Poland’s palpable grief
We can feel it from anywhere in the world, those paying attention to the tragedy of the plane crash last week that killed Poland’s President and First Lady, state and church leaders, and everyone else aboard that ill-fated aircraft heading for a memorial service of others who were tragically killed. Poland is in palpable mourning.
Thousands of grieving mourners tossed flowers at a slow-moving hearse or joined an enormous viewing line at the presidential palace to pay their respects Tuesday to Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife as their bodies lay in state…Mourners knelt, prayed and cried before the first couple’s closed coffins in the Columned Hall of the palace, where the president appointed and dismissed governments. The line to get in swelled to over half a mile long but the mourners were not deterred.
“We will wait as long as it takes,” said Alicja Marszalek, a retired telephone operator waiting with a friend. “We want to pay homage to them because they were wonderful people. He was a modest man, very well educated, intelligent and kind.”
This is what I’m hearing from all my Polish friends, who have a hard time talking about it without choking up and crying. The president and his wife endeared themselves to the people by their goodness and kindness and solid witness of faithful public servants as well as leaders. Poland also lost many other leaders they looked up to and trusted in their government and church.
“I’m here because it’s such a tragedy for Poland,” said Maja Jelenicka, 63. “I’m in despair. I feel as if I’ve lost a close relative. Maria Kaczynska was a wonderful woman, kind, with a heart of gold.”
Parliament held a special observance in memory of the president and the 18 lawmakers killed in the plane crash. In the assembly hall, framed portraits of the lawmakers and flowers bedecked their now-empty seats.
The names of the victims were read out, and Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz, his voice breaking, declared the crash the “greatest tragedy in Poland’s postwar history.”
At times like this, the world seems like a much smaller place, and we share each others sorrows when people are struck with sudden and unbelievable tragedy. We hear some news people follow up an interview often with a comment like ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with you’, and that’s really good to say. All the better to do.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord…may they rest in peace.
