New details have been released of five-day tour of Poland by Pope Francis, which includes a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The Pontiff is due to deliver a speech at the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp in July after meeting the Polish president, state officials and Polish bishops.
He is due to touch-down in Poland's former capital city Kraków on July 27th, where planned engagements include addressing young people as part of events to celebrate World Youth Day 2016 Kraków.
Hailing a programme for Pope Francis' visit as "a source of joy", World Youth Day organisers say he will also celebrate mass in the Jasna Góra fields of Czestochowa, marking 1050 years since the Baptism of Poland.
Founded by Pope Saint John Paul II and first held in Rome in 1984, World Youth Day is a gathering of young people from around the globe for the profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
The theme for the 31st World Youth Day in Kraków is inspired by Matthew 5:7 which says: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
According the Central Intelligence Agency Factbook, 87.2-per-cent of Poles are Catholics.
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