A ceremony unveiling a plaque dedicated to the memory of 84 priests murdered in the Eastern Borderlands of the Second Polish Republic by Ukrainian nationalists from the OUN-UPA between 1939 and 1947 is now behind us. The ceremony took place on Sunday, October 5, in Czerwona Woda (Węgliniec commune). The homily during Holy Mass at the parish church was delivered by Rev. Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski, a journalist, poet and social activist, who wrote the following on his blog:
The plaque was funded by private individuals, and its initiator was Alfred Janicki, a distinguished activist involved in Borderlands affairs. The plaque bears 84 names, but this is only half of them, as twice as many clergymen were murdered. An avenue called the Avenue of Remembrance has been planted next to the plaque. Each tree is dedicated to one of the priests.
Many priests took part in the ceremony, but—as Szczepan Siekierka from Wrocław, the president, noted in his speech—not a single bishop attended. Well, fascination with the Maidan has gripped not only politicians. And, as an aside, does anyone remember how many bishops attended Bronisław Geremek’s funeral, even though he had little in common with the Catholic Church?
UGiM Węgliniec/www.isakowicz.pl/ii