On July 9, to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Tragedy, the bishops of the Przemyśl-Warsaw Archdiocese of the Greek Catholic Church in Poland expressed their condolences to the families who lost loved ones due to acts of violence. They also called for prayers to achieve lasting reconciliation between the Polish and Ukrainian peoples.
This was reported by the press service of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
In a special address for the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Tragedy, observed in Poland on July 11, the Greek Catholic bishops in Poland — Bishop Yevhen Popovych, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Przemyśl and Warsaw; Bishop Volodymyr Yushchak, Bishop of Wrocław-Koszalin Eparchy; Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski, Bishop of Olsztyn-Gdańsk Eparchy; and Bishop Mariusz Dmiterko, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Wrocław-Koszalin Eparchy — reflected on various initiatives and documents related to Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation.
They marked the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's historic visit, during which he emphasized the importance of acknowledging past unfaithfulness to the Gospel by both Poles and Ukrainians. "He called for a break from the painful past and expressed the hope that forgiveness — given and received — be poured out like a healing balm in every heart." At that time, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, lamented that some members of the Church had "consciously and voluntarily done evil things, both to their own people and to others."
The bishops stressed that every crime must be condemned. However, they cautioned against succumbing to the aggressive rhetoric of individuals who seek not reconciliation but to reopen old wounds. They noted that in recent months, the message of forgiveness and the call for reconciliation have become increasingly difficult to communicate to the hearts and minds of people in Poland and Ukraine. Despite this, they affirmed that "the Church of Christ, following the example of her Teacher (cf. Rev. 3:20), has no other way to reach the hearts and minds of the laity than to stand at the door and knock, hoping that her voice will be heard and the door will open."
On the eve of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Tragedy, the bishops expressed sympathy and condolences to the families who lost loved ones due to the actions of Ukrainian military units. "We share your pain and express our deep sorrow over the bloody events of that time," they stated. They reiterated that every crime must be condemned, emphasizing that crimes committed by Ukrainians against Poles, as well as those committed by Poles against Ukrainians, are equally subject to condemnation.
Additionally, the bishops highlighted the importance of cooperation between the authorities of Ukraine and Poland to identify burial sites, recognize victims, and ensure dignified burials. They stated, "It is essential for Polish and Ukrainian historians to provide an accurate account of the circumstances surrounding these tragic events and ascertain the actual number of victims on both sides." They clarified that understanding the causes and circumstances does not justify the acts or their perpetrators.
The bishops also expressed gratitude to "all Poles who, four years ago, in the spirit of Christian love and kindness, opened their hearts and homes to war refugees from Ukraine," as well as to the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland for allowing Greek Catholic services to be held in their churches.
"We assure you of our prayers for all those who have suffered and ask for your prayers for lasting reconciliation between our peoples," they concluded. "We also pray that all the good that has arisen from encounters between Poles and Ukrainians — especially at the level of individuals and families — will be preserved and bear fruit in the future."