Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: The Church’s Task Is to Heal Memories and Continue Ukrainian-Polish Reconciliation
In an interview with Apostrophe, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, stressed the importance of continuing Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation, despite attempts to politicize painful historical issues.
“I asked one politician: why are you instigating conflict? Why are you exploiting the pain of your people? And he replied: if there is no conflict, there is no political process,” the Primate recounted. He noted that manipulating history has become a trend among modern political parties, but this contradicts the mission of the Church, which is called to heal wounds and unite peoples.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav recalled that the formula for reconciliation, “We forgive and ask for forgiveness,” was introduced to the world by Pope John Paul II. This idea originated in the appeal of Polish bishops to German bishops after World War II and laid the foundation for the unity of European nations.
“Pope John Paul II is the father, inspirer, and patron in heaven of Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation. He said that for a united Europe, it is necessary to heal the wounds of nations that have fought each other,” emphasized the Head of the UGCC.
Despite numerous declarations of reconciliation signed by Ukrainian and Polish bishops, politicians repeatedly attempt to “reopen those wounds and pit the nations against each other.” “And the Churches will continue to heal our wounds, our memory,” the Patriarch stressed.
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His Beatitude Sviatoslav addressed his Polish brothers, urging them to remember the spiritual legacy of St. Pope John Paul II: “May the balm of forgiveness be poured out as a remedy for our wounds. This mutual forgiveness, received and given, will be the thing that heals our memory.”
The Primate explained that “healing of memory” — a spiritual concept initiated by St. Pope John Paul II — should become an integral part of the culture of future generations of Ukrainians and Poles. “This is the task, the formation, that we want to carry out today,” he concluded.
The UGCC Department for Information
