Best wishes of the President of the Polish Episcopate for Jews on the occasion of Passover

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“Passover is a celebration of freedom and hope. In this time of pandemic, we also need hope for deliverance from the danger of death. This hope can ultimately be given to us by the merciful God Himself; so much about his mercy is told in the Paschal Hagadah” – wrote the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference in a letter to the Jewish community, sent to Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, on the occasion of Passover.

The President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference emphasized that “Passover is the most important and oldest Jewish holiday, celebrated in memory of the first-born Jewish boys being saved from the hands of the angel of death, in memory of crossing the Red Sea and liberation from the hands of the enemies, and it is a celebration of freedom and hope”.

“I wish you all that this holiday will be an inspiration to deepen family ties and also with all people of good will. So we could serve God in the needy. May this service in turn bring you to the experience of inner freedom” – wrote Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki.

At the end of the letter, the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference assured of his unity in prayer with all those who will be reading Psalm 115 during the Passover Supper that evening: “The Lord is mindful of us. He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron; He will bless those who fear the Lord”.

Currently, in Poland, there are approximately 30 thousand Jews. Until the Holocaust, Poland was one of the countries with the largest Jewish population.

Within the Polish Bishops’ Conference, there is the Committee for Dialogue with Judaism. One of the initiatives it has been undertaking for almost 30 years is the Day of Judaism in the Catholic Church in Poland.

We publish the full text:

Dear Chief Rabbi of Poland
and the Jewish Community in Poland

Passover – the most important and oldest Jewish holiday celebrated in memory of the first-born Jewish boys being saved from the hands of the angel of death, in memory of crossing the Red Sea and liberation from the hands of the enemies – is a celebration of freedom and hope.

In this time of pandemic, we also need hope for deliverance from the danger of death. This hope can ultimately be given to us by the merciful God Himself; so much about his mercy is told in the Paschal Hagadah.

I wish you all that this holiday will be an inspiration to deepen family ties and also with all people of good will. So we could serve God in the needy. May this service in turn bring you to the experience of inner freedom.

In my prayer I join all those who will be reading the words of Psalm 115 this evening:

“The Lord is mindful of us.
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron;
He will bless those who fear the Lord”.

Hag Pesah Sameah!

+ Stanisław Gądecki
Archbishop Metropolitan of Poznań
President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference
Vice-President of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE)