“The Pope in Poland to light the spark of mercy in young people’s hearts”. The Vatican State Secretary, cardinal Pietro Parolin, in an interview with the Vatican TV Centre, lists the key themes of Pope Francis’ journey to Poland from 27th to 31st July. In Cracow for the 31st World Youth Day, along the path started by St John Paul II, the Pope, Parolin explains, will light “that spark, the spark of mercy, in young people’s hearts to make the fire of mercy flare up all over the world”. His silent prayer in Auschwitz and Birkenau will commemorate all these victims of human hatred and folly, “to remember that even now there are unfortunately situations of abuse, of contempt for human life, of contempt for humans, situations in which divisions are stirred up, situations in which terror, terrorism, are used for personal interests or to build economic and political interests”. On his first journey in a big country in the heart of Europe, after visiting Strasbourg, Pope Francis, according to the cardinal, will send “a message of hope, faced with the future of Europe and the many challenges thrown at the building of Europe, and a message of encouragement, in the sense of rediscovering those which are the genuine Christian roots of Europe, which have made Europe what it is”.