Head of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in Ukraine supports the ruling of Polish parliament, media report
Head of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in Ukraine Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki Ukraine supported the decision of the Polish parliament “On establishing July 11 as the Day of Remembrance of Poles, victims of genocide committed by the UPA.”
“In July, Ukraine celebrated the 73rd anniversary of tragic events in Volyn and Eastern Galicia at that time, in which more than 100 thousand citizens of Rzeczpospolita II died at the hands of Ukrainian nationalists,” the Polish edition Wpolityce.pl states.
The tragic events that occurred 73 years ago in Ukraine are the reason to commemorate the victims. Of particular importance was the Mass, celebrated by Bishop of Lutsk Vitaly Skomarovsky the cemetery in the village of Melnytsia Kovel region, where the exhumed remains of victims - pastor Václav Majewski and the local Polish intelligentsia - were buried.
Metropolitan Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv noted the significance of this tribute: “We are grateful to all those who talk about these things, who wants to stand in the truth, who wants to pay tribute and to worthily bury many people who do not have their graves yet, whose resting places are not marked by the graves and crosses.”
According to ZIK news agency, the Head of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine recognized the decision of the Sejm, which commemorates the victims of manslaughter in Volyn.
“We have to reach the truth and somehow designate these historical events in the life of both peoples, people of Poland and Ukrainian people. I think that this decision will allow us to come to the truth, and the truth will deliver us; to Ukrainian and Polish people did not see themselves enemies, but that as still could enjoy mutual sincerity and brotherhood and mutual assistance. This requires Poland today, and Ukraine needs this today,” Archbishop Mokrzycki said.
It is worth mentioning that in Ukraine Catholic bishops of both rites for years have urged the faithful to forgiveness and understanding between the Polish and Ukrainian peoples.
Note that Polish parliament voted for a resolution “On establishment of July 11 Day of Remembrance of Poles who fell victims of genocide committed by the UPA.” Over 442 MPs voted for the resolution, 0 - against and 10 deputies abstained. The basis of the draft resolution was the draft of the ruling party "Law and Justice". Upon adopting the amendment, the draft emphasizes that the crime took place in 1943-1945, respectively. Parliament wants to pay tribute to “the citizens of the Second Polish Republic, brutally killed by Ukrainian nationalists.”
