In Poland, the Church calls for an end to the incitement of hostility towards Ukrainians

In recent months, there have been increasing reports of attacks on Ukrainians and incidents in Poland. Society has grown tired of the millions of refugees who have been stuck in the country for years. According to data from the Polish police, in the first half of 2026 alone, 180 reports of alleged hate crimes against Ukrainian citizens were registered. This is more than a 30% increase compared to the same period last year.

Against this backdrop, the Permanent Council of the Polish Bishops' Conference published an appeal on Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation.

“All these incidents, regardless of whether they have a national, hooligan, or criminal basis, deserve condemnation,” the document states.

The bishops recalled that after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees crossed the Polish border. Poles opened their homes and apartments to them, and volunteer organizations helped with food, medical, financial, legal, and other assistance.

“All this time, we as the Church have always stood on the side of those who suffered the most, the families of war victims, those who suffer and often have nowhere left to return,” the bishops declared.

They reminded that the Polish Bishops' Conference has repeatedly called for solidarity with Ukraine and reconciliation of the two nations, whose relations are marked by painful historical wounds.

“We sincerely believe that these wounds can heal, and mutual respect and reconciliation will prevail over them,” the appeal states.

The Catholic hierarchs addressed “believers and non-believers, people of good will in Poland” with a call to seek “above all the spirit of reconciliation and Christian love” in Polish-Ukrainian relations.

“We call for an honest historical dialogue so that the dark spots of our shared history are fully clarified,” the bishops stated. They also called for an end to the incitement of hostility on national grounds.

Separately, the hierarchs appealed to the Polish authorities to more effectively prevent incidents on national grounds and at the same time ensure compliance with the law by everyone in the country.

This appeal by the Polish bishops echoes the famous appeal "We forgive and ask for forgiveness," sent by the Polish bishops to the German bishops in 1965. The authorities of the Polish People's Republic used this as an opportunity for a dirty attack on the Church – claiming the appeal was unpatriotic. But that appeal paved the way for future reconciliation between Germans and Poles and lasting peace between these nations. One of the authors of that appeal was the future Pope John Paul II, Saint Karol Wojtyła.

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