John Paul II knew communism very well. He knew it from inside and personally experienced the evil to which it was capable. Thus, he believed that there is a need for a radical change of conduct. He asked that the Holy See, in any possible agreement with the communist countries, demand the respect of the fundamental human rights: the right to freedom of expression and faith, the right to freedom of conscience, the right to greater and right space to practice faith and worship.
Of course, the changes were not well accepted by the minister of Foreign Affairs of Soviet Union, Andrei Gromyko. He went to the Vatican, to determine how dangerous the threat named Wojtyła is. The changes were also not well accepted by leaders of various communists’ countries, especially Polish leaders. The government in Warsaw began to give various pretexts, one after another, not to allow for the Pope’s visit. There was ridiculous falsification of the character and events related to the largest Polish saint. Nine centuries earlier, defending the rights of the people, Bishop Stanisław objected to the king and therefore was killed. Well, the communist historiography managed to make him an opponent of power, rebellious against the state. They could not allow the Pope to visit Poland in May 1979, in the month of the nine hundred anniversary of the martyrdom of Stanisław! But finally, through mediations of the Secretary of the Episcopate, Archbishop Bronisław Dąbrowski, the date of the visit was moved to June and finally the trip could take place.
At the permission of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz – “At the side of the Saint”
St. Stanislaus BM Publisher, Kraków 2013
