Russian and Polish Hierarchs Strive for Reconciliation

Archbishop Henryk Muszyński of Gniezno and Archbishop Evgeniy, rector of the seminary at the Moscow Academy of Theology in January 2008

Our friends in SSJC Youngstown in the US have let us know about this interesting encounter between Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholics in Poland, which took place in early October:

The extraordinary visit of a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church to Poland can be the starting point for a real reconciliation of the two nations. The delegation of the Orthodox Church in Russia led by Archimandrite Arkadiusz, superior of the St. Nil monastery on Stolobienskoje island, stayed for almost a week on the invitation of the Roman Catholic episcopate. They met Archbishop Henryk Muszyński, general secretary of the Bishops' Conference Bishop Stanisław Budzil, and the president of the Bishops' Conference Archbishop Jozef Michalik.

The representatives of the two Churches discussed how to improve the cool relations between Poland and Russia. In the talks the issue of a common declaration arose. The declaration will include the appeal for reconciliation, as in the famous letter of Polish bishops to the Germans from 1965 - “We forgive and ask for forgiveness”.

The Orthodox monks were given at Jasna Górat a copy of the icon of Mother of God from Częstochowa. The icon will be placed in the chapel which was built in the monastery near Ostaszków, close to the place where Polish officers were imprisoned in the time of the Second World War.