Catholic leaders from Poland and Ukraine have issued a rare joint appeal for reconciliation between their nations, urging both peoples to reject hostility, embrace forgiveness, and preserve the Christian bonds that unite them despite growing political and historical tensions.
The statement, released June 29 from Rome and Kyiv, was signed by Cardinals Mykola Bychok, Konrad Krajewski, Kazimierz Nycz, and Grzegorz Rys, together with Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The appeal was issued while the cardinals were gathered in Rome for the recent consistory.
Opening their message, the Church leaders said they were speaking "in unity with Holy Father Leo XIV," whose first year as pope "has been marked by persistent work to build peace based on the common good and by resolute opposition to war in all its dimensions."
The signatories said the question of reconciliation between Poland and Ukraine extends beyond politics.
"We are aware that the question of reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians concerns not only relations between the two peoples but also the authenticity of our common Christian witness," they wrote.
The appeal comes amid renewed strains in Polish-Ukrainian relations, particularly surrounding differing interpretations of World War II-era atrocities, even as Poland has remained one of Ukraine's strongest supporters since Russia's invasion in 2022.
Echoing Pope Leo XIV's repeated calls for peace, the bishops urged both nations to avoid inflammatory rhetoric.
Following Pope Leo, we are convinced that the first step toward peace is the disarmament of language."
Catholic leaders from Poland and Ukraine
"Following Pope Leo, we are convinced that the first step toward peace is the disarmament of language," they wrote. "This applies not only to words but also to gestures, signs, and symbols. They can also wound, close the path to encounter, and generate fear."
The statement also warned against allowing competing historical narratives to fuel division.
"When we impose our own vision of the past and the future on others, we succumb to the logic of a culture of violence and power," the Church leaders wrote. Instead, they urged both peoples to seek "the common good, not only of particular interests."
Quoting the Gospel's call to mercy, they added: "The Gospel in which we believe teaches us that the remedy for sin is forgiveness, and the limit that God has set for evil is mercy."
The bishops also invoked the legacy of St. John Paul II, who devoted significant efforts during his pontificate to fostering reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians.
"We feel the duty not to abandon the common path begun with the blessing of St. John Paul II but to walk it patiently and courageously," they wrote. "Too much that unites our peoples for us to allow our common heritage to be wasted."
While acknowledging the painful chapters of history shared by both nations, the Church leaders emphasized that Christians are called to pursue reconciliation rooted in truth, forgiveness, and charity rather than resentment.
Their appeal concluded with a call to resist the culture of division and instead offer a Christian witness to a world increasingly marked by conflict.
"Together with the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV," they wrote, "we call on everyone to think primarily in terms of the common good and not only of private interests."
