On September 12, His Beatitude Sviatoslav delivered a speech at the 12th Gniezno Congress, emphasizing the need for true peace and its significant importance for contemporary Europe.
In his address, His Beatitude Sviatoslav cautioned against the notion of “peace at any price,” which implies the victim's surrender to the aggressor. He asserted that true peace is inherently connected to truth and justice for victims, the restoration of international law, and the accountability of those who commit crimes. This was reported by the UGCC Department for Information.
“True peace is a space of dignity and freedom. Without these values, no peace agreement can create the right conditions for human life. Peace is a space for life, the life that the Risen Christ breathes into us, saying, ‘Peace be with you!’” emphasized the Head of the UGCC.
He further stated, “True peace has nothing to do with pacifism. The conditions for true and just peace can never appease the aggressor or pacify the victim. Otherwise, such ‘peace,’ born of blind ‘might makes right,’ will only set the stage for an even worse war in the future.”
“Peace requires courage: the courage to recognize the truth, to respect the rights of the weak and poor in the face of the powerful, the courage not to succumb to hatred or revenge. Ultimately, peace demands the courage of faith — faith in the crucified, dead, and risen Christ,” added His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Gniezno Congress is an international ecumenical gathering of Christians from Central and Eastern Europe, held in the Polish city of Gniezno. This year’s event, occurring for the first time after a seven-year hiatus, is under the slogan “Odwaga pokoju” (“The Courage of Peace”). It is dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of the first Polish king, Bolesław Chrobry, and the Jubilee Year of Hope. The Congress aims to serve as the driving force behind the Gniezno1000 platform, a social movement that unites people from diverse backgrounds around the ideals of dialogue and peace.