Polish History In the Sermons of Bl. Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko’s

Abstract

There was a number of recurring themes appearing in Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko’s (1982–1984) sermons. Patriotism, however, is a chief one. The martyr priest wanted to form the national awareness, promote the love for the Country and present the Polish past. The historical examples include the 19th-century uprisings, the world wars, the Battle of Warsaw, the restoration of independence in 1918, The Warsaw Uprising, the anti-Soviet guerrilla warfare and the working-class strikes spanning till 1980. The preacher did not include the historical references just to present facts, although this would have made sense in the context of the Communist propaganda. The main purpose was to show to the fellow Poles the meaning of self-sacrifice and suffering as a price which had to be paid in the struggle for national liberty over centuries. Moreover, the preacher intended to keep up the spirits of the nation terrorised by the martial state and to give hope stemming from the religious and patriotic values. In Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko’s mind they would eventually pave the way towards Polish freedom and independence.