THE Pope today issued one of his strongest condemnations of

anti-Semitism and said the world should make sure it never had to cry

over ''other, modern-day Auschwitzes''.

Calling Auschwitz ''a triumph of evil'', he declared: ''Never again

anti-Semitism. Never again the arrogance of nationalisms. Never again

genocide.''

In his first public comment on the 50th anniversary of the death

camp's liberation, the Pope said Auschwitz, in his native Poland, marked

''one of the darkest and most tragic hours of our history''.

He told thousands of pilgrims and tourists in St Peter's Square for

his weekly Vatican blessing and address: ''Unfortunately however, our

times continue to be marked by so much violence. God does not want that

tomorrow we must cry over other, modern-day Auschwitzes. Let us pray

that this does not happen.''