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Thousands Protest At TV Program Which Accused John Paul II Of Hiding Abuse

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Thousands Protest At TV Program Which Accused John Paul II Of Hiding Abuse

Following a TV program that claimed he covered up clerical child s*x abuse in his native Poland before he was elected pope, thousands of Poles participated in marches on Sunday in support of the late pope, St. John Paul II.

On the 18th anniversary of John Paul’s passing, protests were organized in Warsaw and other towns under the banner “You roused us, we will defend you.”

Before walking in front of sacred objects in the capital, participants said a prayer. Participants in the march carried John Paul II pictures. Since the anniversary fell on Palm Sunday, they also carried pussy willows and other tree branches, as is customary for Roman Catholics on the Sunday before Easter.

Last month, TVN, an independent network that frequently criticizes Poland’s conservative government, aired an investigative documentary.

Many Polish Catholics perceived it as an assault on the legacy of a man who was honored in Poland as one of the greatest historical heroes and who is now cherished as a saint by Catholics all over the world as a result of the Vatican’s expedited canonization process following his passing in 2005.

Poland’s political climate has given rise to the issue, particularly in light of the upcoming fall parliamentary elections.

The administration has referred to the documentary as a liberal political opposition assault on the nation’s identity and beliefs. Many Poles share this opinion, and it appears to have strengthened the leadership of the ruling Law and Justice party as they campaign.

According to opinion polls, the party is the most well-liked in the nation, with support levels matching those from eight years ago, when Law and Justice initially took control of the government.

Several marchers in Warsaw carried the Polish national flag as well as the flag of Solidarity, the trade organization that Pope John Paul II inspired following his election in 1978 and which was instrumental in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe a decade later.

Eleonora and Stanislaw Sochal, a couple who participated in the march, expressed their rage at TVN for creating a documentary they believe to be disparaging of the late pope.

They regarded John Paul as the guy who sparked the fight that finally resulted in the nation reclaiming its sovereignty and freedom, recalling communism as a dark period when the country was ruled by the Soviet Union.

“TVN disparages our officials. It denigrates John Paul and all of our values, according to Mrs. Sochal, 76.

In addition, Polish officials celebrated the anniversary by giving away free cream-filled pastries—now renowned because John Paul loved to eat them—to riders on some state train rides.

On social media, others mocked and criticized the freebies, arguing that the state shouldn’t be using tax dollars to distribute “papal” pastries.

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