Catholic, Orthodox Leaders Reach Accord on Reconciliation Between Poland and Russia

Catholic Culture ^ | 3/16/12

[marshmallow]

Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian have reached agreement on a joint statement calling for reconciliation between the people of Russia and Poland: a historic agreement on an issue that has caused enormous friction between the two countries and the two churches.

The joint statement, which is the product of two years of careful negotiations, received final approval at a meeting in Warsaw on March 15. Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is expected to sign the statement when he visits Poland in August.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Reconciliation between churches is one thing, between peoples is not going to happen.

[SunkenCiv]

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is expected to sign the statement when he visits Poland in August.

Thanks marshmallow.

• Orthodox Church hails Putin's approach to military issues

[cunning_fish]

Why not?

[Cronos]

Not necessarily. Some decades ago the bishops of Germany and Poland worked on this - and now Poles in general have forgiven modern-day Germans --> but NOT forgotten (Pamiętajmy!) and they don't like the sound of the German language, but most Poles know that modern day Germans are not to blame for the evils of the Nazis

[Cronos]

the animosity between Poles and Russians date back to before the Mongol invasion. Prior to that in the 9th to the 12th centuries Poland and Ruthenia/Kievan Rus were trading places as the dominant ones. Then Muscowy came along as the Great Khan's tax-collectors and consolidated power, knocking out Vladimir, Nowgoród etc. The Poles then nearly incorporated Moscowy in the 16th century when they conquered Moscow, but by then the cultural differences were too great.

and there are incredible cultural differences: the Poles have for centuries been those who did not believe in collectivisation -- the individual's opinion was their downfall in the 1700s and 1800s.

The Russians since the Mongols (and the Tsars arguably took aspects of the Mongol Khaganate into their own regime) follow one strong leader.

Even the language while so similar that they can follow each other (with some trouble) diverged since the 1100s with Polish taking more Latin words and Russian taking Church Slavonic.

Poland and Hungary considered themselves as the frontiers of civilisation (from the days when they were the frontiers with the Mongols)

I think it was Marshal Piłsudski (the guy who reunited Poland in 1918) who said "the Germans would destroy our body, but the Russians would destroy our soul"

[johngrace]

I am very uneasy about this event. What do the Poles think of what happen to the Polish plane crash. I do not trust Putin.

[Cronos]

Many Poles believe the Russian government had something to do with it. Most Poles I’ve met say the same thing about Russians and the Russian government: they like Russian people even if they (the Russian people) are not taught the truth about their history. however, the Poles in general do not trust the Russian government — whoever that may be...

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Well said, and good historical arguments.

What has long impressed me about Poland is that, except for bad luck, it has long had the potential to be about as powerful and wealthy as Germany. Yet almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

For a spectacular vision of Polish history, someone created an animated film to summarize it, for Expo 2010, held in China.

http://vimeo.com/15993346

[Cronos]

well, bad luck and it was not as ruthless as the Prussians or Germans. They had a chance in teh 1600s when they crushed the Prussians and Muscovites, but they let it slip. The Poles are even today too darned noble, too brave, too honorable. For a Pole a straight fight, even to the death is more noble than a stab in the back — but their enemies have not been that noble....

[johngrace]

Thanks Cronos- nice to know.