Polish bishop shares vision of reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians

Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chełm. Photo: KAI

Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chełm expressed in an interview with Ekai that a dialogue is necessary to achieve genuine reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians.

In response to the question of how further aid to Ukraine can be realized in the context of "growing anti-Ukrainian sentiments," and whether Poles are capable of complete reconciliation with Ukrainians, the bishop stated that reconciliation should not be too hasty or coercive, especially when there are mutual grievances between the parties. He emphasized the importance of compromise rather than dwelling on past mistakes.

"The cornerstone for establishing the right Polish-Ukrainian relations should be an honest, non-confrontational dialogue. Forgiveness and reconciliation require noble attitudes from both sides. It is also worth noting the mutual relations at this religious level. In addition to the tragedy of Volhynia, to better understand the numerous misunderstandings, it would be necessary to take a more objective look at the drama of the functioning of the Orthodox Church in the interwar period in Chełm and southern Podlasie," the archbishop noted.

As previously reported by the UOJ, according to the Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Sawa, Serhiy Dumenko is a layman who needs to be ordained.

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