The Day of Judaism in the Archdiocese of Lublin

The life story of Rev. Inf. Grzegorz Pawłowski, who, as a Jewish boy - Jakub Hersz Griner - was saved by Poles during the Holocaust, will be one of the topics of a meeting organised by the Archdiocese of Lublin, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, and The Archdiocesan Centre for Catholic-Jewish Dialogue in Lublin, on the Day of Judaism in the Catholic Church - January 17th. 

The event, during which a lecture on Jewish-Catholic dialogue will be given by Prof. Abraham Skórka - the rabbi of the Benei Tikva Jewish community in Buenos Aires, will be broadcast on the Internet.

Grzegorz Pawłowski (Jakub Hersz Griner) was born on August 23rd, 1931 in Zamość to a Jewish family. During World War II, his closest relatives - his father, mother, and two sisters - were murdered by the Germans. He himself hid from the occupiers thanks to the help of Polish families. After the war, he stayed in the orphanage of the Benedictine sisters. After graduating from high school, he entered the Major Seminary in Lublin, and on April 20th, 1958 he was ordained a priest.

Rev. Inf. Grzegorz Pawłowski died last year in Israel where, from the year 1970, he was the chaplain of the Polish community.

During the meeting, an excerpt from a new book by Rev. Inf. Grzegorz Pawłowski entitled "The Messiah and His Followers" will be read out. The book, which is a biblical and archaeological commentary on the texts of the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, will be published by the "Gaudium" Publishing House. It describes the life of Jesus, his disciples, and the community of the early Church, but it is also a testimony of the faith of a Jew who believed in the Gospel and became a Catholic priest.

"The publication contains valuable archaeological, historical and geographical comments and explanations, perceived from both a Jewish and a Christian point of view" - Gaudium encourages people to read the book, adding that it is also a kind of spiritual will of Rev. Inf. Pawłowski.

The meeting, which will be introduced by Rev. Tomasz Adamczyk, Ph.D. - director of the Archdiocesan Centre for Catholic-Jewish Dialogue in Lublin, will be attended by the metropolitan of Lublin, Rev. Stanisław Budzik D.Sc., and the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin, Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski. Prof. Abraham Skórka, whose lecture is entitled "The Jewish-Catholic dialogue 56 years after Nostra Aetate", together with Bp. Mieczysław Cisło - senior auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Lublin - will also lead a prayer for peace. At the end of the Lublin celebrations of the Day of Judaism, the prayer of John Paul II for the intention of the Jewish nation will also be delivered.

The Day of Judaism in the Catholic Church in Poland was established in 1997 by the Polish Episcopal Conference. It is celebrated the eve of the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - January 17th. Its aim is to develop Christian-Jewish dialogue, as well as to pray and reflect on the relationship between the two religions.