English
The turn from the cult of creation to the cult of the Creator is the crucial change that happened through the act of Poland’s baptism – said Archbishop Stanislaw Gądecki, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, stressing the epochal significance of the 966 event. On April 14, the National Feast of the Baptism of Poland is celebrated for the fifth time.
Speaking about the 1057th anniversary of Poland’s baptism, which falls on April 14, the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference stressed the epochal significance of the event. „Thanks to this fact, we entered Latin civilization, European civilization. This not only meant access to education, which surpassed ours at the time by almost a thousand years, and access to international interaction in the Latin language but above all a certain theological turn – a turn from the worship of creation to the worship of the Creator” – he said.
Explaining the significance of Poland’s baptism, Archbishop Gądecki stressed that it was „an act of truth” that has been binding on us to date. „Man, who until now had worshipped creation as deity, whether in the form of stones, nature, lightning, or any other form, moved on to an important stage, that is, to the worship of the Creator Himself” – he said.
According to the President of the Episcopate, the difficulties of civilization we face today „consist in the old idolatry,” that is, „in the desire to return to worshipping man or creation as a deity” and „dethroning the Creator Himself.” „Untruth cannot stand for a long time, but usually the recovery from untruth is painful and very difficult” – he said.
Archbishop Gądecki stressed the importance of recalling the significance of Poland’s baptism, especially through the educational system. He also pointed out the need to be grateful for the gift of baptism and to cherish the values our homeland received thanks to it.
Translation: Sr. Amata Nowaszewska / Office for Foreign Communication of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
