Welcome Ceremony (16 June 1983)

On Thursday, 16 June 1983, the Holy Father landed in Poland at the Warsaw Airport, where he spoke in the Welcome Ceremony, expressing his gratitude to the State Authorities and the Church of Poland for their invitation.

1. I sincerely thank the President of the State Council for the words of greeting spoken also on behalf of the State Authorities of the Polish People's Republic.

Likewise, I thank the Cardinal Primate for his words addressed to me also on behalf of the Episcopate and the entire Church in Poland.

In your letter of invitation, the President very kindly wanted to refer to the farewell words in Krakow, in June 1979 — at the end of my previous visit to the Fatherland — and to the words of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski . Once upon a time, the late Primate invited me to visit Poland again on the occasion of the jubilee of the six hundred years of the presence of the Mother of God in her effigy in Jasna Góra.

Personally, I have always considered that visiting the Fatherland in this historic circumstance would not only be an intimate need of my heart , but also a special duty of mine as Bishop of Rome. I consider it a duty to be with my Compatriots in this sublime and at the same time difficult historical moment for the Fatherland.

So here I am; and from the first words I express my gratitude for the invitations from both the State Authorities and the Episcopate, which make this presence possible for me.

2. I come to the homeland.

The first word, spoken in silence and on our knees, was a kiss to this soil: to the native soil.

Following the example of Paul VI , I do this at the beginning of each pastoral visit, in honor of God the Creator, and the sons and daughters of the earth, to which I arrive.

The kiss deposited on Polish soil, however, has a particular meaning for me . It's like a kiss given to a mother's hands, because the Homeland is our earthly mother.

Poland is a particular mother . Its history is not easy, especially over the last few centuries. She is a mother who has suffered a lot, and who always suffers again. That's why she also has the right to special love .

3. I come to Jasna Góra.

You go to Jasna Góra on a pilgrimage. And so it will be a pilgrimage all these days, which I will be given to spend in my homeland.

In connection with the jubilee, millions of people in Poland make the pilgrimage to Jasna Góra. I wish to be one of them. Together with them I want to pray, minister the service of the Word of God and the Eucharist. Together with them, meditate on the wonders of God ( Acts 2,11) and human works, Polish works.

I ask that those who suffer particularly want to be close to me . I ask it in the name of Christ's words: "I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me" ( Mt 25, 36). I myself cannot visit all the sick, the prisoners, the suffering; however, I ask you to be with me in spirit; May they support me as they always do. I receive many letters that testify to this, especially in this last period.

4. The itinerary of my pilgrimage to Jasna Góra follows the established program . This program is vast, yet smaller than the number of invitations.

I would like then — before arriving at the places where the program takes me — to immediately say that I come to my entire homeland and to all Poles . From North to South and East to West. I therefore ask you to welcome my presence even where the itinerary of my pilgrimage does not pass, where it is not possible for me to reach this time. To all who wish to pray together with me and make a pilgrimage with the spirit and the heart, I will be cordially grateful.

I compared the kiss on the native soil with the kiss on the mother's hands. May it also be a kiss of peace for all who, in any way, would like to find themselves in this great community of the Polish Pope's pilgrimage.

Pax vobis! Peace to you, Poland! My country!

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