Cardinals of Polish and Ukrainian descent in Rome, together with the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, have appealed to both nations to seek reconciliation.
According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a joint declaration signed by five church hierarchs, as reported by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
The statement emphasizes the need to “disarm language” amid growing mutual tensions between Poles and Ukrainians, and calls for continuing the path of dialogue begun with the blessing of St. John Paul II.
“Following in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIV, we are convinced that the first step toward peace is the disarmament of language. This applies not only to words, but also to gestures, signs, and symbols. They, too, can wound, block the path to encounter, and breed fear. The Holy Father reminds us that peace is ‘disarmed and disarming,’ and that building the common good requires the language of the Gospel: clear, but not humiliating; courageous, but not aggressive; truthful, but such that it does not block the path to forgiveness,” the statement reads.
The cardinals emphasize that they are watching with sorrow as mutual tensions rise and sentiments of hostility between Poles and Ukrainians resurface.
