdiocese said 33,000 pilgrims were ticketed for the event and that 70 bishops, mostly from Eastern Europe, would join in.

Benedict's visit concludes Sunday with a Mass at Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral and a visit to the Heiligenkreuz abbey outside the capital.