Poland

American theologian and author George Weigel was honored Nov. 30 with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Blessed Omelyan Kovch Award at the National Opera House in Lviv, Ukraine.

When bishops from Poland and Germany gather to commemorate one of Europe’s most famous acts of reconciliation, discussion will focus on its historic significance and continued meaning for the present.

Every year on the feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, Polish cities are flooded with joyful Three Kings Parades. Designed as theatrical performances that recall the historical event of Jesus’ birth and the visit of the Magi who worshipped him 2,000 years ago, the parades’ purpose is to familiarize their audiences with the Gospel tradition.

An army of little violinists dressed in traditional attire of Polish highlanders, or “górale,” went viral playing their Christmas carol in a gorgeous church in southern Poland, making a local legendary children’s orchestra go global.

As 40 years have passed since the murder of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, one of their church’s most famous priests, Polish Catholics are urging people everywhere to revisit and learn from his heroic testimony.

Poland’s government is preparing a decree of a state of natural disaster as the southwestern part of the country was severely flooded by torrential rains caused by Storm Boris.

Kamil Cierniak lived with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a terminal illness, for 26 years. Despite the disease, he studied in multiple departments of Krakow’s universities in Poland. In 2015 Kamil was asked to become a director of the documentary on the international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta to Lourdes sanctuary.

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