Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) – On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the "Holodomor", (great famine), provoked by Stalin between 1932 e il 1933 to force the people of Ukraine to accept policies of forced collectivisation, Pope John Paul II sent a message in Ukrainian to Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Archbishop Major Lviv of the Ukrainians and Cardinal Marian Jaworsky, Archbishop of Lviv of the Latins
“The commemoration of the tragic events of a people besides being in itself a duty, reveals itself to be very useful to foster in the new generations commitment to be, under every circumstance, watchful sentinels with regard to respect for the dignity of every human being” the Pope writes, recalling the millions of people “who died an atrocious death caused by the evil policies of an ideology which caused suffering and grief in many parts of the world all through the 20th century.” Feeling himself spiritually present at the commemoration of countless victims of the great famine in Ukraine provoked by the communist regime, the Pope writes that this act of commemoration “intends to strengthen proper love of country and the memory of the sacrifice of its sons and daughters, it is not against any other nation, it intends rather to revive in all hearts the sense of the dignity of every person whatever his or her national origin.”
“While I am close to those who suffered the consequences of that sad tragedy in 1933, I underline the importance of remembering these events in order to say once again all together: never again! Awareness of aberrations of the past becomes a constant stimulus to build a future more adapted to the human person, contrary to ideologies which profane the life, dignity and rightful aspirations of the person. The experience of that tragedy must today guide the thoughts and actions of the people of Ukraine towards horizons of harmony and cooperation.” (S.L.) (Fides Service 5/12/2003 – lines 24; words 324)
