The President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference to the Orthodox and Catholic Bishops of Russia and Ukraine: Let us join spiritual efforts to avert the specter of another war

“I address you, dear brothers, as a bishop of a country that neighbors both Russia and Ukraine. We are bound together by a common history and the holy Christian faith. Let us therefore unite the spiritual efforts of Christ’s followers of different denominations in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, and together offer fervent prayer to the One who alone is Peace, to avert the specter of another war in our region,” wrote Archbishop Stanislaw Gądecki to the Orthodox and Catholic bishops of Russia and Ukraine. “May our prayerful effort be a cry to prevent the suffering and death of thousands of innocent human beings, especially the weakest, defenseless, who will not find the strength and possibility to escape the war fare,” we read in the letter.

The President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, referring to media reports about the serious risk of armed conflict in Ukraine, stressed that “every war is a tragedy for humanity;” thousands of people die in it, and many are wounded on both sides. “A war between Russia and Ukraine would be even more dramatic because these are two Christian and Slavic nations. In human and divine terms, therefore, these two different nations should have much in common that leads not to hatred but to mutual respect and friendship. However, for friendship to emerge is respect for the rights of nations, including the right to self-determination and territorial integrity, is a necessary condition,” wrote Archbishop Gądecki.

Recalling the two wars of the last century, he quoted the words of St John Paul II, who in his Message for the World Day of Peace in 2000 wrote that “wars are often the cause of further wars because they fuel deep hatreds, create situations of injustice and trample upon people’s dignity and rights. Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore, in addition to causing horrendous damage, they prove ultimately futile.” “Every war is madness,” Archbishop Gądecki added.

Press Office of the Polish Bishops’ Conference

We are publishing the full text of the letter:

Letter
from the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
to the Orthodox and Catholic bishops of Russia and Ukraine
with a request to pray together for peace

Warsaw, 14 February 2022
On the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius Patron Saints of Europe

Most Venerable Brothers,

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

In recent weeks, the media has reported on the grave risk of an armed conflict in Ukraine. Every war is a tragedy for humanity. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people die in it. Many, on both sides, are wounded, and millions carry internal wounds that are difficult to heal later. A war between Russia and Ukraine would be even more dramatic because these are two Christian and Slavic nations. In human and divine terms, therefore, these two different nations should have much in common that leads not to hatred but to mutual respect and friendship. However, for friendship to emerge is respect for the rights of nations, including the right to self-determination and territorial integrity, is a necessary condition.

We still bear in mind the last century, which witnessed two terrible wars. John Paul II, who personally experienced the consequences of both forms of totalitarianisms, wrote that “wars are often the cause of further wars because they fuel deep hatreds, create situations of injustice and trample upon people’s dignity and rights. Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore, in addition to causing horrendous damage, they prove ultimately futile” (Message for the World Day of Peace, 1 Jan. 2000). Every war is madness.

I address you, dear brothers, as a bishop of a country that neighbors both Russia and Ukraine. We are bound together by a common history and the holy Christian faith. Let us therefore unite the spiritual efforts of Christ’s followers of different denominations in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, and together offer fervent prayer to the One who alone is Peace, to avert the specter of another war in our region.

May our prayerful effort be a cry to prevent the suffering and death of thousands of innocent human beings, especially the weakest, defenseless, who will not find the strength and possibility to escape the war fare.

With this in mind, I turned to all the faithful of the Catholic Church in Poland with an earnest request to pray for peace in Ukraine. I also ask you, dear brothers, to address a similar appeal to your faithful, so that the Lord may turn the hearts of those in power away from the lust of war and destruction and direct them toward mercy and peace.

“And whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and has the approval of men. Let us therefore strive to do what is good for peace and mutual edification” (Rom 14:18–19).

May Saints Cyril and Methodius, apostles of the Slavs, obtain for Europe the gift of God’s peace!

With best regards in Christ the Lord,

+Stanisław Gądecki
Archbishop Metropolitan of Poznan
President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference

__________________

His Holiness
Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

Most Blessed
Onufry
Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Most Blessed
Epiphanius
Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus-Ukraine Head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine

Most Blessed
Sviatoslav Shevchuk
Major Archbishop of Kiev-Halych Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

His Excellency
Nil Łuszczak
Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo sui iuris

His Excellency
Paolo Pezzi
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Our Lady of Moscow President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Russia

His Excellency
Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki
Metropolitan of Lviv Acting
President of the Episcopal Conference of Ukraine