Pope to visit Sarajevo to boost 'brotherhood and peace'

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis says he will visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, in hopes of boosting efforts toward brotherhood in the country that was ravaged by war two decades ago.

The 1992-95 Bosnian war took over 100,000 lives and the prosecution of war crimes suspects is ongoing.

Francis announced the June 6 trip as he addressed the tens of thousands of faithful who gathered Sunday in St. Peter's Square for his weekly blessing.

He asked for prayers so his one-day visit would encourage Bosnia's small Catholic population as well as "give rise to the development of good and contribute to the consolidation of brotherhood and peace."

Thousands of people, including Muslim Bosnians and Catholic Croats, were killed or taken to concentration camps during Serb efforts in 1992 to drive out non-Serbs.