EDITORIAL: Pope John Paul II, 1920-2005 (04/10/05)

EDITORIAL

Pope John Paul II, 1920-2005

"Do not be afraid," Pope John Paul II told his compatriots during a visit to Poland in 1979. His words emboldened the people of Poland to speak out and to make a stand against the loathsome Communist regime. In fact, many observers credit the first Slavic pontiff with being the catalyst behind the founding one year later of Solidarity. Others say it was the pope's words and actions, in combination with those of other strong leaders of the time, such as Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, that ultimately led to the fall of communism.

Twenty-two years later, Pope John Paul II visited another suffering nation: Ukraine. Millions came out to greet him on this, the 94th visit of his papacy - and that was in a country where about an eighth of the population of nearly 50 million was Catholic, and where clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate had turned out to protest in advance of the visit. Patriarch Aleksei II of the Russian Orthodox Church argued that the papal visit would succeed only in worsening relations between his Church and the Vatican. Meanwhile Ukraine's two indigenous Ukrainian Orthodox Churches welcomed the visit.

Pope John Paul II's visit to Ukraine in 2001 - which he described as the fulfillment of "a wish that I have carried in my heart for a long time" - had a profound effect on all of Ukraine. Catholics and non-Catholics alike heard and took to heart the message delivered by the pope, who called himself a "pilgrim of peace." It was a message of unity, of ecumenism, of reconciliation and, perhaps most important of all, of recognition of the suffering and sacrifices of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which had been banned and persecuted under the Soviet regime. At the conclusion of his historic visit, the pontiff beatified 28 men and women who died for their religious beliefs.

The pope spoke also of the future, hoping to influence Ukraine's youths and the country's leaders. For youths he reintroduced the concept of the Ten Commandments as "a compass in a stormy sea that enables us to keep on course." To the leaders he quoted Prince Volodymyr Monomakh's simple yet substantial instructions: " Do not allow the powerful to destroy mankind." As well, he quoted the words of the immortal bard, Taras Shevchenko: "Only in your own house will you find truth, strength and freedom."

In short, Pope John Paul II delivered a message of hope and empowerment whose resonance would be felt far and wide, and for many years to come. [For readers interested in revisiting The Weekly's reports on the papal visit, in addition to a look at this week's centerfold we suggest a visit to our website, www.ukrweekly.com - especially the issues dated July 1 and July 8, 2001.]

The Ukrainian people were and are truly thankful for this pope's extraordinary visit and his loving attention (though many Ukrainian Catholics note their unfulfilled hope that the Ukrainian Patriarchate would be recognized). Their gratitude was reflected in myriad ways, among them the granting of honorary Lviv citizenship and the erection in that city of a monument in the pope's honor. That Ukraine will long remember Pope John Paul II and his message to his fellow Slavs is reflected in the fact that Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, immediately after his official visit to the United States, has traveled to Rome to offer the Ukrainian nation's last respects to this apostle of hope.

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