21.05.2007, [10:17] // Pope Benedict XVI // RISU.ORG.UA
Kyiv – The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) addressed Pope Benedict XVI with a request to help improve Ukrainian-Polish relations. In particular, the letter of the UWC mentions memorial plaques in St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church in Przemysl, Poland, which used to be the property of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and now contains inscriptions offensive to Ukrainians. maidan.org.ua posted the news on 16 May 2007.
“Not mentioning that the UGCC has a right to the restitution of its former property (we believe that the return of the mentioned property would be most appropriate), we would like to address you about the issue of the church building itself,” reads the address of the UWC. “There are three bronze plates which honor the memory of Polish war veterans. However, in addition to that, they contain inscriptions that they were murdered by ‘gangs’ of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Thus, despite being a religious building, this Roman Catholic church serves as an offensive anti-Ukrainian museum, causing ethnic hostility and humiliation.
“We would kindly ask you to look into the matter, as your spiritual intervention will further the development of Christian principles in the relations of the Polish Roman Catholic Church and its Ukrainian neighbors,” reads the text of the letter of the UWC to Pope Benedict XVI.
Copies of the letter were also sent to various Roman and Ukrainian Greek Catholic leaders.
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