Poles unite in mourning for dead cardinal

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 9

Poles unite in mourning for dead cardinal

NZPA-Reuter Warsaw Poland was in official mourning yesterday for Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, the towering symbol of’the survival and triumph of Roman Catholicism in the Commun-ist-ruled nation.

The cardinal, who was primate and spiritual leader of Poland's predominantly Catholic population for nearly 33 years, died on Thursday of stomach cancer, at the .age of 79. His death brought together Communist, church, and union leaders in an outpouring of grief and national mourning which underlined the profound changes which took place in the last year of the cardinal’s reign, in part due to hiS’ tenacity.. The changes, which gave birth to, the pro-Catholic free trade, union Solidarity and obliged the Communist authorities to recognise the enduring hold of Christianity in this officially* atheistic society, were visible throughout the day. The • civil authorities declared an official four-day mourning‘period. State radio and television played solemn music arid devoted pro-

grammes to the cardinal’s life and thoughts and the Communist leaders mourned the passing of "a great patriot” who had once been imprisoned in the name of Marxism.

The Polish red and white flag will fly at half mast, cinemas and theatres will be closed, and radio and television programmes will be changed until the funeral tomorrow.

The cardinal, who was one of the last four surviving princes of the Church raised : by Pope Pius XII, will be buried in the vaults of St John’s Cathedral, Warsaw. His funeral will be marked by an open-air Mass in Victory Square, in the shadow of the Stalinist Palace of Culture where the Polish-born Pope John Paul made history in June, 1979 with the first such service In the heart of the Polish capital, since the Communists came - to power after World Wgr 11. The election of. Pope Jdhn Paul and his hugely popular homecoming ■ marked the high point of Cardinal Wyszynski's reign.

Church sources said that only the . bullets of a would-

be assassin have kept the Pope from returning to Warsaw for the funeral of the cardinal.

The Pope, who is still recovering from the attempt on his life, said that he was pained at the death of his former superior and mentor and described him as a great son of the Church and Poland.

The Polish head of state, Mr Henryk Japlonski, will lead civic mourners at the funeral, which will be televised nationally.