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Poland held its breath for the duration of Pope John Paul II's recent visit to his homeland. Yet again, Poles proved that they know how to unite on major issues. In Cracow's Błonie area, more than 1.5 million people listened to the pope. No demonstrations in protest of what he was saying were reported.
Polish newspapers covered the visit in great length, and all the television and radio news programs began with live coverage from wherever the pope was staying at a given time. The media evidently hoped that this information would make up for their helplessness and inability to sum up the diversity of the topics and messages included in John Paul II's statements during his 11-day visit.
"I had a similar problem," concedes the Voice's Anita Szarlik, who covered the pope's visits to Wrocław and Gniezno (see page 15). "After pondering the matter for a long time, I decided that the pope's words about the limits of freedom and obstacles to European unification were the most important. I remember when the pope talked about how after the collapse of one wall (a visible one), another wall (an invisible one) has surfaced to divide our continent. This wall runs through people's hearts. I agree with these words completely."
Several days will pass before politicians wake up from their reflection over the pope's words and return to their pre-election disputes, which also involve church-state relations. Only time will tell if the words uttered by the Polish-born pope will exert a lasting influence on any of the parties. It will also take months for sociologists to begin assessing the importance of the visit for the condition of Polish society. Will people be ready for changes for the better? Will they be ready to renounce the pervasive aggression in Polish society and return-as John Paul II asked them to do-to the principles followed by the church?
On the occasion of the pope's visit, on pages 16 and 17 we present a different Karol Wojtyła, or "Lolek," as seen through the eyes of his boyhood classmates. It's a must-read.
Magda Sowińska
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