Holocaust Memorial Day

Jan 26th, 2022

Photo Credit: CBCEW

Source: Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales

Holocaust Memorial Day is marked on 27 January each year and is a time to remember the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the genocides which followed including Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. We learn more about the past, we empathise with others today, and we take action for a better future.

Holocaust Survivor

We have recorded an interview with a holocaust survivor - a remarkable 97-year-old woman called Stella Zylbersztajn-Tzur. Stella was placed in Łosice Ghetto in eastern Poland at the age of 15 but was able to escape the ghetto during its "liquidation" on 22 August 1942. The majority from Łosice Ghetto - including Stella's mother - were killed in the Treblinka extermination camp north-east of Warsaw.

Listen to her story at www.cbcew.org.uk/holocaust-survivors-story/

Resources

Resources for Churches produced by the Council for Christians and Jews offer further explanation of the theme as well as poetry, psalms, prayers, a Scriptural reflection, further reading and more.

Download the PDF: www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/HMD22-CCJ-Resources.pdf

The Council of Christians and Jews is a nationwide forum for Christian-Jewish engagement.

Prayer

As well as the PDF resource, the Council of Christians and Jews offers the 'One Day' Prayer that can be said on or around Holocaust Memorial Day: www.cbcew.org.uk/the-one-day-prayer/

Bishop

Speaking shortly after a visit to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem, back in 2020, Bishop Declan Lang, the Chair of the Bishops' International Affairs department, gave a short message on Holocaust Memorial Day.

Listen here: www.cbcew.org.uk/bishop-lang-holocaust-memorial-day/

Images

Our photographer has visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp on many occasions - some in the presence of Popes.

You can view the full photo album on our Flickr photostream: www.flickr.com/photos/catholicism/albums/72157718046179312/

Note from ICN:

Holocaust Memorial Day Vigil with the Iona Community at Iona Abbey on Thursday 27 January 19.00-19.30.

In partnership with Interfaith Scotland, there will be reflections & prayers from Iona Abbey, with music from island musicians and contributions from people from different religious traditions.