Bishops on the 1,700th anniversary of work-free Sunday: we encourage all to respect this tradition

The bishops have launched an appeal to respect Sunday as a non-working day in connection with the 1700th anniversary of the Decree of Emperor Constantine I the Great of March 7 (some sources indicate the date of March 3) which made Sunday a public holiday. "Recalling the fact that 1700 years ago, by civil authorities, the festive character of Sunday was established, we encourage everyone to respect this tradition, to appreciate, guard and nurture it, and to pass it on to the younger generation" - reads the document.

"Releasing that day from the duty of work contributed to the fact that over time this saving event was commonly celebrated, which in turn resulted in the principle of celebrating Sunday as the day of God and of man"- wrote the bishops in the appeal.

The authors of the document recalled the content of the "Appeal of the Churches in Poland to respect and celebrate Sunday" of January 20, 2015, appealing to the authorities, employers, employees, people of good will and parliamentarians to protect Sunday as the Lord's Day.

Supporting the obligation to defend the festive nature of Sunday, the bishops stressed that we cannot accept the dictates of organizations and companies that deal with trade and distribution of goods, "which, driven solely by profit, do not take into account the social costs that result from destroying the social fabric by depriving it of this binder, which is to spend free time together and celebrate Sunday by families and the whole society, which should be a permanent element of our cultural identity".

Press Office of the Polish Bishops' Conference

We publish the full text of the appeal:

APPEAL
FOR RESPECTING SUNDAY AS A WORK-FREE DAY

It is just 1700 years before the decree of Emperor Constantine the Great, who – on March 7, 321 – ordered that 'dies solis', the day of the sun, become a day off from work.

According to this law, "judges, townspeople and all craftsmen" were to "rest in the most venerable day of the Sun," which Christians – then free to profess their faith – celebrated as the first day of the week, the day of Christ's Resurrection.

Releasing that day from the duty of work contributed to the fact that over time this saving event was commonly celebrated, which in turn resulted in the principle of celebrating Sunday as the day of God and of man.

Respecting this centuries-old tradition, we affirm with Pope St. John Paul II that "our own historical context there remains the obligation to ensure that everyone can enjoy the freedom, rest and relaxation which human dignity requires, together with the associated religious, family, cultural and interpersonal needs which are difficult to meet if there is no guarantee of at least one day of the week on which people can both rest and celebrate" (cf. Dies Domini, 66).

We renew the content of the "Appeal of the Churches in Poland for respect and celebration of Sunday" of January 20, 2015:

·                we therefore urge the authorities to do everything to protect Sunday, so that people are not treated as a profit machine and can live Sunday according to their convictions;

·                we urge employers to respect the sanctity of the Lord's Day by not engaging workers in a professional capacity unless absolutely necessary;

·                we appeal to employees not to take up unnecessary paid work on Sundays and public holidays;

·                we appeal to all people of good will to respect Sundays and holidays for the social and religious benefits of a proper rest and celebration – for the good of our families, for the good of our country's citizens.

·                we call on parliamentarians to preserve the stability of the law in force in the scope of the Sunday Trade Restriction Act, so that a free Sunday – as a right present in many European democracies, respecting the dignity and right to rest of every citizen – is not questioned in the legal system of our country.

Recalling the fact that 1700 years ago, by civil authorities, the festive character of Sunday was established, we encourage everyone to respect this tradition, to appreciate, guard and nurture it, and to pass it on to the younger generation.

It is our duty to defend the festive nature of Sunday, so we cannot agree to the dictates of various organizations, corporations dealing with trade and distribution of goods, which, driven solely by profit, do not take into account the social costs that result from destroying the social fabric by depriving it of this binder, which is to spend free time together and celebrate Sunday by families and the whole society, which should be a permanent element of our cultural identity.

We invite everyone to build a culture of work-free Sunday. Let it be a day of rest, strengthening and revival of weakened family and social bonds. Let it be an opportunity for emotional calm, as well as for building a family, religious and national community.

Let us also not forget the divine commandment that is binding on us: 'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy' (cf. Ex 20: 8-11), which in the life of Christians of the 21st century means the same as in the life of the first Christian communities, i.e. gathering on the first day of the week – Sunday – at the Holy Supper.

✠ Stanisław Gądecki
Metropolitan Archbishop of Poznań
President of the Polish Bishops' Conference
Vice-President of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE)

✠ Wiktor Skworc
Metropolitan Archbishop of Katowice
President of the Pastoral Commission of the Polish Bishops' Conference

Warsaw, March 5, 2021

Office for Foreign Communication of the Polish Bishops' Conference